Step back in time
by black blade1
Summary: When a bitter, dark, and battle worn Harry Potter steps through a rip in time. He didn't think he would find himself with a baby in his arms on his Aunt's front doorstep on the night his parents were killed but that was just the beginning. Slash hp/ss Snarry
1. Chapter 1

Author's ramblings: Just a warning that this is a long story. I have broken it down into about five parts so far and it sits at about 900 pages at the moment. This story does contain many fun things like sex scenes between two men (Harry Potter and Severus Snape), violence, sarcasm, and swearing. You have been warned. All graphic sex scenes are on my other account at archive of our own (Link can be found on my profile page).

This story covers all seven years of the Harry Potter books and beyond and does start a little slow but builds up. Everything that happened in the books, unless stated otherwise, has happened in Harry's time. This story only covers information in the seven Harry Potter books.

Disclaimer: Cos I'm old school and don't own Harry Potter.

Last note: Beta reader? Anyone interested?

Step back in time.

Part One.

On a quiet street in Surrey known as Privet Drive something unusual was about to happen. It all started with a tabby cat sitting on a wall outside a normal looking house that looked just like all the other normal looking houses in the street. In fact many people would say that this street was very normal, thank you very much, and would scoff at anyone telling them any different. That was before tonight and what was about to unfold on this very quiet and normal street.

Suddenly a cool wind stirred the leaves and an old man appeared on the road with a bundle in his arms. The tabby cat stretched her back before jumping from the wall and disappearing from sight. The old man smiled as a woman appeared next to him and the two had a slight, if heated discussion, before moving a couple of houses down the street. Where the old man moved towards the front door of number four and placed the bundle in his arms on the doorstep and stepped away as he took the younger woman's arm in his and they moved off down the street before disappearing into the night.

Quiet descended once again on the very ordinary street and the hours slowly ticked away as light touched the horizon. Just as suddenly as the two people before him appeared a man appeared limping along with a cane in one hand as he moved towards number four and the bundle on the doorstep. He stopped and carefully picked up the bundle, his green eyes looking down at the small child in his arms. He looked down at the child in his arms for a while before reaching up with his cane and knocked loudly on the front door.

A horse-faced woman answered the door with a sour look on her face as she looked down her nose at the man on her doorstep. Her eyes briefly flickered to the bundle in his arms and the cane in the man's hand before her lips tightened.

"Yes?" The woman asked primly.

"Hello, my name is Blake Sun." The man said, smiling politely. "Are you Petunia Dursley?"

"Yes." The woman snapped. "What do you want?"

"I'm sorry to say, that I come with bad news." Blake stated looking down at the baby in his arm. "Your sister and brother-in-law were killed last night."

Petunia nose crinkled up in distaste.

"Is that so?" The woman questioned, with cold eyes.

"I'm afraid it is, Mrs Dursley" Blake said softly. "I'm sorry for your loss but we have matters to discuss. May we come inside?"

"We?"

Blake moved the blanket around to show the sleeping baby in his arms to the woman.

"Your nephew, Harry Potter, and myself." Blake said softly.

Petunia stepped back, her nose wrinkling even more.

"I want nothing to do with the child!" Petunia snapped as her eyes darted around the street.

Blake looked taken aback and said, "But this child-"

"No, I don't want that child in this house!"

Blake sighed and took a couple of sheets of paper from his pocket and held them out to the woman. She just looked down her nose at them.

"I was hoping that we could come to an agreement but it looks like these papers will be needed." Blake said quietly.

"What are they?" Petunia snapped.

"These papers sign over rights of Harry Potter to me to take over his care."

Petunia snatched the papers from his hand and closed the door in Blake's face sharply. The man stood back and looked down at the small child, still sleeping in his arms unaware that his life was going to change so much from the events of this night. Blake sighed and gently removed the letter from the boy's blanket and placed it into his pocket.

Suddenly the door reopened harshly and the papers were shoved towards him.

"Here, now leave before my husband wakes up." Petunia hissed and shut the door in his face.

Blake sighed and turned away as the sun crept higher and a few curtains twitched as he stood on the Dursley's doorstep.

"Well, little Harry." Blake said softly. "This is the start of your new life."

Blake stepped forward and disappeared before his foot could hit the ground and the quiet street of Privet drive went back to being just a very normal street, thank you very much.

xXx

Harry could still see the image of the Dark Mark floating above the burnt out remains of Godric Hollow as he closed his eyes. Frozen in place as Hagrid had dashed into the house and picked up the baby and rode away on Sirius's flying motorcycle. He was sure he would have broken down again if it weren't for the goblin that had appeared on the street close to him and beckoned him over.

He'd moved over to the creature still in shock, with the glow of the Dark Mark bathing the street in green light as people started to creep out of the houses around him. Harry had taken the adoption papers from the goblin's hand as the creature had explained since he was a Potter, he could take over guardianship of Harry Potter.

Harry just taken the papers and had stood on the street for a while as the Dark Mark had floated away on the wind and the Aurors had moved in. Locking down the scene and moving the witches and wizards back, they had looked at him with interest but Harry had just moved back with the rest when ordered. He'd watched with slight detachment as the bodies of Lily and James Potter were removed from the house and taken away.

He was sure that it was stupidity that pushed him to apparate to the Dursley's house. How he thought he could take care of a child when he was having enough trouble just pulling his own mind together he wasn't sure.

Harry just sighed as he shook the memories away and knew that there was no way that he could have walked away from the baby. From the moment he'd picked up the child he'd known he wouldn't be leaving without him. He would just have to deal with the situation he was in now and try to push the events that lead to him stepping through the time rip and the darkness in his mind later.

xXx

Harry held his head in his hands as he looked down at the notebook on the table and reread his own writing. He sighed and leaned back in his chair before getting to his feet and paced a few steps before picking up the beer on his table and swallowing down another gulp. He replaced it on the table as he looked out the window and into the darkness.

He cursed as he turned away and pulled another memory from his mind and placed it into the bowl. He could tell that it was fragmented and he knew it would be useless to him. He was having no luck. Every time he would try to think back, it was just too far. Every memory he pulled was too fragmented or faded to be of any use to him. Too many years had passed since he was a child. Too much blood and chaos.

He looked down at the beer but could only see the blood on his hands and with a yell he threw the bottle at the wall. It smashed into a thousand pieces as crying started up next door and his green eyes flicked to the dor. He ran his hands through his short hair and sighed. He wasn't sure how he was going to do this again, how could he face it? Those green eyes looking up at him again.

He looked down at his hands as they shook, no blood to be seen, just another memory as he moved into the other room. Harry Potter looked up at him with big green eyes, crying. He picked the child up gently and rocked him as he murmured softly until he settled and he just held the child. Feeling the warmth of the body against him as he looked around the room blankly.

Just the fact that he held the child went against everything he had read about time travel. He should not be able to even touch him without making ripples. He rocked the boy slowly, thinking of his own children and grandchildren and a calmness started to come over him. This was something he had done so many times before as the boy settled down.

He had fled with the boy as soon as Petunia Dursley had signed him over to him. He just couldn't stay in England. There were just too many memories there at the moment. Too much darkness and pain. All things he just couldn't deal with in his state of mind.

He moved back into his office, limping more heavily with the added weight of the child and looked down at the will of Lily and James Potter and knew there would be a time when he would have to return. He wouldn't be able to run forever, if he wanted to honour their wishes.

His eyes caught on the word Hogwarts in the will and he sighed as he laid the sleeping child on the table in the blanket and picked up the will. He had to honour the wishes of the boy's parents. They wanted him to go to Hogwarts for his whole education, even if it meant that the child would have to face the possible dangers there.

Harry felt the grief and frustration growing in him again as he read through the will and he sighed as he placed it back on the table and looked down at the boy. His eyes catching on the lightning bolt scar and he bowed his head. He still couldn't wrap him mind around the fact that the time rip had sent him to the one time in his life that everything had changed, the night his parents had been killed. It could have taken him anywhere but fate had played her hand and he now had no choice but to deal with it.

The boy made a soft sound and he glanced up to see green eyes looking at him, so much like his own, so much like his son's had been and he felt the grief try to overtake him again. He reached out and little Harry grabbed his hand and he smiled.

The goblins had already been at his door and the German Ministry had sent him requests. They all had work for him to do as he looked at the boy's little fingers curled around his own. He would do what he always did; he would survive. He would fall back into work, to bring up his son and hope that he could recall more memories of what his life had been, when he'd been Harry Potter.

xXx

"Dad!"

Harry started from the book he'd been reading at his son's yell. He dashed out of the room and down the hallway, his cane forgotten in his rush to get to his son. He crashed into his son's room scanning everything with his eyes looking for any danger.

His son sat on the bed crying and hugging his small body. Harry's heartbeat slowly returned to normal as he limped towards his son and sat down on the bed. The little boy fell into his arms crying into his shirt as Harry cupped his head and rocked him, his right leg stretched out before him.

"It's okay Ry." Harry cooed into the boy's ear. "You are safe here. It was only a nightmare."

The little boy hiccupped before turning his head up to his father.

"It was the green light." The boy whispered, with big green eyes.

Harry's heart clenched as he ran his hand through the boy's hair.

"It's okay Ry." Harry whispered as the child cried.

Harry continued to stoke the boy's hair until the five year old fell back into sleep. Harry tucked the boy back into bed and looked down at him softly. Five was just too young for a boy to be remembering the night that his parents were murdered and he wished not for the first time that his son didn't have such a good memory.

He knew it wasn't possible but he believed that his younger self had an even better memory than he did himself and he was starting to think that young Ry was becoming more of his own person and developing away from the path that Harry himself had taken. He wasn't sure if that had to do with the fact that the boy was away from the childhood that he'd had or if it was the fact that Harry lived in this time, when there had been no Blake Sun in Harry's life when he was a child.

With a sigh he pulled himself to his feet, his right leg protesting slightly as he limped back to his living room and the book he had been reading.

xXx

"Come on, dad!" The young child of eleven yelled, bouncing on his toes. "We are going to be late!"

Harry sighed as he pulled his shoes on, if only he had a tenth of his son's energy.

"What will we be late for?" He asked the young boy.

Ry rolled his eyes and said, "To get all my school things!"

"We have a week before you start school, Ry." He reminded the dark haired child.

"I know, but I want to read all the books before I start!"

Harry sighed feeling the beginning of a headache forming already. He was starting to think that his son was going to be sorted into Ravenclaw with the way he threw himself at his studies and yet he seemed to throw himself into trouble just as easily.

"Do you have your letter with the list of everything you need?" Harry asked.

"Yep," Ry held up the letter proudly.

The letter had arrived a couple of weeks ago via an owl and his son hadn't stopped bouncing around since.

"Very well," Harry replied.

He pulled himself to his feet with the help of the cane at his side. Together the two moved towards the door with the boy chatting away excitingly. Harry held out his hand for his son to take as they walked the short way to the bus stop and waited for the bus to London. Harry loved living a muggle life and hadn't given that up when he'd taken on the child.

Ry kept chatting away as they made their way to the Leaky Cauldron and Harry just nodded along. The little boy was so excited but Harry was sure that that would be dampened once people started to notice the lightning bolt scar on the child's forehead.

"Now Ry," Harry started as they stopped out the front of the Leaky Cauldron. "I want you to keep close to me and not run off."

"Yes, Dad." The young boy replied with big green eyes.

Harry looked down at him sternly.

"I want you in my sight at all times, young man." Harry said sternly.

"I understand, Dad." Ry said softly.

Harry smiled and made him way into the magical pub keeping the boy close to his side and glaring down anyone that even looked towards them. He moved towards the back room but not before Ry was noticed.

"It's Harry Potter!"

Ry looked around at his name but Harry kept walking.

"Wait!"

Harry turned to see a slender man close behind him, looking down at his son with wide eyes.

"Yes?" Harry asked, looking down his nose at the man as he leaned on his cane.

"Is this Harry Potter?" The man asked squinting at his son. Ry hid slightly behind his father's leg.

"Yes," Harry said shortly, gaining the attention of the pub.

"Oh, my." The man just stood there as a few other people made their way over.

"And we must be going," Harry replied.

"But-"

Harry kept walking, ignoring everyone else that tried to get his attention. Making his way to the entrance to Diagon Alley where Harry tapped his wand on the stones to open the way. Harry smiled as his son gasped beside him as the street was revealed before them. Harry had never taken Ry to the Alley before preferring to take him to the smaller magical shopping areas, but that wouldn't cut it when it came to getting his son's school supplies.

"Dad?" Ry asked softly, bitting his lip.

"Yes, son?" Harry asked looking down at the boy.

"Why was that man asking about me?"

"Remember what I told you about people calling you the boy-who-lived?" Harry replied with a sigh.

"Yes."

"Well there are some people that believe that you saved the wizarding world, the night that your parents were killed."

Ry seemed to think this over for a little while.

"But I was one!" Ry said softly.

Harry sighed this was hard to explain to an eleven year old child. Mainly because he still didn't understand it well himself.

"Yes, you were." Harry agreed. "How about we have a look at the book shop first?"

The boy grinned at him as they headed to the first shop of many. It was going to be a long day.

xXx

"Did you want to get some ice cream before we leave?" Harry asked his son.

"I want to go home." Ry said with a shake of his head.

The young boy was looking around at all the people that kept looking over in their direction. Harry looked down at Ry and thought maybe he should have taken his son to a few more magical areas while he was growing up so he could get use to people staring at him but he just couldn't bring himself to do that. It was better when they were in Germany since Harry Potter wasn't as well-known there.

"Okay, Ry." Harry replied, picking up a couple of lightened bags as Ry picked up Hedwig's empty cage. "Let's head home."

"My, my, if it isn't the famous Harry Potter?"

Harry looked up to see Lucius Malfoy standing a few paces away from him with his son at his heels. Harry stood up straighter tightening his grip on his cane as Ry looked up at the blonde man with wide eyes.

"Yes," Harry said slowly, looking the other man dead in the eyes. "This is my son, Harry Potter and I am Blake Sun. And you would be?"

"Lucius Malfoy," The man sneered looking down his nose at Harry.

"Is there something that I can help you with Mr Malfoy?"

"Just wanted to welcome Mr Potter to the wizarding world." Malfoy said with a sneer.

"That's nice of you, Mr Malfoy." Harry replied, his tone implying something completely different. "However, we must be on our way, it's been a long day."

"Ah, yes." Lucius replied. "It can be tiring keeping up with children at your age."

Harry smiled with a cold look in his eyes.

"Yes, people of our age do tend to tire quickly." Harry said with a smirk.

Harry turned away from the fuming man and made his way to the exit as Ry glanced over his shoulder at the blonde-haired man and his son.

xXx

"Dad!"

Harry sighed he had only gotten through one page of his book since his son's last call.

"What?" Harry called back.

"I can't find my potion's book!"

"Keep looking, it's there."

Harry turned back to his book.

'… _Time is believed to be free flowing always moving forward and moving backwards in time can cause ripples. Any slight change can alter the future that was known to the person using time devices…'_

"Dad! I can't find my red shirt!"

"It's in the wash."

'… _Depending on the ripples they can cause rips and tears. It is believed that people or objects can fall through these gaps. Studies into these time rips have been conducted without confirmation about the changes to established timelines. Theories have been put forward of alternate dimensions being created due to using time devices but they are unconfirmed and…'_

"Dad!"

"What?"

"Hedwig isn't back yet! Will she know to go to Hogwarts?"

"Yes, she will. Don't worry."

"Okay."

'… _Studies have looked into these gaps without much luck. It is however known that two of the same person can't coexist for long in the same time. This is why time turners are monitored very closely and with very strict rules applied to all people with permission to use one. If two of the same person were to come into contact, the results could collapse a timeline…"_

"Dad!"

Harry sighed and placed his book on the table. He knew that he wasn't going to get any work done until his son left for school tomorrow morning. With a soft groan he made his way to his feet as he picked up his cane and limped towards his son's room.

"Never mind, I found it!"

"Oh god," Harry moaned.

xXx

Harry placed the last of his son's bags onto the trolley and allowed Ry to push it into the station as he made his way behind the very excited child. Up ahead he could see a red headed family making their way towards the barrier between platforms nine and ten.

"Just follow that red headed family, Ry." Harry said to his son.

Ry looked over at the large family.

"Okay dad," Ry replied softly.

Even thou Ry was short he was the right height for his age and could just see over the bags on the trolley. Harry was sure that he had been a lot shorter than his son was now and it looked like the differences between himself and his younger self were starting to become more apparent as time went on.

They both had the dark hair and green eyes but the slight lines around Harry eyes and face showed him as being in his late forties, even if he was a lot older than that. He'd stopped aging in his late forties but it wasn't until a lot later that he'd noticed that something was wrong and the true meaning of the Master of Death had become clear to him.

He kept his hair short, similar to a military cut and wore dark jeans and light blue shirt, allowing the scars on his arms to show plainly. He also didn't wear glasses and his eyes seemed to look paler then his son's eyes did without them. Ry made sure he wasn't going too fast for his father as he tapped along with his cane in his right hand as they made their way through the busy station. Keeping the red headed family in their sights.

Suddenly one of the twins up ahead turned around and spotted them and turned to his mother who looked over her shoulder and stopped to let the two catch up.

Molly Weasley smiled at the two as they drew even.

"Hello dear, are you starting this year?" Molly asked Ry.

Ry looked up at his father unsure and Harry smiled at Molly.

"Yes, it's his first year," Harry confirmed.

"Well, just follow us." Molly said warmly. "I'm Molly, this is Ron. He is starting this year and this is George, Fred and Percy. And this little one is Ginny, she starts next year."

Harry smile widened and said, "I'm Blake Sun and this is my son, Harry Potter."

Molly didn't even blink at Ry's name, even if her sons started whispering between themselves as Ginny peeked around her mother with large eyes.

"Nice to meet you," Molly said kindly as she shook Harry's hand.

Molly moved back to walk with Harry as Ry moved forward to talk to the rest of her family as they made their way towards the platform.

"They grow up so quickly!" Molly gushed, as the kids started to move through the barrier. Seeing who could run at it the fastest without losing control of their trolley.

"That they do." Harry said. "Doesn't stop them from regressing now and again."

"I don't think my twins will ever grow up!" Molly replied with a laugh. "I've lost count of how many times Headmaster Dumbledore has sent me a letter about those two."

Harry smiled in understanding.

"Knowing Ry," Harry said dryly. "I am expecting that I will be receiving just as many letters. I got enough from his boarding school."

"Ry?" Molly questioned.

"Oh, sorry." Harry said with a grin. "My son likes to be called Ry. He just told me, one day out of the blue, when he was about four that he wanted to be called Ry since Harry was too much of a mouthful. Just wait until he is learning spells, now they are a mouthful."

Molly laughed as they moved through the barrier after their children and onto the magical platform.

"Well, I better make sure my lot are all on board." Molly said with a smile. "Nice to meet you, Blake."

"Nice to meet you too Molly, looks like Ron is showing Ry what he needs to do." Harry pointed out as the red heads surrounded Ry as their bags were loaded onto the train.

Harry stood back watching the train and all the children, parents, and animals running around as the train waited. Suddenly Ry separated himself from the red heads and dashed across the platform and hugged Harry tightly.

"Bye, Dad." Ry said, looking up at his father. "I'll write as much as I can!"

"Make sure you do," Harry replied ruffling the boy's hair. "Now off you go. Looks like Ron is waiting for you."

Ry grinned up at him before dashing off with one last good bye over his shoulder. Harry watched as the train pulled away and waved at the grinning face of his son in the window. With a sad sigh he moved off the platform with the other parents. He looked after the train sadly and hoped that Albus would look out for Ry, like he had for him as he turned away.

xXx

' _Hi Dad,_

 _I got sorted into Gryffindor! And so did Ron! It's up in a tall tower and it's great. I've made a few friends but the other kids keep staring at me. I don't like it. I hope it gets better. I'm learning some really cool stuff but Snape is mean. He is one of my teachers and he always calls on me and takes points. It's not fair!_

 _Love, Ry.'_

xXx

Harry was sitting in his living room having a coffee when an owl flew down onto the windowsill and tapped on the glass. Harry waved his hand and the window opened letting in the brown owl in. Harry took the note from the owl with a frown. The Hogwarts seal revealing whom the message was from.

' _Dear Mr Sun,_

 _I wish to invite you to Hogwarts School to discuss your son Harry Potter. If you could write back a time that would be suitable for you with the owl and I will endeavour to make that time available to you._

 _Yours sincerely,_

 _Headmaster Albus Dumbledore.'_

He reached for a pen on the side table and wrote back a day, and a time and also his home address before giving the note back to the owl. Albus would need to contact him via his mail box due to the fact that owls had trouble finding him for some reason he hadn't worked out. Some owls found him without a problem but others just seemed to get lost, which was frustrating for him and the person sending the owl.

"Please return this to Albus Dumbledore," Harry said to the owl and watched as it flew off.

The next day a portkey arrived in his mail box for Harry to attend his meeting with the Headmaster. Harry didn't have a floo connection to his house due to the fact that he didn't trust them so a portkey or apparation were his two options. He stood and moved to his room and removed a few items, if he was meeting the Headmaster he didn't want to have anything that would raise the man's suspicions, anymore then they probably already were.

Once everything except his wands were removed, he moved back towards his front door, picking up his keys and wallet before moving out of the house and using the portkey once he was passed his wards. He landed with a slight stumble in a bare stone room with Albus Dumbledore standing in his brightly coloured glory with a smile on his aged face waiting for him. Harry just took in the image of the man for a second.

"Welcome to Hogwarts, Mr Sun." Albus greeted, holding out a hand, which Harry took in his own.

"Thank you for the invitation," Harry replied, as he looked the man over. "Is my son in trouble?"

"No, no." Albus replied quickly, as they moved out of the room and into the Headmaster's office. "Just a bit of paperwork to sort out."

Harry moved to the chair offered to him as Albus settled behind his desk.

"Would you like tea?" Albus offered, with a twinkle in his blue eyes and Harry felt his heart clench at the sight.

"Yes, thank you Headmaster." Harry replied softly.

"Please call me Albus," The Headmaster replied floating a cup over to Harry.

Harry smiled. "Just Blake is fine."

"Now, you are Harry Potter's guardian?"

"Yes, that's correct."

Albus coughed slightly.

"We had a Mr and Mrs Dursley on our file?" Albus said softly. "But your address down as Harry's place of residence?"

"They are his Aunt and Uncle." Harry explained. "His Aunt signed over his guardianship to me when Ry was about one. I can call up the papers if you wish?"

"If you could, we can change what we have on file for young Mr Potter," Albus smiled, but it didn't quite reach his eyes. "I apologise for the mix up."

Harry pulled out his cherry wood wand and with a slight wave a few papers appeared in Harry's hand and he placed them on the Headmaster's desk as he sat back in his chair and sipped at his tea. Albus took the papers and read through them his eyebrow rising at the signature at the bottom of the first page.

"These papers only have Mrs Dursley's signature on them?" Albus asked.

"Yes, that's correct. Only Ry's blood relative was needed. I also have the Ministry's guardian papers there as well." Harry replied.

"Ah yes. I'll just make a copy of these to go into his folder."

"I will also give you my home number, if anything comes up that you need to contact me. I'm out of the country a lot so I'll give you my mobile number as well. I try to put a redirection on my home phone when I'm away from home for a while but it doesn't always work." Harry wrote the numbers down on a piece of paper and passed them to the Headmaster. "How's Ry going with school so far?"

Albus smiled as he took the paper and added it to Ry's file on his desk.

"He's a very smart boy, we may have to look at including him in some advance classes as the years progress." Albus said with a smile. "He has also been allowed to play on the Quidditch team. The youngest seeker in a hundred years."

Harry grinned. "He has always been a very smart and talented boy."

"If you allow him to stay an extra week in the holidays, he could take some extra classes?" Albus offered.

"I'll have to talk to Ry about that," Harry said carefully, with a frown.

Albus stood suddenly.

"Thank you for coming to see me Blake it was very nice to meet you. The first Quidditch game is in four weeks if you would like to see your son play?" Albus offered with a smile.

Harry stood slowly with the aid of his cane and shook the Headmaster's hand once more.

"I would like that very much, thank you." Harry replied. "Ry had asked me to come to the game."

"Should I send you an owl or a parcel with the portkey?"

"Parcel would be better." Harry replied.

"I'll see you in four weeks then," Albus said with a smile and led him back to the stone room. "You can apparate out from here, but not in."

"Good bye, Albus."

xXx

Albus Dumbledore watched the limping figure of Blake Sun as he made his way towards the Quidditch pitch with the other parents and some of his colleagues. Severus Snape leaned towards Albus when he noticed where the older man was looking.

"What do you make of him?" Severus asked.

"He seems polite enough," Albus replied with a sigh. "It's strange, but I can't feel much of his magic. Even when he used it, it was so faint."

Severus frowned.

"Maybe he isn't very powerful?" Severus said with a sneer.

"I don't think that's the case," Albus said softly, a thoughtful look in his eyes. "He feels a little different but he does love young Harry Potter. You can see the Potter line in him, so there is a blood connection there, even if he doesn't hold the Potter name."

Severus gave him a nod and turned towards the pitch as Blake made his way towards the box they were sitting in. The man took a seat to the left side of the stand, a few rows ahead of the Headmaster and Severus. He placed his cane under the seats and turned his attention to the pitch as the children made their way out. Everyone's attention turned to the game as it started and the stands erupted with noise.

Severus's eyes kept drifting down at the dark-haired man, slightly puzzled by him. He was an unknown factor and yet being Harry Potter's father it made him a main player and yet no one really knew the man. He kept to himself and didn't venture into the magical world much, that he knew of. He had heard rumours that the man did work in Germany and France but couldn't find out what type of work he did.

A gasp beside him had him looking back to the game to see Potter's broom bucking. Severus cursed and started muttering a counter curse under his breath with his eyes trained on the broom as Potter clung to it. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Blake rise to his feet and Severus's stomach dropped as he realised that the boy's father might see his son fall from the broom. He pushed a bit more of his magic into the counter curse but it was for nothing, for with one big buck the broom threw the boy and he was falling.

The crowd gasped and Severus felt Albus draw his wand and cry out a spell but it wasn't going to be enough to stop him. Suddenly the boy slowed even more, which puzzled both Severus and the Headmaster. The boy slowed completely as he softly touched down on the ground. Severus then noticed Blake, he was standing in his seat, his hand outstretched and focused. Severus wished he could see the man's face but he was sitting at the wrong angle.

As Potter touched down on the ground, he bent over and threw something up. A cheer rang out from the stands as the boy held up the snitch in his hand, a grin lighting up his face. Blake sat back down heavily and Severus could see his hand trembling from his seat and he felt very much the same. The rest of the Gryffindor team landed close to Potter and embraced him as Severus sat back in his seat as noise erupted around them.

"That was close," Albus muttered, taking his own seat with a heavy sigh.

"Did you see, Sun?" Severus snapped looking down at the man, who was sitting more calmly now with his eyes fixed on the pitch.

"No," Albus replied. "I was too busy with the spell, but I felt someone else helping Harry."

"That was Sun," Severus said softly.

Albus looked back down at the dark-haired man as the other teachers and parents made their way down to the pitch. Blake made no move to follow them and his eyes seem to be locked on the small figure of his son. The man reached under his seat to pick up his cane and moved to his feet, he limped toward Albus and Severus with a frown on his brow and his pale green eyes intense.

"I believe," Blake said with unreadable eyes and his tone of voice cold. "That some charms need to be placed on this pitch to stop a simple broom from being cursed."

Albus nodded his head.

"Yes, you may be correct." Albus said carefully.

The man stared hard at the Headmaster and Severus found himself holding his breath. There was steel to the man's glaze as he stared into the Headmaster's eyes.

"My son could have died today, Headmaster." The man stated, too calmly.

"My apologies, Mr Sun." Albus said softly. "There are charms on the grounds to soften a fall."

All three men knew it wouldn't have been enough to soften a fall from such a height as Blake nodded his head slowly.

"With your permission, Headmaster." Blake said slowly. "I would like to add a couple of safety charms to the pitch."

"You can't." Severus burst out before he could stop himself.

Blake looked over at him for a second, his green eyes assessing him before turning back to the Headmaster.

"In that case, my son will be withdrawn from the Quidditch team." Blake stated, steel in his voice.

"No need to do that, Mr Sun." Albus said with a soft smile. "I'm sure Severus can supervise you placing a couple of charms on the pitch and I will look them over before tying them to the wards of Hogwarts."

Severus glared over at the Headmaster which the other man just ignored.

"Very well," Blake conceded, leaning back on his cane. "I will come back tomorrow at nine to cast the charms. Would that suit you, Professor?"

Snape nodded sharply, knowing when he was beat but not liking it.

"Very well, I'll see you tomorrow," Blake nodded and gave them another look over before moving to the magical lift at the back of the stands.

"That could have been a lot worse," Albus said softly to Severus.

"Really?" Severus asked with a smirk.

"Yes, he could have started yelling and pulled Mr Potter from the school," Albus replied. "He could have even taken legal action against the school."

He'd dealt with many angry parents over the years with less of a cause then their child falling from a cursed broom.

"Plus, this gives us a chance to look at his magic," Albus said with a grin and clapped a hand to the younger man's shoulder. "I'll call that a win."

xXx

"Dad!"

Harry turned at the cry and caught the small body in his arms, his leg protesting slightly as he put more weight on it. Harry grinned taking the discomfort as he hugged his son close, running his hands through the boy's shaggy hair.

"Did you see me catch the snitch?" Ry said excitingly as he stepped back beaming up at his father.

"I did," Harry replied with a grin. "That was an impressive stunt."

"Yeah, I don't know what happened," Ry said in a rush. "The broom just started to buck and move around!"

"It's okay Ry," Harry soothed, ruffling the boy's hair. "I had you."

Ry grinned up at his father.

"Ry!"

Harry and Ry turned at the call to see Ron standing there calling him over. Ry grinned and hugged his father one last time before dashing off after his friend with quick bye. Harry watched him go with a small smile before turning away and heading to the front gate to head home.

xXx

Harry placed his cherry wand in its holster next to the elder wand as he looked over his supplies to charm the pitch. His black elder wand covered most magic but his cherry wood wand worked better with more delicate magic. He patted down his pockets to make sure he had his phone, wallet and keys before heading out the door and using the portkey that had arrived earlier that morning to make his way to the school.

Surprisingly the portkey dropped him off at the front gate of the school, this time and Severus Snape stood waiting for him with a scowl on his face. Harry grinned as he stepped through the gates.

"Thank you for taking the time to supervise me, Professor." Harry said in greeting. "Blake Sun, but you can call me Blake."

"Severus Snape," The other man greeted shaking his hand. "Severus will do."

The two men fell into a comfortable silence as they moved towards the pitch, Severus having to slow his pace to account for Harry's limp. Harry hadn't gotten to know the Severus Snape from his time as well as he would have liked, since the man had died shortly before the end of the war.

He could still remember the day he came across the bloody body of Severus Snape in the greenhouse of the school after Voldemort had been killed. Over time he'd just been another name on the long list of names of people that had died that day and the weeks following. Harry pulled his mind back to the present as they came to the pitch.

"Where do you want to cast the charms?" Severus asked looking around at the couple of older students milling around.

"Ah," Harry thought about it. "Middle of the pitch would probably work best. I'll have to look at all the wards and charms that have been cast first before adding anything."

Severus nodded as he looked the other man over in surprise.

"Have you done this kind of work before?" Severus asked softly.

"More than I care to remember." Harry replied in amusement. "I've worked with the German and French governments for the last ten years placing wards. A lot of my work has been with Gringotts though."

Severus was taken aback, the goblins didn't let many wizards into their banks to do any kind of work, let alone wards. The two men made their way towards the middle of the pitch. Severus noticed a couple of students in the stands, enjoying the sun on a rare sunny Sunday morning.

"Do you need the children to leave?" Severus asked, looking forward to ruining the children's day.

"Nah," Harry replied with a grin. "Leave them."

Harry used his cane to kneel down. He placed his hand on the ground and opened his senses to the wards and charms around him and the echo of the school behind him. He could feel Albus Dumbledore watching through his connection to the wards from the Headmaster's office and the magical signals of the students moving around the castle.

He focused on his son, just to check up on him, and found him in the Gryffindor common room with Ron and a few other students. Harry turned away from the castle and focused back on the pitch. He opened his eyes and used his cane to get back to his feet, thankful when Severus didn't reach out to help him.

Harry slipped out of his shoes and pulled off his socks and jacket, until he stood in just his black shirt and navy jeans. The ground under his feet soft and slightly wet as he felt out the pulse of the wards and charms around him. He could also feel the presence of the man next to him and the few children milling around. He carefully drew a chalk circle around himself as Snape stepped back, watching him in interest.

He pulled the dark elder wand from his holster and brought up a protection circle up around him as he carefully channelled his magic down through his wand which was pointed at the ground. He'd learnt through many mistakes that he had to be very careful when using the dark wand. It had too much of its own mind when it came to magic. Harry slowly took hold of the strands of magic around him but they kept slipping away from the dark wand. Harry cursed softly and dropped the wand.

"Problem?" Severus asked with a sneer.

"No," Harry replied, pulling his cherry wood wand. "Just a temperamental wand, it doesn't want to play today."

Severus was surprised when the man pulled a second wand from his jeans. He was able to feel the man's magic slip across him earlier but if he hadn't been looking for it, he wouldn't have been able to spot it.

Harry closed his eyes and focussed once more on his magic and the wand in his hand and was able to pick up the wards easily this time. He separated out the ones he didn't need and slowly worked on the ones that needed renewing and repairing. It looked like it had been a long time since someone had looked at the wards of Hogwarts and Harry now understood how Voldemort and his followers had been able to breach the wards in his time. He smoothed over the wards and charms as he worked through them and he could feel Albus Dumbledore becoming aware of him working.

He pushed more of his magic into the stones of Hogwarts, which it took in happily as she woke up. He could feel Albus making his way down the castle as he worked. He tidied up the wards before turning towards the pitch and working in charms to stop anyone cursing brooms or players and a few safety measures to protect the players and anyone watching. He also created a dome around the pitch so that players couldn't fly too far or anything could get in while people were playing on the pitch. Slowly he tied off the charms and wards and grounded them to the earth at his feet and withdrew.

He blinked his eyes open to find the Headmaster standing before him with his wand drawn at his side. Throughout the whole thing Harry had never raised his wand and he slowly placed it away in the holster at his waist and broke his protection circle around him with his foot.

"Headmaster, nice of you to join us." Harry smiled, leaning on his cane.

"You were given permission to add charms to the pitch," The Headmaster said sternly. "Not look through the wards of the castle."

Severus started unaware of what the man beside him had done. He hadn't even muttered a spell for the whole hour he'd been standing there.

"My apologies," Harry conceded. "I needed to know what had been placed before me before adding anything more."

"Be that as it may, you did not have permission." Albus stated, still holding his wand, his eyes flicking down to the dark wand on the ground.

Harry slowly bent down and picked up the wand and placed it away with the other one, before pulling his jacket on.

"Apologies, I'm not good at leaving wards that need renewing or repairing alone. It's a character flaw that people point out to me on a regular basis," Harry replied, with a slight grin. "I simply renewed what was there and fixed up a couple of breaks in the wards and charms. Have a look for yourself."

Dumbledore closed his eyes for a couple of minutes as he looked through the wards and found that man's words were correct. The Headmaster put his wand away with a smile.

"Good work, my boy." Albus smiled, once he was sure the other man hadn't done anything to harm the school.

"There's a protection ward there that needs to be renewed and strengthened but it would need all of the Heads of Houses and yourself present to do so." Harry said looking at the Headmaster, holding out an olive branch to the man.

"Yes, I can feel that." Albus replied, looking over at the shocked Snape. "I will look into it."

Harry nodded as he picked up his shoes.

"If you don't mind, I would like to put my shoes on and head back home." Harry said softly. "I have work to get back to."

"Yes, yes. Thank you for coming." Albus said smiling once again. "Severus will show you back to the front gate."

The Headmaster turned away from the other two men and moved back towards the castle. Harry sighed and limped towards the closest stands.

"May I ask what happened to your leg?" Severus asked breaking the silence as Harry pulled his shoes back on.

"Poisonous snake," Harry replied. "We thought we had gotten them all. We were wrong."

Harry frowned remembering the burning feeling as the venom worked into his leg, setting it on fire as it ate away at the muscle. The first thing Ron said when he'd seen him at the hospital was simply: ' _It just had to be a snake, and why didn't he talk him out of it_?' Harry had not been amused, looking back on it now it did have a bit of irony to it.

"The mediwizards couldn't help you?" Severus asked, a common question Harry gotten for years after the injury.

"Not for a Western Barred Snake," Harry replied.

Severus flinched back from the name of the poisonous snake. Harry counted himself lucky to still be walking after being bitten, others hadn't been as lucky.

"I've been meaning to ask you Professor. I'm working on a liver regenerate potion at the moment but have hit a snag, I was wondering if I could send you the notes to look over?" Harry asked as he pulled his shoes on.

Severus looked taken aback, he did have people contact him about potions but it had been a while.

"Yes, I could do that." Severus agreed, surprising himself.

"Thank you, I'll send it to you tomorrow morning." Harry smiled. "Now I really must be off, I leave for France tomorrow afternoon and I have to finish packing."

The two men made their way to the front gates and Severus looked on as Harry used the portkey to get back home with a frown on his face.

xXx

"Blake!"

Harry turned to see a tall red headed man striding towards him with a smile as Harry met him in a hug.

"Bill," Harry replied in greeting. "Fantastic to see you again."

Bill Weasley grinned at the older man, looking him over with a careful eye.

"You are looking very well," Bill said, as the two moved towards a coffee shop close by. "Have you come to help break the curse on the Flore house?"

Harry nodded in agreement, he had been contacted by Gringotts to help their curse breakers get into a dark wizard's home after the man accidently killed himself, after getting stabbed five times in the back, three weeks ago.

"Yes, goblin Grinhook contacted me a couple of days ago, only just managed to find time. Are you working on the house?" Harry questioned as they took a seat at a table, waiting for their orders to arrive.

"Yep," Bill replied pushing his red hair out of his eyes. "Been here three weeks and have nothing to show for it. The dark wards are giving us trouble. Elizabeth is about ready to just start throwing objects at it and see what happens."

"Sounds like her," Harry said with a laugh.

Elizabeth Weathermore was Bill's partner at Gringotts for the last two years. Harry had met them a few times over the years when he'd done contract work for the London branch of Gringotts.

"I met your mother a while back," Harry said with a smile. "When I dropped Ry off at school. Didn't realise how many red heads are in your family."

Bill laughed, "Yeah they see us coming a mile off!"

"Nice woman," Harry continued. "I think Ry wants to stay at their house next school holidays?"

"Mum would love that!" Bill said with a grin. "With Charlie and myself out of the house. She says there are too many empty rooms. Not that it stops her from sending letters every couple of weeks asking us to dinner."

Harry smiled, wishing he'd had a mother that would have done that for him.

"Now, tell me about this house…"

xXx

The house ended up being a mansion on the outskirts of a small town in the east of England. The wizards and witches of Gringotts had set up camp outside the gates as they tried to work their way into the property. After Mr Flore's death, the house and all the contents had become the property of the bank due to no family connections being alive. Mr Flore had lived his life as a very dark wizard but had paid his bills on time and never killed anyone that could be traced back to him.

After filling the correct paperwork with the ministry, the goblins of Gringotts had moved in however so far, they hadn't made it any further than the front gate. They had contacted Harry after all other attempts had failed. Harry had set his contract fee high and the goblins weren't impressed but they knew that the house would be worth it and they hadn't had much choice in the end.

"Mr Sun," Hooknose, the head goblin greeted Harry with a sneer. "Glad you could make time for us."

Harry looked down his nose at the short goblin, knowing how to deal with them after all this time. "Mr Hooknose, thank you for inviting me."

The goblin sneered even more. "You have your contract, Mr Sun. Proceed."

The goblin turned on his heels and walked away, Harry looked after him with a smile. Bill snorted next to him, which made his smile widen.

"Such a happy chap," Harry remarked as he made his way towards the front gates of the property.

"He was overjoyed to see you!" Bill said with a laugh.

It was Harry's turn to snort before he turned back to the house. He could feel the darkness of the wards from where he stood.

"Wow," Harry remarked. "Haven't felt wards this dark in a long time, I should have asked for more."

"Can you get through them?"

"Should be able to but this could take time." Harry said as he looked the house over. "Will all depend on the guardian."

Harry moved forward until he stood within arm's length of the gates. A few curse breakers had gathered to watch, he always gathered a crowd when word got around that he was working. Harry turned to them.

"Everyone step back please, ten meters at least." Harry called to the group.

Everyone shuffled back and Bill clapped him on the shoulder before stepping back with the rest. They knew how serious this was and they weren't taking any chances. Harry turned back to the gate once he knew everyone was clear. He pulled his elder wand, which cooed in his hand to be so close to such dark magic.

Harry grounded himself to the earth under his feet before taking a deep breath.

" _Ipsum Reelare_ ," Harry whispered the spell, feeling the dark magic around him and stretching out towards the other wizards and witches.

"Move back further!" Harry called over his shoulder.

Suddenly a dark dragon appeared before Harry rearing up on its back legs and crashing back down towards the earth. Harry held his ground with his wand before him, showing none of the fear he felt in his stomach. His hand clenched around the handle of his cane. The dragon's head lowered until it looked him right in the eye and huffed a breath. Harry felt the dark magic swirl around him as the dark wand in his hand absorbed the magic happily.

"Your master is dead," Harry said calmly. "Gringotts Bank is now the owner of this house and all its contents."

The dragon cocked its head to the side then pulled its lips back from very large teeth and flicked its forked tongue out. A hissing laugh boiled up in its belly as it milled over the words Harry had spoken as he waited the beast out.

" _It is yours, small wizard_." The dragon hissed. " _Enter at your own risk_."

Just as suddenly as the dragon had appeared it disappeared into mist, blowing open the front gate softly. Harry sighed and lowered his wand as he thought that could have gone very, very wrong. Cheers rang out behind him and he felt a hand slap him on the shoulder.

"Well done, Blake." Bill congratulated the other wizard. "Never seen anything like it. Is it safe now?"

Harry shook his head. "He was just the guardian. It's safe to enter through the gate but this house will hold more than just him."

Bill looked concerned. "We'll have to take care then."

Harry smiled and flicked his wand sending the dark magic it had gathered harmlessly into the ground.

"Oh, yes." Harry grinned. "This should be fun. I think a coffee break is needed before we move in?"

xXx

Two hours later Harry, Bill and three other wizards and one witch walked back up to the front gates of the mansion. Harry took the lead with Bill and his partner Elizabeth behind him and with the other three wizards taking up the rear. Harry placed his wand back in his holster and took his cane in a tighter grip as he moved through the gate.

"Follow in my footsteps." Harry warned.

He moved across the lawn, keeping away from the patches of magic he could sense. He didn't look at them too closely, not really wanting to know what they would do if they were tripped.

"How dark was this man?" Harry asked as he passed a curse that felt like tar.

"He helped Grindelwald rise to power." One wizard said softly.

Harry grimaced. "So just a little dark."

Bill snorted next to them as the front door came into view before them.

"I thought most of the Dark Wizards from that war died off a long time ago," Harry remarked.

"Most of them yes," The man that had answered before said. "They had their magic tied to the old Dark Lord so that when he fell, they did as well. Mr Flore, however, was behind the wards of this house when the Dark Lord fell."

Harry nodded in understanding since the wards of the house would have kept the man safe.

"It was just unlucky that when he left to get some shopping he fell backwards on a knife…five times," Gordon, one of the other wizards remarked with a slight laugh.

Harry could understand why so many Dark Wizard's deaths, were not investigated but it still didn't make it right. They had a legal right just as much as any other magic user. When they reached the front door Harry stopped and held out his left hand to the door and carefully placed it on the dark wood. He felt the dragon's breath on his face as his hand touched the door.

"Blake Sun representing Gringotts bank," Harry said carefully.

The door before him seemed to be thinking about what Harry said carefully and he could feel the nervousness of the people behind him, as they stood waiting. A hot huff of a breath breezed across Harry's face before the doors swung open quietly.

Harry stepped over the threshold and allowed the other members of his team to step into the large open receiving area. Two staircases curled up both sides of the room and lead to the second-floor landing leaving the main area open. Harry could see a few other doors around the room and could see right through the house to the garden at the back.

"Okay," Harry announced, leaning back on his cane. "You all know what to do. Just be careful and check in on your walkie every half an hour. If you need any help call out."

The team nodded and moved out into the house. They would work through the house room by room and write down and take photos of everything for the goblins to work out what they wanted to leave and what they wanted to take back to the vaults of Gringotts. Harry looked around the large room, eyeing off the portraits looking down at him.

" _Lumoius_." He muttered, sending up a light into the middle of the room as the teams moved out leaving him alone in the entrance hall.

The walls were bare except for the portraits of what he believed were members of the now dead line of the Flore family. What was strange for Harry was the fact that none of the painting moved, in fact they may have even been muggle paintings.

He moved further into the hall, his light following him. He could feel the magic of the other teams as they made their way through the house and since they didn't call out and everyone was keeping walkie-talkie contact he wasn't too concerned. The house had conceded when it had let them in, it was just the dark objects in the house that could give them a bite and the charms around the grounds.

Harry moved down the hallway towards the garden he'd been able to see from the front doors. He opened the back door to see a fantastic garden with wild roses and hedges everywhere. Harry grinned and took a seat at the outdoor table in the sun to wait out the workers from Gringotts, on hand in case they needed help with anything. This was the way to work, he thought, as he pulled out a book from his pocket and kicked his feet up onto the table as he looked out over the garden before him. Now he just had to convince someone to get him a coffee.

xXx

"Did you want to come to dinner at my parent's house?"

Harry looked up from the letter Ry had sent him to see Bill standing in the doorway looking at him with a smile.

"As long as your parents don't mind?" Harry replied, with a smile.

"Nah, Mum always makes too much food anyway. She forgets that it's just her, dad and Ginny now." Bill laughed.

"Then of course," Harry replied as he held up the letter in his hand. "I'll just reply to Ry first?"

"No problems," Bill said. "I'll come back at 4?"

"Sounds good."

As promised Bill arrived back at Harry's tent at four that afternoon, he'd been staying on site at the Flore house for three days now as the Gringotts's teams worked their way through the house. He'd been needed a few times but otherwise he'd been left to himself in his own tent.

Bill held out his arm for Harry to take to side along apparate to his family's farm and Harry took it with a grin. He stumbled slightly as they landed and Bill held him firm until he could get his feet under him and his cane firmly on the ground.

"Welcome to the Burrow," Bill said with a grin.

The house rose out of the wheat fields around them as a puzzle house, it looked like the family had grabbed rooms from other houses and just stacked them one on top of another with the thought of gravity just a concept and not reality. Harry knew that it was only magic holding the house together and if the Weasley line ever died out the house would just come crashing down.

Bill laughed at Harry's wide-eyed look as he took in the house.

"It's something, isn't it?" Bill said in amusement

"Oh, yes." Harry said and grinned back at Bill as the man lead the way towards the house.

Molly stood on the front step as the two men rounded the corner of one of the fields. She grinned widely and took Bill in a big hug.

"Bill," She cried, burying her face in the tall man's chest. "So good to see you."

Arthur appeared behind his wife and gave his son a manly hug as well.

"Blake," Molly greeted turning to Harry. "So nice to see you again, how is young Ry going at school?"

Harry grinned as he gave the woman a hug and Arthur a handshake.

"Nice of you to invite me to dinner," Harry replied. "Ry is doing well at school. When he can keep out of trouble."

"No need to tell me that," Molly said, leading them into the house. "My Fred and George will be the death of me! They sent me a toilet seat for Christmas one year!"

Bill laughed as Arthur and Harry grinned. He could see Ginny shyly peeking around the door at them.

"Bill!" Ginny shouted, and ran over to give her older brother a hug.

"Hello, little one." Bill cooed. "Aren't you growing into a lovely young lady?"

Ginny blushed and looked down at the carpet shyly.

"Blake, you remember my youngest, Ginny?" Molly asked as she bustled passed him towards the kitchen.

"Yes I remember," Harry looked down at the ten year old. "Very nice to meet you, Ms Weasley."

Ginny blushed even more and moved behind her older brother.

"Don't mind her, Blake." Molly called, from the kitchen. "Would you like tea?"

"Yes, thank you." Harry replied, looking around the house.

It looked the same as he remembered and memories crowded around him. He had to push them roughly to the side or he risked drowning under them as he focused on Arthur and Bill.

"Oh, before I forget." Harry said. "Ry was asking about staying here with Ron for the holidays."

"We would be happy to have him," Arthur replied, sitting down in his chair.

"Oh, yes." Molly agreed, moving back into the living room with a tea tray. "Ron can talk about nothing else but your son in his letters!"

"That would be fantastic," Harry smiled. "I'm off to Germany in a couple of weeks to work at a couple of World War Two sites, this means I can stay there for longer."

Arthur sat forward in his seat in interest.

"Really? Do you work with muggles?" Arthur asked.

"Sometimes, I work on contract so I work with both wizards and muggles depending on the contract." Harry said, sitting back in his chair with his cup of tea. "I'll be working with muggles as well as wizards this time, but I have made time to see a couple of high-profile potion masters."

"Blake works with Gringotts as well," Bill added. "He has been helping with the Flore house."

Harry sat back and let the family catch up as they moved to the dining table. Harry joined in with a few jobs that had gone wrong embarrassingly until his mobile phone broke into the conversations.

"Sorry," Harry apologised, looking down at the phone. "I'll just take this outside."

Arthur looked very interested, but Molly cut across him before he could say anything.

"That's okay, dear." Molly said.

Harry smiled.

"Hello, Blake Sun talking." Harry answered as he moved out of the house.

"Blake, It's Conner Fritz from the German Ministry." A heavily accented voice came across the phone.

Harry raised an eyebrow. "What can I do for you Mr Fritz?"

"Well, we heard that you were going to be in the country and was wondering if you could look at the couple of items for us?" Conner asked.

Harry smiled and said, "Of course, Mr Fritz. My contract price starts at…"

xXx

Bill turned to his parents after Blake had left the room.

"What do you think of him?" Bill asked softly.

"He's a nice man and he loves his son very much." Molly said with a smile.

"I've seen him around the Ministry recently, mostly down near the Department of Mysteries." Arthur noted.

"Yes," Bill said with a grin. "He's a brilliant curse breaker. He seems to know magic from the inside out, like he was born with a wand in his hand."

"Do you know how he became Harry Potter's guardian?" Molly asked.

"I'm related to James Potter," Came the reply from Blake as he came back into the dining room. "Sorry about the phone call."

"That's alright, dear." Molly smiled. "What was that about James Potter?"

"I'm related to James." Blake replied sitting back at the table and the Weasleys could see the Potter line in his dark hair. "When James was killed, the goblins at Gringotts contacted me. I was his closest relative with magic. He'd been placed with his Aunt and Uncle but they are muggles, so I went to see them. Horrible woman, his Aunt quickly signed Ry over to me."

Molly looked horrified. "Just like that?"

Harry nodded, remembering the night.

"But please, tell me about your other children?" Harry asked turning the conversation back onto safer grounds.

xXx

Harry was packing away his gear as he was heading back to England tomorrow. Ry would be finishing his first year at Hogwarts and coming back home for the holidays and he needed to clean up the house before his son came home and stock up the fridge and freezer. Suddenly his phone broke through his thoughts.

"Blake Sun," Harry answered, placing his jeans into the suitcase on the bed.

"Mr Sun, it's Albus Dumbledore."

Harry stood up straight.

"What has happened?" Harry snapped.

"Your son is okay but there was an incident here and he was injured." Albus said softly.

Harry sat down on the bed behind him. He knew something like this was going to happen but couldn't recall the details. He looked at the date on his watch and frowned since it was still three weeks until the end of term.

"What happened?" Harry asked, steel behind his words.

"Mr Potter wondered into an area of the school that was restricted and was injured. He's in the hospital wing at the moment and is being looked after by Madam Pomfrey."

"I am out of the country at the moment," Harry replied. "But I'll be there by tomorrow morning?"

"Perfect." Albus said softly. "We still have about three weeks of term, you are welcome to stay here while Ry recovers?"

"Thank you, for the offer. I'll see you tomorrow Headmaster." Harry hung up the phone and stared at it, feeling the slight magic in the device.

It looked like Professor Quirrell and Voldemort had attempted the same thing in this time as they had in Harry's time, which scared the crap out of him. This was his son, that this was happening to. Slowly he dialled the number of the phone that he'd given Severus. It rang twice before the other man picked up.

"Severus, what happened?" Harry asked.

Silence greeted him for a couple of seconds before he heard the man sigh.

"What did the Headmaster tell you, Blake?" Snape said softly.

"That there was an incident and Ry was injured." Harry replied.

"That's correct," Severus said slowly. "The Headmaster had an artefact kept in an out of bounds room. Someone tried to steal it and your son tried to stop them."

"Thank you for telling me Severus." Harry said with a sigh "I'm in Germany at the moment but I'm taking an International Portkey tomorrow morning. I should be at the school at about nine."

"I'll be waiting at the front gate for you," Severus replied, making Harry smile.

"Thank you." Harry hung up the phone and went back to packing.

xXx

At nine the next morning Harry arrived at the front gates of Hogwarts, after having near to no sleep and had been travelling since six that morning. Severus greeted him with a handshake and led him up to the castle.

"Dad!" Ry cried, from his bed when he saw his father.

Harry rushed over as fast as his leg would allow and took the small body in his arms as the boy burst into tears.

"I'm so sorry, dad!" Ry sobbed into his shoulder as Harry slid onto the bed, his cane forgotten on the floor. "I shouldn't have gone after him!"

"Shh, it's okay Ry." Harry cooed in his ear as he rubbed Ry's back to calm him down. "You're okay now."

Harry could see Severus moving towards him with a vial of calming potion in his hand. He passed the potion over to Harry who passed it to Ry to take.

"Feel better?" Harry asked softly.

Ry nodded and looked between his father and the looming figure of Severus Snape with wide eyes as Harry took back the empty vial and passed it to the Slytherin.

"Have you come to take me home?" Ry asked in a small voice.

"Not yet," Harry answered. "But after the end of the year feast in a few weeks, the Headmaster has offered for me to stay here until then."

Ry nodded, his eyes already closing. Harry stroked the boy's hair until he fell asleep. Severus picked up Harry's cane and held it out to the man as he got to his feet. Harry nodded in thanks before the two men moved away from the bed.

"Did the Headmaster want to see me?" Harry asked, keeping his son within eyesight.

"If you want to talk to him," Severus replied. "Or I can explain it all."

"That will do," Harry replied. "I need to sit down."

Severus raised an eyebrow at the admission and moved them towards the dungeons and his rooms.

"Is your leg giving you trouble?" Severus asked carefully.

Harry nodded, leaning into his cane more than normal. He'd been pushing himself too far lately and it was starting to catch up with him.

"It comes and goes," Harry answered. "How are you going with that new Wolfsbane Potion?"

Severus let him change the subject as they made it to his rooms and he opened the door into a tasteful living room. Harry limped to the lounge chair and sunk into the cushions with a sigh as he hung his cane from the side of the chair.

"Do you need a pain potion?" Severus asked, already moving to his office.

"No," Harry said shortly. "A cup of tea would go down a treat though."

Severus moved into the small kitchen as Harry stretched his leg out before him and rubbed the missing muscle. Cursing that stupid snake once again.

"Wolfsbane Potion, Severus?" Harry asked the younger man.

Severus looked back into the room.

"No luck so far," Severus replied.

"Damn," Harry cursed. "I thought we were on to something."

"I agree," Severus said as he moved back into the room with two mugs of tea.

He handed one to Harry as he moved to the chair next to Harry's lounge and sat down. Harry took a couple of sips of the tea then looked over to Severus sharply, the other man raised an eyebrow in question. Harry let it slid that Severus had placed a pain potion into the cup.

"Thank you." Harry said softly, taking another sip.

Severus smiled, taking ten years off his age and Harry looked the man over.

"You are welcome."

The two men fell into a comfortable silence as the pain potion slowly worked through Harry's system until he was sitting boneless in the armchair with his eyes half closed. Severus kept glancing over at him.

"How was Germany?" Severus asked, breaking the silence.

"Hard work," Harry replied. "We were looking for mass graves."

Severus grimaced. "Muggle or wizard?"

"Both. We found two sites. It wasn't pleasant. They just piled them up on top of each other, no care for the dead. The Ministry had some interesting items though."

Harry pulled out a small black cube from his jacket pocket and held it out to Severus, the other man plucked it from his hand. It looked to have been made from a dark coloured wood in the shape of a cube but Severus could find no rings like you would expect from wood and it wasn't smooth like stone. He could feel no magic from it, but he knew it wasn't of muggle design.

"What is it?" Severus asked turning it over in his hands.

"No idea," Harry replied. "Took it as payment. They had no idea what it was and were happy to hand it over."

"Where did they find it?"

"Under the floor boards of a Prisoner of War camp. One day, I'll work it out."

Severus placed the object on the coffee table between them.

"Are you back here in England for a while?" Severus asked.

"Yeah, back home with Ry until two weeks before the start of school then Ry is off to the Weasley's house. Molly offered to take the kids to Diagon Alley to get their supplies and take Ry to the station."

"That's nice of her," Severus replied, sneering.

"A mother to the core, that one." Harry laughed. "Couldn't pay me enough to take five kids to Diagon Alley. One is enough."

"Try a whole school worth," Severus replied dryly.

Harry laughed, finishing off his cup of tea. Severus reached out for the cup.

"Do you want another one?" Severus asked, looking into the other man's pale green eyes.

"Yes, thanks." Harry smiled. "One that's not laced this time."

Severus smiled back as he moved towards the kitchen.

"One unlaced cup of tea coming up."


	2. Chapter 2

Warnings: Swearing and adult situations.

xXx

Harry picked up his phone after the third ring.

"Yeah?" Harry slurred into the phone, not quite awake yet.

"You forgot to mention that your son is a Parselmouth," Severus's easy tone came down the phone line.

"Severus?" Harry asked, his mind a little jumbled and his leg on fire.

He could see the time on his bedside table flashing 4 o'clock and he was sure that was in the afternoon. Since the blackout curtains made the room dark around him.

"Blake? Are you okay?" Severus's voice sounded concerned and Harry wasn't sure why.

Harry rolled onto his back and hissed a breath. His ribs complained and his head throbbed. He wasn't thinking clearly as he tried to remember how he got home.

"Had a mishap," Harry replied, words slightly slurred.

He remembered yelling and being airborne before pain and more yelling. He wasn't sure what happened after that.

"What kind of mishap?" Severus asked sharply. "Where are you?"

"At home," Harry replied, looking around to confirm.

How he got there seemed to keep sliding away from him. He remembered people around him but couldn't recall how he'd gotten home. He didn't realise he had fallen back to sleep until he felt someone cross over his wards like a jolt to the system. Harry opened his eyes and tried to turn over onto his side but his body wasn't listening.

xXx

"Blake?"

Severus knocked on the front door of the man's house but no one answered. He grew more concerned about Blake by the second. He knocked one last time before trying the front door. The door click open and Severus moved into the tidy house. He made his way through the living room and towards the bedroom. He found Blake's room at the end of the hall. The room was dark when he opened the door.

"Blake?" Severus called softly.

"Yeah, here." The other man slurred back.

"I'm going to turn the light on."

Bright light lit up the room and Severus eyed the dark haired man lying under the covers of the bed. Severus could see the bruise on the side of the man's face from the doorway and it didn't look any better as he moved closer. The man's eyes were just slits as he peered up at Severus.

"Too bright," Blake slurred, trying to turn his head away.

Severus turned the bedside lamp on and went back to turn the other light off. For a wizard, Blake's house was completely muggle. When he moved back to the bed, Blake had closed his eyes once again.

"Do you mind if I have a look?" Severus asked, his hand resting on the blanket covering the man's chest.

"Yeah," Blake replied, not bothering to open his eyes. "Hurt my ribs and hip. I think."

"What happened?"

"I'm not sure. I was working with a team when one of them set something off." Blake replied slowly.

Severus carefully peeled back the blanket and saw more of the damage done to the other man. The colour across the man's ribs stood out the worse against the man's pale skin.

"I remember I hit a wall…I think. There was yelling. I'm not sure what happened to the team…I hit my head pretty bad." Blake whispered.

Severus moved his fingers up to the man's skull and found a gash and swelling, but someone had cleaned it up and stitched the gash closed and he could feel the slight magic around the wound.

"Someone has looked at this," Severus said softly, as he moved back to the man's ribs making him hiss as he felt out the damage. "They have closed it up."

"Don't remember," Blake replied softly.

"Probably a concussion," Severus muttered, removing the blanket to reveal the rest of the damage.

The other man was only wearing his underwear, which Severus was thankful for. But what drew his eyes was the old damage to the man's right leg from the snakebite. It had eaten away the muscle in the man's thigh, leaving a mess behind. He was amazed that the man could still walk on it.

"Severus?"

Severus looked back up to see Blake looking back at him with dull green eyes.

"I have something for the bruising, were you wearing some kind of armour?" Severus asked, as he moved the blanket back over the man.

"Yeah, my dragon hide vest." Blake replied slowly. "I don't know where it is now."

Blake sounded frustrated, so Severus laid a hand on the man's shoulder in comfort.

"It's okay," Severus said softly. "Once the swelling goes down you should remember."

Blake nodded then closed his eyes in pain. Severus placed a pain potion at the man's lips. He swallowed it down without looking, either trusting Severus or he was just that far out of it. The man sagged back into the bed as the pain reliever worked it's magic.

"Thanks," Blake muttered.

"I'm going to put some balm on your ribs to help with the bruising."

Blake nodded and tipped his head back as Severus worked on his ribs.

"It's a good thing that you were wearing that vest or you may have broken a few bones."

"No broken ribs?" Blake asked

"None that I can feel and someone has already applied a balm to these ribs," Severus reported.

He spread the balm across the other man's ribs and hip. His fingers skipped over the man's ribs and hip and he ignored how well toned he was under his hand. He would guess that he was in his late forties to early fifties, which would make him about ten years older than Severus, as he worked the balm in. He could clearly see the gash and the slight lump on his head through his short hair. There was no denying that the man was from the Potter line and Severus could see a lot of James Potter in the man as he looked him over.

His eyes, which were similar to Harry and Lily Potter, were the big difference and the man's height. James had been a lot taller and his hair had been more of a dark brown than Blake's pitch black. The man had a kindness and a sense of humour around him as they worked together on projects and potions. Severus let his thoughts drift as he worked.

"I need you to turn onto your right side," Severus stated.

Blake opened his eyes and nodded.

Severus gave him a hand to move onto his side and Severus got his first look at the man's back. It was littered with scars. They overlapped each other running from his shoulder to his lower back then down his arms to his elbows and they were very old. The bruising was just as bad on his side and Severus started to work the balm into the bruised skin, his fingers skipping over the faint scars.

"I was tortured," Blake whispered after a few minutes of silence.

He was almost sprawled out across his front with a pillow under his chest and stomach.

"Why?" Severus asked.

"I had information that someone wanted." Blake recalled, the pain potion working as he lay boneless. "They weren't too happy when I didn't give it too them."

Severus didn't know what to say to that as he worked the balm into the bruising. He could tell when the other man fell asleep for his breathing evened out and the lines around his eyes eased off. He ran his fingers over the scars on the man's back, he must have been tortured for a long time and yet it threw up questions of why in Severus's mind. They still didn't know much about Blake Sun.

He pulled a stethoscope from his robes and placed it against Blake's back to listen to his breathing. After a few minutes he put it away satisfied that there was no liquid in the man's lungs. He left the jar of bruising balm on the bedside table next to the man's two wands, one pale and the other dark. Along with a couple of pain potions and another potion to help mend any bones in case there were hairline fractures in his ribs.

Blake suddenly mumbled something in his sleep, startling Severus and making him turn back to the man. He was frowning slightly in his sleep and Severus reached out a hand and placed it on the man's side without thinking. He settled under his hand before he rolled onto his back. Severus placed the blanket back over the man and left him to rest.

xXx

Harry woke the next morning feeling a lot better. His memories sliding back into place slowly. He sat up carefully and took a dose of the pain potion that Severus had left behind. Very grateful for the man's help, after the pain potion started to work, Harry pulled himself to his feet and moved slowly towards his cupboard were he kept a spare cane. Taking the old cane in hand he moved towards the bathroom.

Once the hot water was running and steam started to fill the bathroom. He got into the shower and allowed the hot water to ease the tension in his muscles working into the bruising in his side and the muscles of his right leg. He ignored his cock at the remembered feelings of Severus's fingers running over his side and down his back as he scrubbed himself down with the soap. He let his head rest on the tiles as the warm water ran over his back.

"Blake?"

Harry startled at the voice from the doorway and almost slipped.

"Fuck," Harry cursed as he got his feet back under him.

"Bad time?" Severus asked from the doorway.

Harry opened the shower door and looked over at the man leaning in the doorway.

"Sorry," Harry apologised. "I thought I was alone. You startled me."

Severus grinned at him. "Do you need a hand?"

Harry laughed and said, "Are you offering Snape?"

Severus grinned wider, the expression changing his face. Harry quirked a smile at that.

"With getting you back to your room?" Severus expanded.

"Nah," Harry replied, pulling back into the shower and letting the water run over his head. "All good. Could you put the kettle on, please? I'm dying for a coffee."

Harry didn't hear an answer but when he stepped out of the shower the other man was gone. Harry made it back to his room and slowly dressed before moving to the kitchen. Severus was pouring the hot water into a mug and Harry looked him over. He was more relaxed away from the school as he handed the mug over to Harry.

"I spoke to the Headmaster," Severus started to say. "I told him that you needed some help and that I would be away from classes for a couple of days."

Harry raised an eyebrow at that.

"I'm sure Ry will be happy," Harry remarked in amusement.

Severus quirked a smile.

"He is a smart boy, if you can get him to focus." Severus commented.

"Yes, that's half the battle," Harry replied. "I'm sure I had more grey hairs after the Headmaster told me that Ry and Ron used a flying car to get to school. He just never seems to learn, he could have just called me. He needs to think more before acting."

"Too much of his father in him," Severus muttered with a smirk.

"Hey, watch it." Harry yelped. "I've got that Potter blood too."

"More diluted I hope?" Severus retorted.

Harry just laughed but said no more. The two men fell back into silence until Severus got up to make up a couple of sandwiches for the two of them and they sat down to have a pleasant enough lunch.

xXx

"So, let me get this straight." Harry said slowly trying to rein in his temper. "My son went down into a chamber in this school and battled with a basilisk, saved Ginny Weasley from a copy of the Dark Lord in a diary and erased the memory of one of your teachers?"

The Headmaster looked at him with clear blue eyes.

"Yes, that's about it." The Headmaster said calmly.

Harry looked around at Ry and Ginny in their hospital beds, Molly and Arthur looking over their daughter and then to Severus, leaning against the wall talking with Professor McGonagall.

"What kind of school are you running here?" Harry asked, running his hand down his face.

Severus snorted. Harry wondered if all parents felt like he did now or if it was just because his son was the boy-who-lived. The anger he felt towards Albus was nothing compared to what he felt at himself. To try and remember what happened to him as a twelve year old at the age he was now. He sighed in frustration as he ran a hand over his head. He pushed his dark thoughts to the side as he focused back on Albus.

"I am very sorry this happened to your son, Mr Sun." Albus apologised.

"I feel tempted to pull my son from this school-"

"No Dad!" Ry cried from the bed.

Harry turned his glare on his son, stopping the boy from saying anymore before turning back to the headmaster.

"The only thing stopping me from doing that, is the fact that Lily and James Potter put it in their will," Harry said softly, glaring at the Headmaster. "That is the only reason, but that only goes so far. I would be just as happy to teach Ry myself or enrol him in another school. Am I understood Headmaster Dumbledore?"

Albus nodded and said quietly, "Yes, I understand. I will leave you with your son."

Albus nodded at the Weasley's and made his way out of the room with McGonagall on his heels, hissing at him. Harry turned to his son, a lot of his anger leaving him as he looked at the sad image his son made on the bed. He limped over to the child's bed and sat on the side taking the boy's uninjured hand in his.

"Harry," Harry said softly, using the boy's full name to get his attention.

Ry looked up at him sadly, tears slipping down his face. Harry reached up and cupped the boy's face.

"You know I love you dearly, Ry." Harry said softly. "But if you keep this up, you are going to give your old man a heart attack."

Ry smiled as Harry heard a snort from Severus.

"My hair is going to be whiter than Dumbledore's," Harry said with a wink.

"I'm sorry," Ry sobbed.

Harry hugged the boy close and looked over at Severus leaning against the wall watching them with soft black eyes. He looked over at the Weasley's to see Molly looking back at them with tears in her eyes. Harry nodded at her before letting Ry go and tucking him into the bed. The twelve year old looked so small in the bed, his eyes puffy from crying and the big scrape down his cheek.

"You rest now Ry," Harry said softly.

He pushed some loose hair away from the boy's eyes revealing the red and puffy scar under his fringe. Harry stared at that scar as Ry's eyes closed and couldn't help but silently curse the man that had given him that scar. So much trouble from such a simple scar. He looked down at the child and felt his heart clench. He was putting a lot of trust in Albus to keep his son safe. Since he was having so much trouble recalling the events himself.

He did know there were only more dangers to come and he still had work to do before Voldemort would come back to power. Which was an event that had to happen for Ry to be free from the man and his connection to him. Harry sighed and ran a hand over his head as he looked down at the small boy and let his hand rest on his shoulder. He pulled himself to his feet and moved towards the Weasleys as Severus stood up a little taller, watching him carefully.

"I am very sorry for what happened tonight," Harry said softly, not wanting to wake the children.

Molly crashed into his arms and Harry's arms circled around the woman as he took his weight off his right leg.

"Oh, Blake," Molly cried into his shoulder and Harry looked over to Arthur for help.

"Come on, Molly." Arthur whispered in woman's ear. "The man needs to breath."

"Oh," Molly cried, letting go of Harry suddenly.

Harry almost fell, if it weren't for Severus moving up beside him and taking his shoulder in his hand holding him steady. Harry placed his cane firmly on the ground to take part of his weight once again. Severus slid his hand off his shoulder but stayed beside him.

"You have nothing to apologise for Blake," Arthur remarked, looking down at his own daughter. "We think of Ry as part of our family and if it weren't for him we wouldn't have our daughter still with us."

"Yes," Molly sniffed. "We should be thanking Ry and yourself."

Harry shook his head.

"There is no need," Harry said softly.

"We wish to say it anyway," Arthur stated.

Harry nodded.

"Thank you."

xXx

Harry decided to take Ry away to America for the holidays instead of staying in England before he would start his third year at school. It was a week before Ry was due to start school when he called him into the office of the house they were renting. He'd been putting this off while he'd tried to come to a decision.

"You called Dad?" Ry asked, coming through the door.

"Yes," Harry answered, pointing to the seat on the other side of the table. "Take a seat, I have a few things to talk to you about."

Ry nervously entered the room and took a seat at the table. Harry pulled out a copy of the English paper with Sirius's face on the front page. He hesitantly held the paper out to the thirteen year old. The boy took the paper and looked at the photo.

"Hey, that's one of my father's friends." Ry exclaimed.

Harry nodded, knowing the boy would have known what Sirius looked like from the photos of his parents he had given the boy. James, Sirius, Remus and Peter had been in those photos as well as a couple of Lily and Severus. He'd found lots of photos when he'd gone through the Potter vaults at Gringotts.

"Yes, Sirius Black." Harry replied unsure about what he should tell his son. "He been imprisoned in the wizard prison called Azkaban for the last twelve years. He was a friend of your father's and is also your godfather."

"Why was he in prison?"

"When people wanted to hide from the Dark Lord they would ask someone to keep their location secret." Harry explained. "There is a spell that can be cast that will keep a location a secret. One person holds the information and they are the only one that can give out that location to another person. That person is known as a 'Secret Keeper'. The location can't be found until the secret keeper gives it up. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Dad." Ry replied.

"Your mother and father needed to go into hiding so they asked one of their friends to be their secret keeper," Harry continued. "They decided it was going to be Sirius that would be their secret keeper."

Harry stopped talking unsure of what he should say next as Ry looked up at him with wide green eyes. Harry didn't talk about his parents often or his own past.

"They changed it at the last moment to Peter Pettigrew instead." Harry finished, he just couldn't lie to his son anymore. "He betrayed them and let Sirius take the blame. Your mother and father were murdered that night. Sirius went after Peter and a street full of people were blown up. He was arrested and taken to Azkaban. I went to see him after I took over custody of you. He was mad when I saw him, I went to tell him that I was going to look after you for James and Lily. That I was trying to reopen his case."

Harry could still hear Sirius's cries and yells while he'd explained that James and Lily's son was still alive. That he would take care of him but the dementors had already done damage to the man. Even if, he'd only been there a couple of months. Harry couldn't get through to him and Sirius's pale eyes had glared at him the whole time. Those yells still haunted him.

"So he was falsely arrested?" Ry asked softly

"Yes," Harry answered. "I tried to get his case reopened but he kept yelling about killing people. Every time I would put paperwork in to reopen the case, it would be rejected. The legal system in the wizarding world is still so backwards."

"It says here that he escaped?" Ry pointed out.

"Yes," Harry agreed. "I want you to be very careful Ry. Sirius can be a dangerous man, even if I don't think he will hurt you. He may do it without meaning to, he was a Auror before he was imprisoned. Professor Dumbledore has already contacted me to inform me that there will be dementors at the school this year. You must be very careful, do you understand?"

"Okay, Dad." Ry said softly as he nodded.

"Okay, Ry." Harry said as he reached over and ruffled his son's messy hair. "How about you go pack up? We leave tomorrow to get all your school things."

xXx

Harry found himself skipping around the world for most of Ry's school year. The Japanese had a big need for him after they opened an old temple that cursed the people that had opened it. Harry had had fun tracking down each person that had opened the temple before he could lift it. He did get a call from the Headmaster to say that the new wards on the Quidditch pitch work fantastically and that Ry was fine. Harry didn't look at that too closely as the German Ministry called him back to Europe.

He was happy to receive Ry's letters and made sure to check in at every Gringotts branch to pick up any mail for him. He also made sure that he called Ry whenever he got a chance. Ry was enjoying Hogwarts more than he had liked his boarding school.

He was in contact with Severus just about every week as they were working on a new Wolfsbane potion. Harry made sure to see the man whenever he was in England but it wasn't for as long as he hoped as he was called away again. It wasn't until close to the end of the school year that Harry made his way back to Hogwarts. The goblins finally giving him a break.

"Blake."

Harry turned to see Severus smiling at him from the front gates of the school. He moved towards the man with a grin.

"Severus," Harry cried and took the man in a hug, which surprised the Slytherin. "It's so good to see you again."

Harry stepped back from the shocked man, giving him a last pat on the shoulder before limping up towards the school. Severus quickly fell into step with him and adjusted his longer stride.

"The Headmaster has made up a room near mine, while you are here." Severus remarked to the older man.

"Great," Harry said with a grin. "That should make it easier to work in the lab."

"Yes," Severus agreed. "Only downside is that my classroom is a few doors down from the lab."

"I'm sure I'll be able to deal with the children," Harry replied with a laugh.

Harry was looking forward to staying at Hogwarts for the last month of the term and helping Severus with the Wolfsbane potion. Not to mention it would be good to see Ry again.

"Dad!"

Harry looked up as he walked into the entrance hall to catch Ry as he ran into him. Harry grunted as the boy hugged him, Ry was already up to his shoulder, he guessed it wouldn't be long until the boy grew taller than he was. Probably thanks to proper food intake, something Harry had missed out on at his age. He gently pushed the boy back and looked him over.

"Hello Ry," Harry said in greeting with a lopsided grin. "What are they feeding you?"

"Dad," Ry groaned as he bounced on his toes. "I have so many things to show you!"

"We'll have plenty of time, Ry." Harry replied with a smile. "I am here until the end of the term and then we'll be staying here for a couple of weeks after."

Ry grinned, then looked behind him at a brown-haired man in a tweed suit, worn black robes and sharp eyes. The man looked Harry over as he moved closer with an odd look in his eyes.

"Oh, Dad." Ry said happily. "This is Professor Lupin, he teachers Defence."

Harry stood up straighter and held out a hand to his father's old friend with a smile.

"Blake Sun," Harry introduced. "Very nice to meet you."

Remus smiled at him and took his hand.

"Remus Lupin, please call me Remus." The man introduced.

"Remus it is," Harry agreed.

"Blake is here to work on a new Wolfsbane potion," Severus remarked silkily at Harry's shoulder.

Harry could feel the tension increase between the two men as Remus stared at the smirking Severus. Remus then focused back on him.

"That's interesting," Remus said slowly. "Are you a Potion Master?"

"Dad does everything!" Ry said quickly.

Severus looked down his long nose at Ry and the boy settled down beside them. Harry smacked his arm as Remus watched the interaction with interest.

"I dabble," Harry replied, ignoring Severus's snort. "My main work is a curse breaker."

"Oh," Remus said lightly. "Do you work for Gringotts?"

"Sometimes, I work on contract."

"He is brilliant!" Ry pipped up.

"Thank you Ry," Harry said quickly before Severus could say anything cutting. "If you don't mind Ry and Remus, but it's been a long day and I would like to get settled before dinner?"

"Okay dad," Ry agreed with a grin. "I have an extra class with Professor Lupin tonight but can I come and see you after?"

"Of course," Harry smiled. "My rooms are down near the potion's classroom?"

Harry turned to Severus with a raised eyebrow in question and the man gave him a smirk.

"Third door on the left after the potions classroom," Severus replied evenly.

Ry nodded in thanks and with a last hug moved off down the hall. The adults watched the child for a couple of minutes.

"He's a smart boy and very talented," Remus remarked, looking back at Harry.

"That he is," Harry agreed. "When he puts his mind to something he can be quite stubborn too."

Remus gave him a grin before bidding them goodbye and headed off down the hallway. Harry watched after the man for a little while, he had forgotten how much of a toll being a werewolf had on the man.

"I would keep a eye on that man," Severus remarked softly from his elbow.

Harry turned to Severus to see his dark eyes watching Remus move off and the tension in the man's shoulders. He had also forgotten how the two men interacted.

"He seems nice enough." Harry commented as they moved towards the dungeons, ignoring the looks they was getting from passing students. "Even if he is cursed."

"Cursed?" Severus asked.

"Yeah," Harry replied. "A dark curse; maybe a werewolf or some other kind of dark creature. They all kind of look the same without taking a closer look."

"What do you see when you look at people?" Severus asked curiously.

"Not enough," Harry replied with a laugh as he sidestepped the question.

Severus smirked as he showed Harry his rooms and where the lab and his rooms were as well as the potion classroom. Harry settled into his rooms, sitting in the armchair near the fire, his right leg stretched out on a stool with his bulky laptop computer. The headmaster had supplied him with a power cell to keep his muggle devices changed while he stayed at the school and Harry was thankful that he hadn't had to bring his own.

He looked over his potion's notes so he would be prepared when he would be working with Severus tomorrow evening. They both knew that they wouldn't get much work done before the students left for the holidays but they had wanted to get started on the more hands on side of the potion. There had only been so much they had been able to do with Harry working away.

Harry was never a master at potions but he had a talent with working charms into them. He could also look at potions from a different direction than most people. He also needed Severus's help, for he was a potion master and knew how far he could go with a potion before something went wrong. Harry was good at coming up with ideas but Severus had the knowledge to know if it would work. Severus had talents he didn't and he was hoping that the two of them working together would lead to some break through with the Wolfsbane.

xXx

Blake peered into the potion before them, seated on a stool from Severus's classroom. Severus himself stood on the other side of the table as they both looked into the bronze cauldron. The brown liquid swirled around as it softly bubbled away. Blake frowned at the colour before he looked down at his notes.

"That didn't work." Severus muttered, as he placed his wand tip into the potion and gave it a swirl.

"Damn," Blake cursed as he sat back on the seat and stretched his back.

It was well into Saturday night and they had been working on it since that morning with only small breaks for lunch and dinner. When a loud knock sounded at the door they both looked over.

"Enter," Severus called.

Remus Lupin poked his head around the door.

"Severus, I was wondering- oh hello Blake." Remus amened when he saw Blake.

"Come in," Severus offered as he took a seat himself.

Remus entered the lab and looked around at the cauldrons bubbling away around him and the ingredients spread out along the long table at the back of the room. His nose twitched at the smells as he moved into the room. He looked back at the two men to see Blake studying him, his pale green eyes focused and slightly intense.

It was still startling to see the man. He knew that he was related to James from what Ry had told him over the year, not to mention the fact that he'd had to have Potter blood for him to be able to take over custody of Ry so easily after his parents were killed. He had to admit that the Potter line was very strong in Blake and it reminded Remus of James and James's father. From how short that Blake cut his hair he was sure that he received the Potter curse of messy hair as well.

"Are you a werewolf?" Blake suddenly asked, startling Remus out of his thoughts.

"Ah, what?" Remus stuttered, while Severus smirked.

"You have a dark curse or creature around you," Blake explained as he turned on the stool and rested his elbows on the bench behind him. "I was wondering if it was a werewolf or something else?"

Remus was taken aback, he'd never had someone be able to feel out the werewolf in him before. He could understand some of the stories that Ry had been telling him about his father as he looked the man over. Remus stood up straighter and looked the other man in the eye, those green eyes looking back at him in interest.

"Yes," Remus admitted, trying to keep the nervousness out of his tone.

"Fantastic," Blake said, clapping his hands and using his cane to get to his feet. "Do you mind sparing about an hour to help us out?"

Remus looked over to Severus but he was no help so he nodded slowly. Unsure about what the man may have in mind.

"I suppose," The brown haired man agreed. "What would you have me do?"

"I just need to have a closer look at your curse," Blake stated, like it was nothing.

He moved closer to Remus, slowly removing a black wand from a holster. Severus causally cast a barrier spell between the two men and the potions so that no stray magic could leak into the delicate potions.

xXx

"Okay," Harry said, once he was ready.

He raised the wand calmly and pointed it at the nervous man before him. He looked carefully at the darkness around the man before selecting the strand that he believed was the werewolf curse.

" _Ipsum revelare_ ," Harry whispered, sending the spell out towards Remus.

Suddenly the wand bucked in Harry's hand. A rush of darkness shot out from Remus towards Harry with teeth and claws. Harry stumbled back, his bad leg buckling under him, as he quickly flicked his wand ending the spell so suddenly that his head spun. He landed heavily on his backside and felt slightly dazed.

"Blake!"

The other two men rushed over to him as he clutched his head.

"Ah," Harry groaned. "A pain reliever would be welcomed, Severus?"

Harry heard the man leave the room but was surprised when Remus laid a hand on his shoulder.

"Are you okay?" Remus asked, with concern in his voice. "What was that?"

"Yeah," Harry replied. "Just a headache and that was your curse. Wasn't expecting the backlash. How long have you been a werewolf?"

"A long time," Remus replied, uneasily. "Since I was a young child."

Harry looked down at the black wand that he'd dropped when he had ended the spell. If he'd thought it through, he wouldn't have used such a dark wand for revealing the curse. He'd been thinking, since it worked so well for the dark curse on the Flore house, that it would help this time. Severus moved back into the room and held out a potion and Harry's cane.

"Here," Severus offered.

"Thanks," Harry replied, taking both items.

He swallowed down the potion and slowly got to his feet, happy when the pain in his head eased off. Once he was standing again, he ignored the dark wand on the floor, as he hald out a piece of chalk to Severus.

"Could draw a circle on the floor a few meters wide, please?" Harry asked as he flicked the dark wand away with his foot so that Severus could draw the circle. "Remus can you stand in the middle of the circle, please?"

Remus stepped into the circle as he eyed the wand that Harry had kicked. He had never seen a wizard kick his own wand so carelessly. Harry knelt down with the help of his cane and pulled his cherry wood wand and placed the tip to the chalk line. A barrier flared up green along the chalk line as Harry whispered the containment spell before settling down and going transparent.

"You have two wands?" Remus questioned.

Harry looked up at the man and smiled.

"The black wand is temperamental." Harry replied.

Both men looked at him with confusion but didn't ask any more questions as Harry pulled himself to his feet and faced Remus. Harry raised the cherry wood wand and carefully cast the spell as he grabbed a hold of the dark strand of the curse. The darkness seeped out of Remus smoothly this time and formed itself into the shape of a wolf. The beast snarled at Harry and lunged but the circle kept it contained. The wolf prowled around the barrier of the spell as it eyed Harry off. He knew that it was looking for a weakness as it snarled silently.

"That," Harry explained to the other wizards. "Is the curse of a werewolf."

Remus looked wide-eyed and even Severus was speechless as they watched the pacing wolf. He was sure that they had never seen anything like it before.

"Can…can you remove it?" Remus asked softly as he ran his hand through the dark mist of the wolf.

"Nope," Harry replied distracted as he studied the curse. "It's been a part of you for too long."

The wolf stopped in front of Harry and bared its teeth as the other man knelt down to study it. Its eyes flashed brown, which was the only colour it had as it crouched down as if to lunge at Harry again but then thought better of it. Wizard and wolf looked each other over.

"It has a lot of anger," Harry remarked then looked up at Remus. "Are you feeling angry?"

"No, just disappointed." Remus answered.

"Severus could you grab my other wand?" Harry asked from his place in front of the barrier.

Severus picked up the dark and handed it over to Harry. Severus could count the number of times he'd had permission to hold another person's wand on one hand. It was such a personal thing to a witch or wizard and yet the other man had said it so casually like it meant nothing to him.

Harry took the wand with a smile and a soft thanks. He held the dark wand in one hand and the cherry wand in the other before he focused on the curse. The wolf silently snarled at Harry as he looked into the curse. He could feel the darkness from the wolf but also a trace of light. Both types of magic bound together and tied into the man standing in the circle watching them.

The mist swirled around the shape of the wolf and Harry could feel the animal instincts brushing against his mind, even with the barrier separating them. Harry channelled the darkness with the dark wand taking notes of the curse before turning to the lighter side of the curse with the cherry wood wand. He was a little surprised to find a lighter aspect of the curse but it was there and it gave Harry hope. He took notes of the light curse with the cherry wand before ending the spell and breaking the circle on the ground. The wolf lost its shape as it puffed into mists, which rolled past Harry and disappeared.

"Okay," Harry Exclaimed.

He used his cane to get to his feet, the world suddenly spun around him and Severus grabbed his shoulder to help him stay on his feet. Severus guided him to a seat and Harry sat down.

"Sorry," Harry apologised. "Just got a bit dizzy there."

"Are you okay?" Remus asked, in concern.

"Yeah," Harry replied and waved the concern away. "I'll be fine. Now, the curse, I'll have to relook at the curse on the full moon-"

"You can't be serious!" Severus cut in.

"Sorry, I mean I will have to look at the curse after you have taken the Wolfsbane potion next full moon." Harry clarified. "I need to know what it does to the curse. There are two parts to it, which is intriguing."

"Two parts?" Remus asked.

"Yes, there is a dark curse." Harry answered. "Which I was expecting, but there is also a strand of another curse more light in nature."

"What?" Remus asked in shock.

"Yeah, interesting isn't it?" Harry said with a grin.

He got excited over new things. He had never looked at the werewolf curse before and it didn't disappoint. Remus had been dead and buried a long time before Harry knew enough to look into curses. He had looked at Teddy's magic but hadn't seen anything of the wolf in the man.

"I wouldn't go that far," Severus remarked dryly.

Remus nodded in full agreement, which just made Harry give them a wide grin.

xXx

Harry was sprawled out in his armchair, reading a book, when someone banged on his door. Before he could call out, Severus barrelled into his room.

"What?" Harry asked as he pulled himself to his feet and snagged his two wands off the side table.

"Lupin," Severus grasped. "He didn't take his last Wolfsbane potion and I can't find him! It's a full moon tonight!"

"Shit!" Harry cursed, he didn't realise that tonight was the night. "Where would he go?"

"The Shrieking Shack, the entrance is under the Whomping Willow," Severus replied quickly as he moved out of Harry's rooms.

"You go ahead Severus," Harry ordered, he knew he would only slow the man down. "I'll catch up when I can."

"Alright," Severus agreed and went to run off.

"Severus," Harry called after the younger man. "Be careful!"

Severus nodded and with a last look disappeared down the hallway, his robes blowing around him. Harry moved as quickly as his leg would allow, cursing that bloody snake. By the time he made it out of the castle, he could see Severus in the distance making his way to the Whomping Willow. Harry cast a charm on his leg to numb it. He knew he would pay for it later but it allowed him to quicken his pace until he was almost running. He son was in danger and he wasn't the only one.

He reached the Whomping Willow, breathing heavily as he got within reach of the tree. He stopped it in place so he could slip down into the tunnel.

"Snape!"

Harry could hear the cry as he moved up into the Shrieking Shack. He rounded the door to find Sirius and Remus on one side of the room with Ron sprawled on the bed in the corner. Hermione stood next to Ry and Severus sneering at them all. When he moved into the room everyone looked in his direction.

"You!" Black yelled, startling everyone including Harry.

Harry looked just as surprised as everyone else as Black lunged at him and Harry quickly stepped to the side as Remus yelled out.

"Stop!" Ry yelled in the background.

Black turned on him again and with a snarl tackled Harry to the ground. Harry blocked the first punch but wasn't so lucky with the second as it collided with his ribs. Suddenly hands grabbed Black from behind as Severus and Remus pulled the enraged man off him.

"Dad!" Ry cried, throwing himself down next to him.

"Dad?" Sirius gasped.

All the fight drained from Sirius as he sagged between Severus and Remus. Harry pulled himself to his feet and wrapped his arms around Ry.

"Do you remember me?" Harry asked, keeping his son close.

Black cocked his head to the side and said, "Yes, you were at Azkaban!"

"What?" Severus asked as he looked between Black and Harry.

"You took Harry away from me!" Black yelled.

"What?" Ry asked, looking up at his father.

"No, no." Harry stated. "I came to see you at Azkaban. I tried to get your case reopened and a retrial called!"

"Ha!" Black barked. "That would mean I had a trial to begin with!"

"You did," Harry insisted. "They had you sedated. You kept yelling about cursing and killing people."

"I don't remember," Black whispered, shaking off the hands holding him back. "But you took Harry away from me!"

"No," Harry snapped as he gently pushed Ry to the side and stepped forward. "I came to see you, to tell you that I was going to look after him. I'm a distant cousin to James, a Potter by blood but not name."

"No!" Black snarled as he shook his head. "You took him away and it's all that rat's fault!"

Black turned to Ron as he held a rat in his hands. Harry stared at that rat in growing horror, Ry had never mentioned that Ron had a rat and Harry wondered why he'd never asked.

"You can't have him!" Ron yelled back.

"Ron," Remus tried.

Suddenly the rat bit Ron's hand and the boy let out a cry and dropped him. Lupin flicked out his wand and with a flash of blue-white light a short pudgy man appeared in front of them, nose still twitching.

"Peter Pettigrew!" Severus gasped, looking down at the Death Eater in front of him.

"Severus," Peter cried and crawled on his knees towards the dark-haired man.

Severus sneered down at the man in disgust.

"You worm," Severus snarled. "Get away from me."

"Remus and Sirius." Peter sobbed. Black kicked out at the man and he sprawled out on back with a cry. "I was your friend!"

"You gutless traitor!" Black snarled with a kick.

Pettigrew skittered back and looked from one unforgiving face to the next before his eyes settled on Harry.

"Please," Pettigrew pleaded. "They want to kill me!"

"They are not alone," Harry replied coldly and flicked his wand to tie the man up. "We should move this back up to the castle? Before the moon rises, would be a good idea."

Remus paled and they quickly moved out of the room. Remus lead the way with Pettigrew floating before him. Severus floated a sulking Ron with Hermione close by. Ry and Black came next with Harry taking the rear of the group as he limped along. Black would glance over his shoulder at Harry but he ignored it.

"You know, Harry." Black stated, talking to Ry. "I'm still your godfather."

Ry looked up at Sirius.

"I know," Ry replied softly. "Dad told me."

Black's eyes flicked back over at Harry and he gave him a wink. Black glared at him and Harry could see his fists clench before he turned back to Ry.

"If you wanted to," Black whispered. "After I'm cleared, we could get to know each other. I could tell you about your father…your real father."

Ry glanced over at Harry before he turned back to Sirius.

"I would like that. I would like to hear more stories about my parents." Ry said softly.

Black's face lit up with a smile. "You could even come to live with me."

"What!" Ry squeaked.

"He's my son, Black." Harry hissed at the man. "He will not be living with you."

Sirius turned to glare at Harry as he bunched his hands back into fists at his side. He'd never been known for keeping his temper under control. With a hiss the man moved up to walk next to Remus. Ry looked up at his father and took his spare hand in his smaller one. Harry looked down into the green eyes of his son and gave him a smile back.

They all moved out into the late afternoon sun. They moved up towards the castle before Remus suddenly stiffened. Harry cursed as he noticed where the sun sat on the horizon, they were too late. Remus fell to the ground with a cry. Harry pulled Ry behind him as Pettigrew fell to the ground. Harry barely spared Peter a glance as the man transformed and disappeared into the grass. His eyes were locked on Remus in fear. Hermione rushed over to Ron as Severus lowered him to the ground and helped him to his feet.

"Run!" Black yelled.

He transformed into his dog form as Remus cried out only halfway through the transformation. Harry pulled his dark wand as he focused on the werewolf. With a howl Remus fully transformed and turned on Severus. Harry brought up a shield quickly between the werewolf and Severus just as Black crashed into the werewolf with a growl. Harry poured in the power into his shield as the two animals tangled. Snarls and growls sounded on the air.

"Severus!" Harry yelled, snapping the man out of his trance. "The children! I'll hold the shield."

Severus nodded and ran over to Ron and Hermione. He quickly helped Hermione pull Ron to his feet. Harry held the shield and let it expand along the ground. Sirius was trying to push Remus away as Harry held tightly to Ry's hand.

"Get to the school!" Harry ordered.

Harry had to keep moving the charm as the two animals fought. He could bring up a full protection ward around them while they were moving. Suddenly Sirius grabbed Remus around the neck and pulled the wolf down. Remus kicked out before running with Sirius close on his heels. Ry pulled at his hand and Harry was pulled to the side. He cursed as his shield wobbled.

Suddenly a loud yelp sounded out on the air and Ry pulled hard. Harry tried to keep a hold of his son's hand but it put him off balance. Ry suddenly lashed out without warning and Harry lost his balance and grip on Ry's hand.

"Ry!" Harry snapped and tried to grab the boy

"Sirius!" Ry yelled and took off.

"Shit," Harry cursed with wide eyes.

A coldness settled in his stomach as he locked eyes with Severus before he ran after his son. Severus could protect Ron and Hermione.

"Blake!" Severus yelled after him.

"Get back to the school!" Harry shouted back.

"Blake!"

Harry ignored the call as he rushed after his son, moving as fast as he could. He could see the dementors gathering at the lake and picked up speed. His heart pounding in his chest and his grip on his wand so tight he thought it would snap. He skidded down the slope and his heart froze as he saw a dementor crouched over Ry. Before he could cast a charm, a bright white light lit up the lake. A chill ran down his spine at the sight.

Prongs rode again that night as the patronus charged through the dementors. They scattered before the glowing animal as it circled around towards Ry. Harry stood rooted to the spot for a second with wide eyes.

Harry slid down the bank and landed hard on his right side before he scrambled over towards Ry. His heart in his throat as he fell to his knees before his son. He reached down with shaking hands and turned the boy over, he was so pale. Harry placed his fingers against the boy's neck and sighed in relief when he felt a strong pulse under his fingers. He sat back on his heels as Albus Dumbledore and a couple of Ministry workers ran towards him.

"Is he?" Albus asked, his face pale and eyes wide.

"He's okay," Harry replied as he took the blanket Albus handed him.

He wrapped it around Ry as the Ministry workers handcuffed Sirius Black and floated him back to the castle. Dumbledore cast a floating charm on Ry and helped Harry back to his feet. Harry could already feel his leg screaming at him even through the numbing charm. Albus got under his arm and helped him back towards the castle.

"What happened?" Albus asked softly.

Harry grimaced.

"Sirius Black is innocent, Peter Pettigrew was the secret keeper," Harry explained dully. "Remus changed into a werewolf and Pettigrew got away. Remus is still out there somewhere."

"Don't worry, my boy." Albus said and patted his back. "It will all work out."

Harry nodded and leaned into the other man even more. Albus took his weight without protest.

"Blake!"

Harry looked up at Severus's yell and smiled at the man already feeling exhausted. Albus gratefully handed Harry over to the younger man. The Headmaster turned to the front doors to the castle and quickly cast a spell on the doorway and it flared up in a shield.

"I have work to do and a Minister to yell at," Albus remarked, as he patted Harry on the shoulder and quickly headed off.

"Are you okay?" Severus asked as he helped him limp towards the dungeons.

Harry snorted and said, "Don't think I'll be walking for a couple of days."

"I'm sure, we can work something out." Severus replied.

Harry could feel the numbing charm easing off on his leg as each step become harder. Severus took more of his weight and sweat broke out on his brow. He was relieved to see his door and was breathing heavily as Severus pushed open the door.

"Bedroom or lounge?" Severus asked.

"Bed," Harry gasped, pain overtaking his every thought.

Severus moved him towards the bedroom and gently eased him down. Harry groaned embarrassingly as he sat on the edge of the bed.

"I'll be back in a minute," Severus told him, before he moved out of the room.

Harry eased his shoes off and sprawled out over the bed, arm over his eyes to block out the light. Damn leg, Harry cursed silently. The pain raced up and down his leg and hip, but at least his son was safe. No one had been killed, so he would chalk that up as a win.

"Here."

Harry started at the voice and looked up at Severus, squinting through the haze of pain and light. He took the potion Severus held out to him and emptied it without looking then took the next potion.

"Thanks," Harry slurred as his eyes started to shut.

Severus looked down at the sprawled out man before him on the bed as the potions sent him to sleep. He couldn't believe how far the man had gone for his son and yet wasn't surprised at the same time. It made him think of the cold block of ice that was his own father had been. Nothing he did had been good enough for the man.

He shook his head and gently lowered Blake's jeans down to expose the mess of the muscles of the man's right leg. He took a jar of balm from his robes and gently worked the cream into the man's leg. He hoped that it would help the man on the bed. He removed the jeans completely and placed them on the ground next the bedside table, then removed the man's jacket. He covered him up with the blanket, ignoring the scaring down the man's arms and his well-toned body. It was at that point that Severus knew he was lost to this man and quickly placed the jar on the bedside table with a couple of other vials and left the room.

xXx

Harry woke slowly the next morning, stiff and sore, but surprisingly not in as much pain as he expected. He slowly rolled over and pulled himself into a sitting position. He reached out and snagged up a piece of paper and a pen from the bedside table.

' _Ry,_

 _Please come and see me after you leave the hospital wing. I am sorry but I can't make the trip up to the hospital wing at this time._

 _Love, Dad.'_

"Hogwarts house elf," Harry called and folded the note in half.

A small elf appeared in front of Harry and squeaked, "What can Softy do for you sir?"

"Can you deliver this to Harry Potter in the hospital wing, please?" Harry asked and handed the letter to the small elf.

"Yes, sir." The elf said with nod and disappeared.

Harry sighed and downed the vial of pain potion. He looked at the balm that Severus had left on the bedside table for a couple of minutes before he moved to the shower. Once he was dressed and had a coffee in hand, he made his way to the small dinning table.

It seemed like everything was moving so fast. If events kept going the way they were Voldemort would be reborn in about a year and the whole wizarding world would be in danger once more. Harry had dealt with that once before and wasn't keen to do it once again and yet he knew that Voldemort would rise again. If he didn't use Ry's blood then he would find another way to do it.

Harry knew his love of Ry was stopping him from looking at this objectively, but damn it, this was his son! He had raised the boy from one year old. He had taught him how to ride a bike and held him as he cried. Cleared up his first scrape and sat next to him at the Doctor's office when the boy had fallen out of his first tree. This was his boy and he wasn't going to let some ghost of a Dark Lord take him.

"Come in," Harry called at the knock at him door, expecting Ry.

"How are you feeling?" Severus questioned softly as he came in.

"A lot better," Harry replied and sat back in his chair with a heat pack held to his leg. "Thanks for the balm, something new?"

Severus came in to sit at the table, Harry frowned at the tense way that Severus sat and the slightly wary look in the man's eyes. He was unsure what the look was about.

"Yes, a new kind of muscle relaxant." Severus answered. "Did it work?"

"Yes, very well." Harry smiled, if it hadn't been for the balm he probably wouldn't have made it to the table today. "Thank you."

"The Headmaster wanted me to tell you that Ry is recovering well and should be released from the hospital wing this afternoon." Severus told him. "Also that Sirius Black managed to escape from Ministry custody and is back on the run."

Harry smiled at the look of disgust on the younger man's face.

"He also said that he wanted to talk to you about a contract once you are back on your feet," Severus added.

Harry raised an eyebrow in question but Severus couldn't give him any more information. Severus got to his feet and asked if he wanted another coffee. Harry looked Severus over as he made the coffees.

"What?" Severus questioned as he moved back to the table and placed the coffees down.

"Nothing," Harry replied and smiled at the frown on Severus's face. "I suppose that that new wolfsbane is even more important now."

Severus gave him a glare and Harry smirked as he sipped on the coffee. They moved onto small talk as Harry settled back into his seat. The events of last night settling around them and they let it slide away. It could have gone very wrong but it hadn't and they were both still alive so Harry definitely counted that as a win.

xXx

A soft knock at his door startled Harry out of a light sleep in the armchair near the fire.

"Come in," Harry called.

Ry poked his head around the door looking very sheepish.

"Hi, Dad." Ry said sheepishly.

"Come in Ry," Harry called with a smile. "Take a seat."

Ry perched on the edge of the seat and looked down at the floor.

"I am very proud of you," Harry started and Ry's head snapped up, his green eyes wide. "You were very brave, stupid as well, but brave."

"But Dad-"

"No, listen to me." Harry said sternly. "You should have told a teacher or even come to me with this before running out into the night. You knew who Black was, Harry. I told you that he was dangerous and you knew that Remus was a werewolf."

Ry hung him head. "It happened so quick."

"Yes, it did." Harry agreed.

"And then," Ry continued. "Dumbledore saw us in the hospital wing and said something about time and then Hermione had a time turner and we saved Buckbeak and then Sirius and then he was flying away."

Harry sat back while the words just tumbled from his son's mouth.

"I'm Sorry," Ry finished, looking at his father.

Harry reached out and placed a hand on the teenager's knee.

"It's okay Ry," Harry soothed. "Just remember that something really bad could have happened. One of your friends or teachers could have been killed or Black could have harmed you in his madness. Next time, just think it through before you rush into something. Try not to be so much of a Gryffindor."

"Okay," Ry said softly with a quirk to his lips. "Thank you."

"Now, how are your studies going?"

The boy groaned.

xXx

"I would like you to teach an advanced Charms and Curses class," Albus asked as he placed a cup of tea in front of Harry. "You have been highly recommended by both the Ministry and Gringotts."

"What?" Harry asked stupidly.

Albus grinned at him, as he took a seat across the table from him in Harry's rooms.

"I've been trying to get Professor Flitwick to teach an advanced class for years, but the man is stubborn." Albus explained with a fond smile. "There are many students that would benefit from what you could teach them."

"I wouldn't be able to stay here the whole time," Harry reminded the Headmaster. "I have a few contracts over the next twelve months."

"That would be no problem," The Headmaster assured Harry. "Whatever time you can spare would be enough. You wouldn't be a full Professor just on contract. You would be paid for the work you do on a monthly basis."

Harry thought it over.

"The Department of Mysteries has been asking me about who I could recommend." Harry remarked.

"Do we have a deal then?" Albus asked. "Your fee would depend on the classes and how much time you are here, but I'm sure we can come to a agreement. The rooms you are staying in now would be part of the agreement as well as a classroom."

"Okay," Harry agreed, after a few minutes of thought. "It would be nice to see Ry on a more regular basis. I'll talk to the Ministry and my lawyer and we can draw up a contract."

"Then it's settled," Albus stated as he got to his feet and went to move to the door before he turned back to him. "Oh, by the way…the Triwizard Tournament is being held here next school year."

Harry's head hit the table once the Headmaster was out the door, what had he just agreed to?


	3. Chapter 3

Harry looked down at the page in front of him in confusion. It wasn't the fact it was written in Russian that was giving him trouble, it was the theory on time that the man was trying to explain. He just couldn't wrap him mind around it. So, he was happy when a knock sounded on his door to distract him.

"Come in," Harry called as he placed a marker in the book and closed it.

Remus poked his head around the door, the scratches on his face healing up quickly.

"Remus," Harry greeted with a smile. "Come in."

"Hi, Blake." Remus greeted as he carefully moved into the room. "I wanted to apologise for what happened last week."

Harry sat back in his chair and eyed the other man, he still looked sick and his face was pale.

"No need," Harry replied. "Come on in and take a seat."

Remus smiled at him and moved to one of the armchairs, looking around Harry's rooms.

"Thank you," Remus said. "I'll only be staying for a couple more days."

"Why?" Harry asked. "The term doesn't finish for another week?"

"It may have been leaked that I'm a werewolf," Remus said softly, looking away.

Harry frowned, "Severus?"

"Possibly," Remus conceded.

"I still need to look at your curse on the full moon," Harry reminded him casually.

Remus's head shot up.

"What?" He uttered in shock, his eyes wide.

"Did you forget?" Harry asked casually, with a smile.

"No, it's just with everything that happen…"

"What? You would think that I would just abandon my work on the new Wolfsbane potion?" Harry asked. "And the work that Severus has done?"

"Yes," Remus answered flatly.

Harry looked confused then huffed a laugh.

"I have dealt with things a lot darker than your curse, Remus Lupin." Harry purred. "People that take great delight in torturing and the pain they can inflict on people. Dark curses that people willing take into themselves and some that are just animals that kill and rape at will. People twisted by the dark arts and carry out acts of violence on a whim."

Remus grew pale at the words.

"You are not one of them," Harry stated firmly. "You don't let that curse harm anyone. You could have turned on any one of us that night."

"That was Sirius," Remus said in a small voice. "He stopped me from hurting anyone."

Harry smiled at him and Remus shifted uncomfortable.

"Really?" Harry questioned as he sat back in his seat.

"Yes."

"You have seen the curse within you," Harry stated, his eyes locked on the werewolf. "Do you think it would have stopped at a dog? Do you think Black would have been able to stop you? If you wanted the taste of blood in your mouth?"

"I don't know," Remus stuttered.

"If a new Wolfsbane potion could allow you to have a balance with your curse would you take that?"

Remus nodded slowly, unable to speak.

"Great," Harry said. "In that case I want to see you next full moon?"

Remus seemed to think that over before nodding.

"Yes, thank you." Remus whispered, hope blooming in him for the first time in a very long time.

"We might want to leave Severus behind this time," Harry smirked with a wink.

Remus laughed. "Might be a good idea."

xXx

A week after the incident with Black found Harry at the Ministry of Magic. He passed over both his wands at the front desk to the surprise of the ministry worker before heading towards the Auror department.

He hated the Ministry and everything that it stood for, it was a miscarriage of justice from the moment that he walked into the entrance. To see the statue of the wizard standing proud with all the other magical creatures beneath him to the injustice of their legal system. Which was one of the main reasons that he didn't like to enter the Ministry through the main foyer.

Harry sneered at it all as he made his way towards the lifts and yet he knew he was a part of the place and that just frustrated him more. He knew times would change but that didn't mean he had to like what they did now. He could only nudge them in the right direction.

"Can I help you?" A young blonde woman greeted him at the files section of the Auror department.

"Yes," Harry replied. "I have new evidence in the Sirius Black case."

The blonde smiled widely. "Of Course sir! Let me get the Auror in Charge."

He hadn't gotten this kind of reception the last few times that he'd come to address the Black case but at the same time Sirius had been locked away in Azkaban and as they say. ' _Out of sight, out of mind_.' A tall black man came towards Harry with a smile on his face.

"Auror Kingsley Shacklebolt." The man announced when he got close and held his hand out.

"Blake Sun," Harry replied, taking the man's hand.

"Nice to meet you," Kingsley said happily. "Jane tells me you have some information about Sirius Black?"

"Yes," Harry replied. "I have memories that I would like to add to his file that would prove him innocent."

Jane gasped beside them as Kingsley's smile froze.

"Would you like to do this in your office?" Harry asked politely.

xXx

Harry looked back down at the address on the piece of paper in his hand before knocking on the door of a small cottage. The forest around the house was thick and peaceful as small birds darted around in the late afternoon sun. He could understand why the werewolf would find this a comfortable place to live.

"Blake," Remus said with a grin as he pulled the door open.

"Remus," Harry greeted.

He gave the man's hand a shake and moved into the cottage. It was small, was the first thing that Harry thought as he moved through the door and into the main room. It did have a small fireplace to the left of the main door which kept it warm and a kitchenette to the right and two other doors which Harry was sure would lead to a bedroom and a bathroom.

"Cosy," Harry remarked.

"Yeah," Remus replied. "It was the only thing I was able to keep from my parents, since werewolves can't inherent in the wizarding world, but they had this house titled in the muggle world. They couldn't take it away. Would you like tea or coffee?"

"Whatever you are having is fine," Harry answered. "The sun should be setting in about an hour. Do you have somewhere you transform?"

"I have a basement," Remus replied as he worked in the kitchen. "When I take the Wolfsbane potion I just move around the forest."

"Did you want me to keep sending you the Wolfsbane?" Harry asked, taking the mug Remus held out.

"That would be very nice," Remus conceded. "But what can I do to repay you?"

"Oh, you will." Harry laughed. "You're my guinea pig."

"Ah," Remus replied, unsure.

Harry winked at the other man.

"Did I not mention that?" Harry questioned innocently.

"Well, if I had known that." Remus deadpanned.

Harry just laughed.

"I've reopened the Sirius Black's case with Auror Kingsley Shacklebolt at the Ministry." Harry announced calmly. "I used my memories of Peter Pettigrew, I requested the man's file as well."

Remus looked shocked. "You did what?"

"I used my memories," Harry repeated, looking confused. "You can take a picture of a memory to use in legal cases."

"I didn't know that," Remus replied, looking interested.

"They don't do it as much here in the UK but use it a lot in the States and other countries."

"Like in a Pensieve?"

"Similar, we use a crystal to catch the memory which doesn't fade from your mind." Harry explained. "They take a transcript from it and that's used in court. You can then produce a photo from the memory. Makes it better for abuse victims so that they only have to relive the torture once instead of every time they are need in court."

"Ry mentioned that you are related to James?" Remus asked.

"I am," Harry replied. "My father's mother is from the Potter line. The goblins could give you a better family tree. It's just easier to say I'm a cousin."

Remus looked him over.

"I can see the Potter line," Remus remarked.

"Ha!" Harry barked with a smile. "You should see my hair if I grow it out."

"You got the Potter hair?" Remus asked with a smirk.

"Oh, yes." Harry replied. "It's a curse I tell you."

"James used to make it work," Remus said with a smile as he remembered the man. "His father had it worse. You do look a bit like James."

"Have you spoken to Ry about his father?" Harry asked in interest as he sat back in his chair.

"Yes," Remus replied. "I had a few more photos to add to his collection and I'm sure that Sirius will fill him in on more stories. Since, they worked as Aurors together for a while."

Remus's smile faded a little at the other man's name. They spoke quietly for a while after that before moving to the basement, which the access was from outside. Harry looked around the small space and the reinforced doors leading down. It was just a bare stone room with nothing else.

"You don't keep anything down here?" Harry asked.

"No," Remus replied. "If I use this room, it means I don't have any Wolfsbane."

"You don't have Wolfsbane all the time?" Harry inquired and the other man wouldn't meet his eye.

"Not when I have to eat," Remus retorted blandly.

Harry let that slide as he removed a piece of chalk from his pocket and drew a circle on the floor. Remus moved into the middle of it and Harry placed his wand to the circle, making it flared up green before going clear.

"Did you want me to leave the door open when I leave?" Harry asked.

"Yes, thanks." Remus said then suddenly straightened up. "It's time."

Harry leaned back against the wall and waited. Remus sat on the floor and closed his eyes before crying out, his back arching, as his fingers dug into the stone. Fur sprouted along his back and over his shoulders as he pulled out of his shirt and quickly slipped out of his jeans and pants. Harry turned away to give him some privacy.

He turned back as the crying turned into howling and looked into the flashing brown eyes of the werewolf and shivered. He forced himself away from the wall and moved towards the circle. The wolf growled at him, making Harry pause. Remus should be in control of the wolf, not that Remus looked much like a wolf.

The animal he'd turned into was longer limbed and human/wolf like to be called a true wolf. Harry frowned, he remembered the shape that Remus had taken on the last full moon. It had definitely been more wolf-like than human.

"Remus?" Harry uttered softly.

The werewolf flicked its ears and stopped growling as it looked the wizard over. Harry could see the eyes turn softer, almost more human like as they looked at him and took a sniff of the air as Harry moved closer. Harry could see Remus taking in his scent as those eyes watched him.

"I'm going to cast the spell now." Harry announced as he pulled his cherry wand. " _Ipsum Reelare_."

The dark mist poured out of the werewolf as well as a soft light mixing together into the shape of a true wolf. The wolf stepped forward looking between Harry and Remus. Harry lowered himself to the floor in front of the circle and studied the wolf. Light and dark swirled together as the wolf sat and looked at him. He picked up the two strands of the curse with his mind and looked them over.

" _Producat in Lucem_ ," Harry whispered, light flowing out of his wand and across the barrier.

The wolf cocked its head as the light entered Remus. The werewolf's shape sharpened and colours started to come into the wolf's coat, white, black and rusty brown. The werewolf howled as its shape changed and suddenly the human/wolf changed into a true wolf to reflect the curse Harry was seeing. His spell broke leaving Remus standing alone in the circle.

"Remus?" Harry asked.

The wolf looked up at him with the same eyes that Harry was used to seeing, his eyes clear for the first time.

"Are you okay?" Harry asked in concern.

The wolf nodded at him, shook all over before sitting back, panting slightly as he just watched Harry.

"I used a light spell to boost the light curse already there," Harry explained. "I've taken recordings with my wand to look over later. Do you feel okay for me to drop the barrier spell?"

Remus nodded his head again. Harry slowly reached forward and broke the circle.

The wolf stretched before moving forward and bumped its head against Harry's leg. Harry's heart was beating a hundred miles a minute as the beast stepped passed him and into the night. Harry sighed and slowly got to his feet.

"I need a drink," Harry announced to the bare room.

xXx

' _Hey Severus,_

 _Are you able to try the Wolfsbane potion in a glass cauldron?_

 _Thanks, Blake'_

' _Blake,_

 _You owe me 50 Galleons, cracked before the willow bark could be added._

 _Severus.'_

' _Hey Severus,_

 _Thanks for trying, what about a glass stirring rod?_

 _Blake'_

' _Blake,_

 _That worked and I was able to add more steel needles before the willow bark, which would reduce the amount of Wolfsbane the werewolf would have to take. Can you add in a charm to extend the potion's life?_

 _Severus.'_

' _Hey Severus,_

 _I should be able to. I have a light spell I want to add at the end, we might be able to make a potion that someone would only have to take once a year!_

 _Blake.'_

' _Blake,_

 _When you say light spell, there are a couple of '_ light ingredients' _that we could use instead of a couple of_ 'darker ingredients' _we will try them once you are back at the school in a couple of weeks._

 _Severus._

' _Hey Severus,_

 _Sounds great! See you then. The French ministry is driving me crazy here. They just won't see sense. I'm sure they will be happy to see me leave._

 _Blake.'_

xXx

"Dad!"

Harry put the pen he had been using back on the table and placed a marker on the page in his book. Ry barrelled into the house with a letter in his hand.

"What is it, Ry?"

"Ron's dad got tickets to the Quidditch world cup!" Ry cried, holding out the letter for Harry to take. "He has an extra ticket and Ron asked if I could go."

Ry looked up at Harry, smiling widely, his green eyes pleading. Harry sighed, reading through the letter. He knew something had happened but wasn't sure what. He did remember the dark mark glowing in the sky, he would never forget that green glow.

"Please?" Ry pleaded, after Harry finished the letter.

"I have something for you," Harry said, instead of giving an answer.

"What?" Ry asked, puzzled.

Harry got to his feet and limped into his bedroom before returning with a silver and black bracelet in his hand. He retook his seat and held the bracelet out to his son. Ry took it in his hand, knowing his father, it wouldn't just be a bracelet.

"What is it?" Ry asked. "It's beautiful."

"Only you can put it on or take it off and it will simply tell me if you are in danger," Harry replied, he'd put a lot of time and work into making the bracelet to make it right. "It will also tell me where you are. I would like you to wear it and I will only use the tracking in it if it tells me that you are in trouble. I tried to add in protection spells but they just wouldn't stick."

"Wow," Ry gasped looking down at the bracelet. "Thanks Dad."

"I will contact Ron's Dad about you going along to the Quidditch."

"Thank you!" Ry cried and hugged his father.

Ry grinned and placed the bracelet around his wrist which shrunk to fit comfortably.

xXx

Harry looked down at the potion's text in front of him with a frown.

"What does this mean?" Harry asked Severus turning the text around to show the other man.

Harry was back at the school after dropping Ry off at the Weasleys a week ago. Severus and him had been working on the list of healing potions for St Mungo's hospital. They were taking a break while one of the potions shimmered for the next two hours before it could be finished and bottled. Harry had been surprised how easily they worked together, he was sure they would trip over each other but that hadn't been the case.

Severus looked down at the book he held out and read the line Harry was pointing out. He flicked the book closed and looked at the author.

"An idiot," Severus remarked. "You don't cut up arrowroot with a silver knife for that kind of potion."

"Good to know." Harry remarked with a laugh. "Anything worth reading in this?"

"Not in this one," Severus noted. "Try Silva Cannon instead."

"Will do," Harry replied as he set the text to the side.

Suddenly he felt something wrong and frowned. He pulled his cherry wood wand and looked down at it, feeling out the wrongness, it was the bracelet he had given Ry.

"Is it the Quidditch World Cup Day?" Harry asked, looking up at the other man.

"I think so," Severus said slowly. "Why?"

"The bracelet I gave Ry, it's indicating that he is in trouble." Harry stated as he moved to his feet. "I better go."

"Do you need back up?" Severus asked as they moved through the castle.

"Should be okay," Harry replied as they came to the Hogwarts's front gate. "How much trouble can one boy get into?"

Severus snorted. "It's Harry Potter."

Harry grinned, disaparated and arrived in chaos. Tents were being whipped about everywhere as a family of muggles were being held in the air above a group of people marching towards the tents. Harry could already see Ministry workers moving in on the crowd. Harry ignored everyone around him and pulled his cherry wand and cast a spell on the hovering family.

They stopped spinning in the air as Harry sliced through the spells from the crowd below. He cast a protection charm around the family and he pulled them closer before he looked around for a safe place to put them. Aurors finally flooded into the crowd as Harry brought the family close together and brought them down in the cleared area around him.

"Blake!"

Harry turned to see Kingsley running towards him with his wand out and eyes wide in the dancing lights around them. The man made an intimidating figure as people parted around him.

"They're safe," Harry quickly said. "I've placed a protection charm around them, nothing will get through it. I have to go, my son is here!"

"Go," Kingsley yelled out, as he got closer. "I'll watch them."

Harry nodded and rushed off into the forest, following the charm in Ry's bracelet. Cursing as people appeared and disappeared around him. The Ministry would have it under control soon enough. He cast a quick light spell so he could see better where he was going as he hurried through the forest.

Suddenly the Dark Mark lit up the sky ahead of him. Bathing the night in a green glow as screams erupted around him. Harry shivered at the sight but didn't miss a step. He skidded into a slight clearing to see Ry, Ron and Hermione staring up at the grinning skull.

" _Praesidio_!" Harry yelled quickly.

Hermione and Ron turned their wands on Harry before they recognized him and lowered them quickly. Suddenly twenty wizards appeared around them.

" _STUPEFY_!" Twenty voices yelled a the same time that Ry yelled "DUCK!"

Harry just stood calmly, his cherry wand in his hand as he fed the protection charm around him and the children. The spells bashed into the barrier around them as Harry poured the power in and the charm flared.

"You bloody idiots," Harry snapped at the same time that Arthur yelled. "Stop! Stop, that's my son!"

Harry held the charm as Arthur Weasley emerged from the crowd. He could feel the stunning spells curling around and into the night. All the spells stopped and Harry breathed a sigh of relief, without a proper grounding, the spell had more of the chance of breaking. He held his wand at his side as he glared around at the men and woman and some looked away.

"Ron, Hermione, Ry are you okay?" Arthur questioned. "Blake what are you doing here?"

"Out of the way!" Crouch yelled striding forward and eyed Harry off. "Who did this!"

Crouch pointed a finger at the hovering Dark Mark while the children moved closer to Harry.

"Dad didn't do this!" Ry shouted back. "I heard someone over there!"

"Yeah," Hermione pipped up. "They said a spell or something and that appeared." Pointing up at the skull.

Harry looked up at the Dark Mark again still feeling the shiver down his spine even after all this time as people shifted around them. The sight still brought fear and a chill and a hardness came into Harry's eyes before he focused back on Crouch.

"A likely story," Crouch said tensely.

"Believe what you want Mr Crouch, but my son and his friends are innocent," Harry stated as he stepped forward until he touched the edge of his protection charm. "And I have worked with at least four of the wizards and three of the witches gathered around you. I am sure one of them can vouch for me. Since, you have forgotten who I am."

Harry smiled as Crouch's face turned red. Amos Diggory nodded to Harry and moved off in the direction that Hermione had pointed earlier.

"I have something," The man called as he moved back to the waiting wizards and witches, a limp house elf in his arms.

"Winky," Hermione gasped.

"A house elf?" Harry asked in puzzlement.

"Mr Crouch's house elf." Hermione hissed.

"Is this true?" Harry asked, looking at the limp figure. "That is interesting."

"Well," Crouch stuttered, looking pale.

"She was holding this as well," Amos said, holding up a wand.

"Hey, that's mine!" Ry cried out, taking a step forward but Harry placed a hand on the boy's shoulder and pulled him back behind him.

"What!" Amos yelped. "So you cast the Dark Mark!"

Harry's eyes flashed green and a few people shifted. His temper was well known, if someone pushed him.

"That is my son you are talking about!" Harry hissed in a deadly voice.

"Ah," Amos, backtracked. "Sorry, got carried away. Couldn't have been your son, Blake."

"I'm glad we have cleared that up," Harry hissed, glaring at the people gathered.

Harry held his wand up and the Dark Mark exploded above them into sparks of green light as he broke through the spell. He whispered spell and light flooded the clearing. He cancelled the protection spell and stepped towards Amos.

"If you can give me my son's wand, Mr Diggory." Harry said sharply, holding his hand out. "Mr Weasley and myself can take the children away while you investigate. I'm sure that Auror Shacklebolt will have questions for me and paperwork to fill out."

Amos hesitated before he handed the wand over while Crouch splattered. Harry looked over at the man and he shifted. The Ministry still didn't know what to make of him. Harry twisted his lips up in a lopsided smile and Crouch shivered.

"But-" Crouch finally got out.

"It is late, Mr Crouch." Harry said flatly. "I am taking my son, his friends and helping Arthur round up the rest of the Weasley family before Kingsley finds me. If you have any questions I will be around to answer them later."

The Ministry workers moved out of his way as Harry limped towards them. Mr Weasley quickly hugged his son before moving after him. Harry could hear Amos and Crouch arguing quietly as they moved back towards the campground. He was sure they would find him later.

"How did you get here, Blake?" Arthur asked, once they were out of earshot of anyone.

"Ry has a bracelet that I can trace if he's in trouble," Harry explained, smiling down at his son. "Here, Ry."

Harry handed Ry's wand back to him as the boy grinned up at him. He ruffled Ry's hair as he groaned and whacked his hand.

"What will happen to Winky?" Hermione asked, looking over her shoulder.

"She was found with a wand and the Dark Mark hovering in the air, Ms Granger." Harry replied softly. "It doesn't look good."

"Why?"

"Magical creatures are not allowed to use a wand," Arthur replied.

"But she could have just picked it up!" Hermione cried.

Harry shook his head.

"The law forbids non human's from using a wand…well, most non-humans." Harry amended.

"What!" Hermione yelped. "That's not fair!"

"I agree," Harry nodded. "However at this time, that is the law. That however doesn't leave them helpless. House elves had strong magic even without a wand-"

"Dad!"

Harry looked around but it wasn't for him this time. The rest of the red headed mob surrounded them, making Harry, Ry and Hermione feel like the odd ones out.

"Blake!"

Harry looked over at Kingsley.

"We need you over here and I need a statement," Kingsley called as he made his way over.

"Can you look after Ry?" Harry asked Arthur.

"Of, course." Arthur grinned.

Harry gave Ry a hug then held the boy at arm's length.

"Look after Arthur for me, Ry." Harry said with a grin.

"I will," Ry agreed. "Can I stay with them until school starts?"

Harry looked over at Arthur, who nodded.

"Okay, but no flying car."

xXx

It was the early hours of the morning by the time Harry had answered all the questions thrown at him and had made his way back to Hogwarts. He limped slowly up towards the school as the light touched the horizon. He stopped for a few minutes before ploughing on towards the castle doors and the dungeons. Cursing the Ministry the whole way, he was sure that he hadn't heard the end of the events of tonight.

He opened his door to find Severus sprawled out across his lounge. The man must have fallen asleep while waiting for him to return. He looked down at the taller man, he looked softer somehow in his sleep. His black hair framed his face, from where it had escaped his hair band, against his pale skin. There was a book on the floor next to the lounge that Severus must have been reading before he fell asleep.

Harry flicked on the kettle and pulled two cups out of the cupboard and put the right amount of sugar and coffee in both cups while he waited. He looked over at Severus again as the man shifted in his sleep and had to smile. This man was so much different to the Professor that had hated him. He still had the same greasy hair and pale skin but wasn't as hardened and sour as the Snape he remembered. It's funny how a child's mind was so much different to an adult's mind when looking at events.

He knew that Ry and Severus didn't get on very well, but they both seem to try for his sake, which he was grateful for. He knew they would never be friends, but they could make it work. The clicking of the kettle had Harry turning back and filling the cups up with hot water and topped off with milk. He placed one cup on the coffee table in front of Severus.

"Severus," Harry whispered, grasping the man's shoulder.

The man snorted before waking, looking up at Harry through his hair.

"Hey," Harry said softly as he stepped back

He took a seat in his armchair, enjoying the warmth of the fire next to him.

"Hey," Severus replied, pulling himself into a sitting position.

"Coffee's in front of you," Harry reported as he gestured to the cup.

"Thanks." Severus replied. "What happened?"

"Some Death Eaters gate crashed the camping grounds at the Quidditch Cup," Harry said calmly, noticing how Severus's hands clenched around the cup. "One of the idiots cast the Dark Mark into the sky with Ry's wand."

"What!" Severus yelped.

"Yeah," Harry agreed, taking a sip of coffee. "Ministry came in wands blazing. The idiots that they are."

"Potter okay?"

"Yep, managed to stop the twenty or so stunning spells from hurting him, Ron and Hermione." Harry explained. "Bloody pack of idiots when it comes to Death Eaters."

Severus placed the cup down before he could spill it as he looked at Harry with unreadable black eyes. Harry could pick up on his body language and could tell that Severus watched him just as sharply. They had reached am impasse, something that had been between them but they had never spoken of.

"I can understand their overkill," Severus muttered.

Harry nodded and questioned, "You must have only been young when the first war started?"

"I don't like to talk about it," Severus replied, not meeting Harry's eye.

"Because you were a Death Eater?" Harry asked mildly, taking a sip of his coffee.

Severus shot to his feet. "How?"

"Sit down," Harry said calmly, sitting back in his chair.

Severus just stared at him.

"Severus, please sit."

Snape slowly sat back down, sitting on the edge of his seat.

"How?" Severus questioned again.

Harry pointed at his arm and said calmly, "Dark curse."

Severus relaxed. If he could see the dark curse then the man had known the minute that he met Severus that he was a Death Eater.

"I wasn't here for the war," Harry lied. "I was helping the Germans clean up after the last Dark Lord, I wasn't too sure what was happening over here in England until the goblins contacted me about James being killed."

They fell into silence and Harry left it up to Severus about what he would say. What he wanted to tell him.

"I was recruited before I even finished school," Severus said softly. "My father…my father was a bastard."

Harry let the other man gather his thoughts, sipping on his coffee.

"My mother was a witch," Severus continued. "My father killed her so I killed him."

Harry's eyes widened, he hadn't heard this before.

"He was my first kill, the blood hadn't even dried on my hands…When I turned up at Albus Dumbledore's door step." Severus said hollowly. "I begged him to help me, that I would do anything."

Harry swallowed the bile in his throat. Yes, he had killed people and he had no doubt that he would again but the thought of a child killing his own father after the man had killed his mother turned his stomach.

"I offered to spy for him," Severus whispered.

Harry sat forward in his chair and placed his smaller hand on Severus's knee. Snape looked up at him and gave him a soft smile. Harry was sure that the man hadn't told many people his story before and gave the man a soft smile as their eyes locked.

"You were a child," Harry stated softly. "The stupid things I did as a child could fill this room."

Severus nodded and moved his hand until it was covering Harry's. He gave Harry a nod of thanks.

Harry yawned suddenly which had Severus snorting.

"Sorry, long night." Harry replied, sitting back in his seat and finishing the coffee.

Severus moved to his feet and looked down at him.

"I'll see you tomorrow then," Severus said. "Good night, Blake."

"More like good morning, Severus." Harry retorted with a grin.

Severus gave him a smile and gasped his shoulder as he passed him on his way out of the room.

xXx

Harry sat back in his seat at the Head Table next to Severus as Albus read out the last name of the competitors for the Triwizard Cup. He ignored the glare from Moody further down the table as he looked out on all the students. The old bear of an Auror had already made his point clear on his dislike of Harry and he had made sure that the man knew that the feeling was mutual.

Albus turned away from the cup when it suddenly lit up with green light and puffed out another name. The Hall went silent around them. Albus reached forward and snagged the piece of paper out of the air in surprise. He looked down through his half-moon glasses at the piece of paper. His blue eyes flicked up to the Head Table briefly and Harry could feel the coldness in his stomach. He glared down the table at Moody and the man gave him a twisted smile.

"Harry Potter," Dumbledore called out.

Silence greeted him, until a hollow bang of Mr Blake Sun's head hit the table. A couple of students giggled. Ry just looked shocked as his eyes flicked between his father and the Headmaster.

"Mr Potter," Dumbledore called again. "Please make your way to the side room with the other competitors, please."

Ry made it to his feet shakily before moving towards the side room as whispers erupted around the room. He glanced up at his father but the man still had his head on the table and Snape just smirked at him from beside his father. Ry quickly looked away as he made his way to the room the Headmaster gestured to.

"Ah, crap." Harry cursed, making Severus snort and clap a hand to his shoulder.

Ry's name coming out of the Cup was a binding contract. His son was now a part of the game and there was nothing he could do about it.

xXx

Harry threw down his pen in frustration as the yells echoed down the hallway to his rooms. He'd had enough! He normally liked the quiet sounds of the students but not today. Today, they just grated on him as he tried to get his work done.

He limped out of his room, the volume increasing as he headed towards the potion's classroom. He just knew what he would see. The fourth year Gryffindor and Slytherin class were waiting outside the classroom. One house on one side of the hallway and the other house on the other side with his son and Draco Malfoy facing off, wands drawn.

Harry slammed down his cane, forcing his magic into the stones, a loud crack like a gunshot echoed down the hallway. All the students froze.

"Enough!" Harry hissed as he limped closer. "I don't care what this is about but the noise in this hallway is unacceptable!"

Ry went to say something and Harry cut him off with a glare.

"You will stand outside this classroom and wait quietly for Professor Snape to let you in," Harry stated sternly before he looked at the smirking Severus in the doorway briefly. "Or I will charm this hallway with a silencing spell, understand?"

Murmurs of agreement filled the corridor.

"These children are your responsibility," Harry stated turning to Severus. "Deal with them."

The Slytherins waited for Snape to snap back at the other man, but it didn't come. Severus gave Harry a smirk before he looked the students over with a dark look.

"25 points from Gryffindor," Severus drawled, hearing groans from one side of the hallway and snickers from the other side. "And 25 points from Slytherin. Sit at your seats and open your books to page 203 and start reading."

The children filed into the room quietly and Severus shut the door behind them before turning to Harry. Severus gave him a smirk with a glint in his eyes.

"Keep this up and you will replace me for most feared teacher," Severus drawled. "And I have held that record for some years now."

Harry snorted and gave him a wink.

"Can't take that away from you, now can I?"

xXx

Harry was halfway through his class when his phone rang shrilly from the bench at the back of the room, a few students looked over in puzzlement. He picked the phone up and pulled the cord loose.

"Excuse me," Harry muttered as he answered the phone. "Blake Sun."

"Blake," Conner Fritz's voice, from the German Ministry floated down the line.

"Hold on a sec," Harry said into the phone and turned to the class. "Please excuse me for a couple of minutes. Please read through the next section of your books and we'll test the spell when I get back."

The ten students gave him nods of agreement from where they were sprawled out on the floor of his classroom. He didn't normally work out of books but this spell needed ground work before practise.

"Sorry Conner. What can I help you with?" Harry asked as he walked out into the hallway.

"We found something you might be interested in," The man explained excitedly. "Can you spare some time to have a look at it?"

"What would this thing be?" Harry questioned.

"It looks like a time rip," Conner said.

Harry froze.

"I'll be there as soon as possible. Don't let anyone near it. Should I meet you at the Ministry?" Harry asked.

"Yes, yes." Conner replied. "I shall see you then."

Harry ended the call and just stood there for a couple of minutes. He sighed as he looked down at the charmed phone in his hand before he slipped it away in his pocket. He ran a hand over his head at the thought of a time rip before he moved back into his classroom.

xXx

"See," Conner said excitingly, showing Harry the ripple in the air before them.

Harry looked at the brown haired man before turning to the rip. The soft glow of the edge of the rip stood out the most even in the sun, like a frame around the scene before him. He stepped up to it before he pulled his dark wand. He placed the tip close to the middle of the rip as he looked into the magic before him. He could feel the cold air on the other side of the divide. The rip was only small, not enough to step through but there was enough to see a street covered in snow on the other side. He could feel and see the time magic on the air. He wasn't sure if what he could see was the past or future but it was defiantly a time rip.

"Have you seen something like this before?" Conner questioned.

"Oh, yes." Harry replied. "This one won't last long, maybe a couple more days."

"Really?" Conner said as he looked back at the ripple, blue eyes wide. "Can we do anything to hold it? Or widen it?"

"Nope," Harry replied. "It's just two times slightly touching."

"Do you know what caused it?"

Harry shrugged in indifference.

"Could have been a big explosion of magic, a time event or just two times coming together where someone made a choice that changed history." Harry explained. "If you are lucky, someone on the other side might talk to you."

"Can we touch it?" Conner asked stepping forward.

"I wouldn't." Harry stated turning to the taller man. "You can study it and look into the window while it's open but I wouldn't touch it or place anything through it. It should close itself in time. Thank you for calling me, it's always interesting to look at this kind of magic."

xXx

"Mr Malfoy?"

Draco turned to see Black Sun leaning on his cane in the hallway behind him. He smirked at the crippled man before moving back down the hallway towards him.

"Yes?" Draco asked, intentionally leaving out the sir at the end.

Sun looked down at him with pale green eyes.

"Please come with me," Sun said calmly.

"But I have charms!" Draco whined.

"Yes," Sun drawled. "I am aware of that and so is your Professor. Follow me, Mr Malfoy."

Sun turned on his heels and Draco had no other option but to follow the limping man. Draco sneered even more. What kind of wizard would allow himself to become crippled? He mustn't be as good a curse breaker as he had heard to allow himself to get so injured that a mediwizard wouldn't have been able to fix it.

"Please take a seat," Sun commanded as he opened a door into a small office.

Draco took the seat on one side of the table while Blake sat down and looked him over. He shifted slightly under his piercing eyes, there was just something about Sun that put him on edge. Like he was seeing more than just what Draco wanted him to see. He sat up and carefully masked his face, he is a Malfoy after all. Sun just smirked at that look.

"Professor Flitwick came to me a couple of days ago, asking if I would teach you advanced Charms," Sun explained, surprising Draco. "I contacted your father about it and he is happy for you to take the extra classes."

Draco sat speechless, he didn't think he was really that good at charms, potions yes, charms not so much.

"Severus mentioned how good you are at potions as well," Blake continued, as if reading his mind. "I was considering teaching you how to combine the two together. Now, before you give me an answer. This is very advanced magic and as I tell my other students. My lessons will not be as regular as your normal classes. Would you be interested?"

"Can I think about it?" Draco answered.

"Of course." Blake replied, with a smile. "Just tell Severus or myself the answer when you decide. If you wish to start it next year instead of this year. That is up to you."

"You'll be here next year?" Draco asked in surprise, Sun didn't have many students and didn't spend much time at the school.

"Yes," Blake replied. "You are free to go now, Mr Malfoy. You may join your class or have a free session."

Draco thought about it for a few minutes before looking up at Sun. Those green eyes just watched him.

"Okay." Draco announced.

Blake raised an eyebrow.

"I'll take your lessons, sir." Draco commented.

He'd heard whispers from his father and a few of the other students about Voldemort returning to power. He'd also heard his father mention Sun and the Ministry. If Voldemort was coming back then he had a feeling he would need all the help he could get, even if it was from a cripple.

"Fantastic," Blake said happily. "I'll get your timetable off Severus tonight, are there any times you don't want extra lessons?"

"Ah," Draco replied unsure. He'd never been asked that before from his teachers since they just normally assigned times. "I like Friday nights and Saturdays free."

"No problems," Blake replied and wrote that down in the book in front of him. "I'll have Severus give you a time at breakfast for either that night or the next day. If that doesn't suit you, just let him or myself know and I'll change it to another time. Sound good to you?"

Draco looked surprised and was starting to think that Sun wasn't like all his other teachers.

"No problems, Mr Sun." Draco replied, looking the other man over.

"Perfect," Blake exclaimed as he stood and moved to the door. "I'll quickly show you the classroom you'll be meeting at."

Draco followed the man a couple of doors down the hallway, where he opened the door. Draco was surprised to see a mostly empty room with just a long table at the back and a large bronze circle indented in the floor in the middle of the room.

"We'll do the charms side of the lessons here," Blake explained. "The potions side will be done in the potions classroom, when it is free."

"Okay," Draco agreed, a little unsure.

"Have a good afternoon, Mr Malfoy."

"You too, Mr Sun."

xXx

Harry led a ragtag group of students away from the castle and across the lawn towards the Great Lake. He had students from every house in his group today from fourth year to seventh. Ry and Hermione were at his heels with a couple of Ravenclaw and Hufflepuffs and Draco and a couple of sixth year Slytherins at the rear. It was a clear Sunday afternoon and Harry didn't normally have advanced classes on a Sunday but he needed the daylight for today's class as he walked the class further from the castle.

"Where are we going, Dad?" Ry asked, looking around.

"As far from the castle without leaving the wards," Harry replied, enjoying the sun on his back.

Harry led them into a clearing near the Great Lake and sat down on a boulder.

"Spread out and take a seat on the ground, please." Harry ordered. "Don't conjure anything to sit on."

Everyone took a seat with only a couple of grumbles. All of the students knew by now not to question Harry's orders. Unless they had a good argument ready to go.

"Okay," Harry said, making himself comfortable. "I want you to close your eyes and get comfortable."

A few of the students looked around confused, before they complied.

"Okay," Harry repeated. "This is either going to be a very boring or very interesting class for you all. I want you to calm your breathing and just relax. Try to focus on the air around you, the quiet, the birds or the ground beneath you."

Harry watched the class as they settled in, some even laid on their backs on the grass or just sitting with their legs crossed. It was such a pleasant afternoon with a slight breeze to keep it cool with the sun beating down.

"There is magic around you all the time," Harry said softly. "We tap into it via our wands and the core of magic within us. We use the words of a spell to focus our minds and our wands to channel it."

Harry let that hang for a few minutes.

"We can also tap straight into the magic and pull on it," Harry continued. "When we are working with charms and wards we are 'picking' up these strands of magic. To either strengthen them, add to the core of the magic already there or to add our own spells to the mix. Now, I want you to focus on the ground beneath you."

Harry pulled his cherry wand and placed it against the boulder he was sitting on. He slowly poured some of his magic into the ground. Ry and a couple of other students jolted at the feeling of the magic and Harry slowly turned the magic into a growing charm under the students.

"Just focus of the ground and open your mind to the feel of it, how the grass feels and how hard the earth is under it." Harry suggested softly.

He watched as a couple of other students opened their eyes and looked around puzzlement. He took notice of which students could feel the magic and which couldn't.

"Can you feel the magic?" Harry asked, about half the class nodded. "If you can't, try and focus your mind. This kind of magic isn't suited to everyone and can sometimes take a while to master."

Harry could see Hermione's eyes screwed up tight as she tried too hard. While Ry sat next to her and felt along the magic that Harry had sent out. Draco and a few out students felt the magic out and he was sure that a few had fallen asleep. Harry pulled back the magic from the grass, leaving it about two inches longer than it was before. A couple of students followed the magic back to Harry. He cut the magic off and a few students focused on him.

"Okay, you can open your eyes and wake Mr Stevens and Ms Dodson." Harry remarked with a bit of amusement. "Can anyone tell me what the spell was that I cast?"

Hermione looked put out that she didn't know the answer. Draco raised his hand hesitantly.

"Yes, Mr Malfoy?"

"Um, a growing charm?" The blonde answered, unsure.

"Correct," Harry said happily. "Could you feel anything else?"

Draco shook his head.

"Anyone else feel any other spells or charms?"

The students shook their heads and glanced around at each other.

"We have moved out here because of the wards on the school," Harry explained. "If we were too close to the school, the wards would have made it harder to feel the magic."

Hermione's hand went straight up into the air.

"Ms Granger?" Harry asked.

"How far out do the wards for the school stretch?" Hermione questioned.

"Quite far," Harry answered vaguely. "The founders laid down the wards when they started the school. Every student and teacher that have called this place home has fed into them."

"So, there isn't a boundary?"

"There is," Harry answered. "But it depends on which wards you are talking about, each one is different and has a different range. If you gave me some time I could probably tell you each one and where they stop, but we don't have that kind of time. Now, I want the students that felt the magic to move to the right and the ones that had trouble please move to the left."

Eight students, including Draco and Ry, moved to the right and the other fifteen students went to the left. Harry knew it would take time for the students to master this kind of magic. It was something that he was sure that they hadn't come across before. Most of the magic taught at Hogwarts was more about hand movement and the theory of the spell. He would be teaching the students a different way.

"Okay," Harry instructed. "The students on the left please pair off, except for Ms Granger. Everyone on the right, except Mr Malfoy, please move to one of the pairs."

Once all the students had worked themselves out into trios and Hermione and Draco had moved to his side, Harry nodded.

"Okay, I want one person to make a barrier charm and the other to use a stunner. The last person I want you to try and sense the magic in either spell." Harry explained. "When the bell rings, I want you to change, okay?"

"Yes, sir."

Harry pulled a small bell from his pocket and placed it on the boulder. He moved to his feet and took a couple of steps away.

"Mr Malfoy, please make a barrier charm." Harry ordered.

Harry felt the charm go up a foot in front of the blonde. Harry liked Draco's spell work, he was always very precise and he would work hard to get a spell perfect. Severus reported that he was the same with his potions.

"Very good, Ms Granger please move towards Mr Malfoy with your hand out." Harry instructed. "When you hit the barrier, run your hands over it and open your mind to see if you can feel the magic."

Hermione moved forward until she touched the barrier. Draco smirked at her, which just made her glare at him.

"The hardest thing about feeling out magic is to tune out everything else." Harry remarked, as he stepped back to the boulder and rang the bell.

"It just feels like a wall," Hermione told him.

"Can't you feel the magic, Granger?" Draco sneered.

Hermione glared back at him and put both hands onto the barrier. After a few more minutes, Hermione still looked frustrated.

"Okay, Mr Malfoy. Can drop the spell," Harry sighed, ringing the bell again.

Draco smirked wider at Hermione, making her glare even more. Harry pulled his cherry ward and cast a barrier spell between the two students and they started. Draco placed his hand on the barrier as Harry poured more magic into it. The invisible barrier turned white then blue as it became more solid. Harry pushed more magic into it.

Hermione reached her hand out in wonder. Harry poured even more magic into the spell turning the barrier a green colour, almost the colour of the death spell. He stopped adding magic before it could crack from the strain.

"Can you feel the magic?" Harry asked softly.

"I think I can," Hermione whispered. "It feels strange, like it wants to protect something."

Harry smiled and let the spell drop.

"Very good, Ms Granger." Harry congratulated.

"That was amazing," Draco gasped.

Harry noticed that the other students had forgotten what they were doing and had been focused on Harry, Hermione and Draco.

"Okay, everyone." Harry called. "I think we will call it a day. When you get some spare time, if you could practice sensing the magic. There are plenty of wards and charms in the castle and on the grounds to feel out. Write down what you feel and where you found the magic and I'll look the list over. The person that senses out the most spells by this time next week with get a box of chocolate frogs. No cheating, I will know. Have a good night everyone."

Everyone moved back to the castle. Ry gave him a wave before moving off with Hermione.

"That was a interesting spell."

Harry turned at Severus's voice as the man moved towards him from near the forest.

"It was just a barrier charm," Harry replied, with a shrug. "With way too much magic poured into it. If you need to put that much magic into that spell then you are in some deep trouble."

"We were never taught to sense magic," Severus remarked as he came to stand next to him. "Where did you learn it?"

"Japan," Harry replied. "They don't teach it much here in England. They focus more on the spells but not the magic itself. The first time I saw someone 'sense' the magic of a curse I was blown away. It's the best way to work with wards."

"I can understand that," Severus agreed. "Can you cast the barrier charm again?"

"Sure," Harry replied.

He brought the charm up again, a blue wall appeared next to them. Severus reached out a hand and touched it. Harry watched in amusement as Severus ran his hand along the barrier.

"It's cold," Severus stated.

"Yeah, it takes the water out of the air." Harry replied.

"It's not green?"

"What colour do you want?" Harry asked with a laugh. "I can do it most colours, except pink, don't ask."

Harry dialled it up to the green colour and held it there for Severus before dropping the spell.

"Was there something you wanted or did you just want a lesson?" Harry asked with a smirk.

"How about some dinner in Hogsmeade?" Severus asked.

"Sure," Harry replied easily. "I could go for a beer."

"Students do tend to make adults need alcohol." Severus muttered with a smile.

"Ha, I can agree with that." Harry replied with a wink.


	4. Chapter 4

BANG!

Harry started awake and was reaching for his wand before he saw Severus before him. He flopped back into the armchair he'd fallen asleep in.

"What?" Harry slurred, not quite awake yet.

"Look," Severus hissed and shoved his left arm towards Harry.

Harry's hand froze halfway through running over his short hair to look at the Dark Mark on the man's arm. It stood out dark on the man's pale skin, like it had just freshly been tattooed. He ran the hand down his face before carefully taking Severus's arm in his hand and turning it slightly, the head of the snake watching him.

"I'm going to need coffee," Harry stated after a couple of minutes of silence. "And from the looks of it, so do you."

Harry waved the taller man back as he stood and stretched his back. He limped over to the kitchen to turn the kettle on. Severus stood there looking pale as his dark eyes watched him carefully.

"Have a seat, Severus." Harry remarked as the kettle boiled. "How long has it been getting darker?"

"The last week," Severus replied shortly.

"Is it as dark as it was when the Dark Lord was alive?"

"No, and the snake's eyes used to be red."

"So, he isn't back?" Harry muttered.

"Do you think that's what it means?" Severus uttered, looking pale and shaky.

Harry turned back to the other man and limped over to the lounge. He sat next to Severus and placed a mug in the other man's hands.

"Yes." Harry said bluntly. "He's been trying to come back to power since Ry's first year. When he tried to steal the philosopher's stone."

Severus paled even more.

"How do you know that?" Severus snapped.

"My son is Harry Potter." Harry said with a smirk. "He told me what happened."

He found it odd how Severus could forgot that Harry Potter and Blake Sun were connected. He would even forget the way that Blake was a Potter, even if they didn't have the same last name. Harry looked very much like a Potter. He chalked it up to the man's hatred of James Potter which made him turn a blind eye to the fact.

"Yes," Severus sneered. "How could I have forgotten that."

"Finish your coffee, then I'll have a look at this Dark Mark." Harry said, ignoring Severus sarcasm. "Just curious, how do Death Eaters hide the mark?"

"There's a spell, Blake." Severus drawled with a smirk. "It's tied into the mark."

Harry looked at him blankly for a second, then he laughed.

"We are wizards." Harry said in mirth.

Severus sneered. "Did you forget that fact?"

"Sometimes," Harry remarked with a nod. "I was brought up as a muggle, I didn't know I had magic until I was eleven. I made up for it later in my life."

Severus looked at him curiously, the other man didn't talk about his upbringing or much of his history really. Only that he had spent a lot of time abroad and had a faint accent that Severus couldn't place. He chalked it up to the fact that the man spoke many languages.

"That's another life time ago," Harry continued. "And a very boring story to tell. Okay let's go to my classroom and have a closer look at this branding of yours."

xXx

Harry faced Severus across the bronze circle in the floor of his lab. He could tell the other man was nervous but at least the coffee had helped settle his nerves. Harry pulled out both his wands and looked down at them before he moved closer to Severus.

"Hold out your arm," Harry requested.

Severus removed his outer robe and just stood in his slacks and a black shirt. He hesitated slightly before his eyes locked with Harry and he held his arm out. Harry brought the protection charm up around them with a thought as they stood within the bronze circle.

"Do you own any other coloured clothing?" Harry asked, trying to lighten the mood.

"Only a very dark grey shirt," Severus replied with a quirk to his lips.

Harry laughed and placed his dark wand back in its holster as he held his cherry wand. He carefully placed the tip of the wand against the mark on the man's skin. He could feel the darkness of the spell but could also feel Severus's own magic pulsing under it. He would have to sift through both of them to pick up the right strand.

Black mist slowly started to tumble out of the mark and crawl along the floor and the edges of the bronze circle. Harry worked his way through the layers of the spell. His head started to ache where he knew his curse scar used to be as he pushed further into the Dark Mark and deeper into the spell work.

CRACK!

Harry found himself lifted and thrown across the circle, his back painfully collided with the invisible barrier of the containment spell. He crumpled to the ground, boneless, as he heard his name cried out. He dizzily reached for his dark wood wand and pushed it into Severus's hands as he felt the dark mist around him. The pressure in his head increasing.

" _Finte_ ," Harry gasped, trying to grab a hold of the dark curse.

" _Finte_!"

The dark mist instantly disappeared as Severus cried out the spell. The wand bucked in his hand and he had to use two hands to hold it. How the other man could work with this wand he had no idea.

The pain in Harry's head eased as the mist disappeared. He slowly built up the walls around his mind again, containing what was left of the dark curse.

"Wand Severus?" Harry croaked and held out his hand.

Severus happily gave the wand back. Harry channelled the rest of the curse floating around the circle into the dark wood then into the stones at his feet to seep back into the earth harmlessly. Harry rolled onto his back as he broke the containment spell with a groan.

"What happened?" Severus asked, kneeling on the floor beside him.

Harry squinted up at Severus.

"It's an incomplete spell, I was trying to look through the layers to see if I could find the source when it tried to latch onto me." Harry explained, not even trying to move. "Without a link to the source the curse is unstable."

"So the Dark Lord hasn't returned?" Severus questioned.

"No," Harry replied shortly. "I could feel a power in the link but was thrown out too early to tell how far along he is."

"So, he's coming back?"

"Yes," Harry replied, without blunting his words. "The rebounding curse from when Ry was a child wasn't enough to kill a man like the Dark Lord. Nothing was prepared or in place to catch his soul when it fled."

"There was a prophecy." Severus said slowly.

Harry uncovered his eyes. "What?"

"A prophecy was made," Severus said softly. "I overheard it, then reported it to the Dark Lord. I didn't know what it meant then, I do now."

Harry slowly sat up so he was at eye level with Severus.

"A trip to the Department of Mysteries might be in order then," Harry muttered.

Severus helped him to his feet. Harry stumbled into Severus's side as he got his feet under him. Severus held him until he could stand without landing on his ass again before he stepped back.

"They will just let you in?" Severus asked surprised.

"Of course." Harry replied, like it was an every day thing that he would be let into a tightly restricted area. "I work down there, I have a contract with the Ministry."

"Are there places you haven't had a contract?" Severus muttered, darkly.

Harry barked a laugh. "A couple, but I'm working on it"

xXx

Harry looked on nervously the day of the first task of the Triwizard Tournament. The only thing that calmed him down was the knowledge that the charms and wards he'd placed on the Quidditch pitch would stop his son from getting killed. But that only went so far and he couldn't stop his worry. Severus placed a hand on his knee to stop it bouncing and Harry grinned up at him sheepishly.

"Sorry," Harry muttered.

"It will be okay," Severus whispered to him, before a roar of a dragon rang out.

"I shouldn't have come to watch," Harry muttered as he rubbed his face. "I should have locked myself away somewhere in the castle with a silencing charm. Or better yet, just knocked myself out with a potion until it was over."

Severus laughed softly, ignoring it when the other man's leg started to bounce again.

The crowd roared as the next dragon was brought into the converted pitch. Severus reached out and placed his hand on the other man's knee to stop it from bouncing and left it there. Harry smiled over at him before turning back to the pitch as his son walked out and just stood there.

"He has a plan, right?" Severus hissed at him.

"Oh, yes." Harry replied with a grin.

Suddenly Ry's broom came flying out of the castle and towards the boy.

Severus groaned, "You have got to be kidding."

"Nope," Harry snickered as Ry took to the air.

Harry was left in awe as Ry ducked and dived around the huge beast. He hadn't realised how much talent his son had with a broom under him until now. The dragon turned to throw fire at Ry, but the boy ducked at the last moment and Harry was sure he saw ash from the end of Ry's broom in the air. Ry twisted around as the dragon's head turned to keep up with him.

Suddenly Ry dived and the crowd held its breath as the boy dropped. At the very last minute, he pulled up on the broom inches from the ground as the dragon roared and stomped down.

"Oh, god." Harry gasped with wide eyes.

Then Ry barrel rolled away from the dragon with something gold clutched in his arm.

"AND HE HAS THE EGG!"

Harry breathed a sigh of relief and rested his hand over Severus's one on his knee.

"Thank god," Harry muttered as tilted his head back against the seat as the crowd roared.

Severus looked down at their joined hands and felt something clench in his stomach. He wasn't sure if the hand was intentional or if the man was just over come to see his son make it through the first task but he would take whatever he got. Suddenly the man looked at him and grinned, his green eyes shining.

"Just two more tasks left." The dark haired man grinned. "I'm not sure my heart can take it."

Severus laughed, neither man moved their hands away.

xXx

"Come in," Harry called at the knock at the door, marking his page.

"Hey Dad," Ry greeted, coming through the door.

"Hey Ry," Harry grinned. "How are you?"

"Yeah, going well." Ry said and looked down at the piece of paper in his hand. "I got a note from Sirius."

Ry passed it over to his father.

' _Be at the stile at the end of the road out of Hogsmeade at 2pm on Saturday. Bring food.'_

Harry frowned down at the note, he knew his evidence was still being looked over. That the Aurors that had been hunting down Black had been called off and all media pulled. As far as Harry was aware the case had been dropped but hadn't been made official yet.

"I want to meet him," Ry stated softly.

"Do you want me to come?" Harry asked as he passed the note back to the teen.

"Um, yeah." Ry replied, slightly embarrassed.

"No problems, Ry." Harry said with a smile as he ruffled the boy's hair. "Did you want to have lunch before meeting him?"

"Yeah," Ry agreed, grinning. "Thanks dad!"

"No, problems. Now, about your grade in potions and transfigurations."

Ry groaned.

xXx

Father and son made their way out of Hogsmeade. It was a beautiful day with the sun shinning and only a couple of clouds on the horizon to hint at rain to come. Harry was enjoying the walk after being cooped up in the castle for the last few weeks and was happy to be out and about. They made there way passed a couple of cottages as they walked towards the meeting place.

"I wonder what the price of one of these is?" Harry thought out loud.

"Don't you have enough houses?" Ry whined.

Harry grinned down at his son.

"You can never have too many places to hide, Ry." Harry said seriously but it was ruined by the grin. "Or rent out."

"Dad, why would you need to hide?"

Harry just winked at the boy.

"Because, I seem to find myself in trouble. Much like another Potter I know," Harry replied lightly.

"Dad!" Ry complained. "It's not my fault that people are out to get me!"

Harry laughed and ruffled the boy's hair again. He was finding that he didn't really have to reach as far to do that now, since the boy was almost as tall as him.

"Now where is this stile?" Harry asked Ry as he looked around.

"How about over there?" Ry remarked with a smirk as he pointed Sirius out in his dog form. "Maybe where that dog is?"

"Ah, yes." Harry stated. "That gives it away."

The large black dog looked at them then growled at Harry before lopping off up the hill.

"Should we follow Lassie?" Harry asked.

Ry whacked him on the shoulder for his trouble which just made Harry grin in amusement.

"Lead on Timmy," Harry joked, pushing Ry forward.

Ry smacked him again and led the way after Sirius. The dog led them further up the hill and into a small cave. Harry had to duck slightly to get into the cave. Suddenly he was slammed against the cave wall, dropping his cane in surprise.

"What are you doing here?" Black hissed in his face with his teeth barred.

"Because I asked him," Ry said softly.

"Yeah, what the boy said." Harry agreed, smiling at the fuming man.

Black looked at him in disgust as he pushed him further back into the wall.

"I can leave if you want," Harry suggested.

"I suppose you're better than Snape," Black remarked, stepping back. "Better looking too."

Ry gagged next to his father which made Harry grin.

"Why thanks," Harry said dryly. "And I was starting to think you didn't care."

Black snarled and turned away from the two, striding away for a couple of minutes before moving back. He eyed off the backpack Ry had until the boy held it out. Sirius took it in his hands and pulled out a sandwich, digging in.

"There's a status charm on the bag," Harry rambled. "And bottomless charm, not that it's bottomless, just what it's called. It's hard for anything to be bottomless really-"

"Dad rambles when he's nervous," Ry cut in.

"Um, yeah." Harry agreed then held out a key and a piece of paper to Black.

"What's this?" Black asked, taking the key and the note.

"It's a key to one of the Potter houses," Ry said excitedly. "Dad said you could stay there, while your case is being reviewed."

"What? Reviewed?" Black coughed and was so shocked that he stopped eating.

"Yeah," Ry continued. "Dad went to the Ministry with the memories of the night with Pettigrew and got your case reopened."

"You what?" Black exclaimed as he turned to Harry.

"You're welcome," Harry commented, with a smirk. "Merry Christmas and all that. Hasn't been made official yet, but you should be getting a full pardon. They are just taking a long time to wrap their mind around the fact. Did Dumbledore not tell you?"

"No, no he didn't."

Harry frowned and said, "I thought he would have said something, but you have been 'on the run' so maybe the message didn't get through."

"Dad said you can stay at the Potter house until your pardon comes through and since he did the warding you should be safe from the Ministry." Ry said, beaming.

"Thank you," Black said. "Doesn't mean I like you but thank you."

"I'll take it," Harry replied. "I'll wait outside while you have your chat with Ry."

Harry moved towards the cave entrance. He had to admit that it was harder than he would have thought to see the Sirius Black of this time. He had only known Sirius for such a short time and yet they had clicked so well from the moment they had met. This man was so much different than the man he had known. He could understand that since this Sirius wasn't his godfather. In fact, Harry was the man that took Harry Potter away from him but it still hurt.

This man still seemed to be struggling with the time he'd spent in Azkaban. Harry could tell it was going to take the man a long time to recover from what he'd been through. He knew from experience that Ry would be able to help him as long as Black could separate James Potter from Harry Potter.

Harry took a seat on a large rock out the front of the cave and took out his notebook to work on one of his projects while he waited. Suddenly Harry's phone rang shrilly, startling him.

"Blake Sun," Harry answered, looking at the math of one of his spells in his notebook.

"Hello, Mr Sun." A cheery voice purred. "It's Martha from files in the Department of Mysteries."

"Martha!" Harry said cheerfully. "How are you, my dear?"

"Very well Blake, I have located that prophecy you were asking about."

"You are fantastic," Harry said with a grin. "I owe you one."

"I think a fancy dinner out would make up for it."

"I think I can manage that." Harry purred. "Did you want me to pick up the orb from the Department?"

"Yes, you can pick it up from my office."

"Tomorrow good?"

"For dinner?" Martha asked

"Okay, hon." Harry answered with a laugh. "How about I come around on Friday then take you out to dinner?"

"Sounds great, Blake. See you at 6?"

"See you then, love."

Harry hung up the phone then glanced over his shoulder to see Ry with a big grin on his face and Sirius frowning at him.

"Ah, yeah." Harry stumbled over his words. "Forget you heard that."

Ry laughed.

"All done?" Harry asked, quickly changing the subject.

"Yeah, we can go." Ry replied.

Harry pulled himself to his feet and limped back up to Ry and Black. He held his hand out to Sirius.

"Until next time, Black." Harry offered as Sirius took his hand. "Maybe next time we can skip the shoving me up against the wall?"

"Dad!" Ry yelped.

"We'll see," Black replied but there was a quirk to his lips and a glint in his eyes. "Bye, Ry."

"Bye, Sirius." Ry said with a grin before taking the man in a hug, startling him.

xXx

Harry looked up from the glass sphere in his hands when Severus knocked and entered his living room. He placed the glass on the table when he saw Severus's hard look.

"Ry said something, didn't he?" Harry stated.

"He took great delight in telling me at his detention tonight." Severus said coldly. "About your 'date'."

Harry grinned, but it didn't reach his eyes.

"I'm not surprised. What did he do to get the detention?" Harry asked.

"Two words: Potter. Malfoy." Severus drawled as he crossed his arms over his chest.

"They'll learn to work together, maybe a couple of lessons together with me might help."

"It's your funeral."

Severus looked down at the glass sphere on the table in front of Harry and froze.

"Is that?" Severus asked as he stared.

"It is." Harry agreed as he picked up the sphere and held it out.

Severus took the sphere gently in his hand and glazed down at the prophecy swirled around inside it. He took a seat at the table as Harry looked him over.

"I met with a Martha Billings, who works in the file section of the Department," Harry explained. "For the exchange of dinner, she was able to locate that for me."

"So not a date?" Severus questioned carefully.

"Not a date." Harry agreed, taking back the prophecy from Severus's hand.

Their eyes locked and Harry quirked a smile before giving him a wink.

"Are you going to watch it?" Severus questioned.

Harry looked down at the sphere and the gentle mists swirling in its depths. There was nothing to show what the sphere would reveal.

"No," Harry whispered. "This isn't about me, this is for Ry."

"When will you give it to him?"

Harry sighed and ran a hand down his face.

"Maybe after the Cup," Harry replied. "He's a little stressed at the moment and has mentioned a certain Professor giving him trouble."

Severus just smirked at those words.

"Which reminds me," Harry said suddenly as he slipped the glass sphere away in his jacket. "I wanted to ask you about us working with Mr Malfoy with a Blood purifying potion?"

xXx

Severus found himself at the edge of the maze the night of the third task, on watch for sparks in his section. The edge of the hedge was dark and Severus couldn't work out why the Headmaster had chosen two tasks that most of the spectators wouldn't even be able to see what was going on within them. He looked along the hedge, hearing yells and growls from the other side but no sparks. He would rather be in the stands with Blake then out in the dark.

He walked along the edge trying not to let his mind come up with what could be happening within the maze. Blake had told him he'd placed wards on the grounds, so at least the maze wouldn't be claiming a life tonight but that didn't ease his mind as much as he'd hopped.

Severus nodded as Mad-eye Moody moved towards him, fake eye focused on him and a hard look on his face. The man passed him and Severus sighed quietly, the man gave him the creeps. Not that he would mention that to anyone but he had noticed the look that Blake gave the retired Auror when he thought no one was watching.

"Is he gone?"

Severus jumped at Blake's voice near him. Suddenly Blake's head appeared in mid-air, since he was wearing Potter's cloak.

"Who?" Severus asked softly.

"Mad Eye," Blake replied as he glacned around.

"Yes, he just passed by."

"Great," Blake said with a grin. "I have to look at the cup. It has been turned into a portkey but something isn't right with the destination programmed into it."

"Moody placed it in the middle of the maze before the task started."

"Yes," Harry agreed. "It looked fine when it was in the Headmaster's office but not when Moody took it into the maze. I need to look at it."

Severus looked down at the shorter man and frowned. Blake was on edge and he felt a chill.

"And how are you going to do that? It's in the maze." Severus pointed out with a smirk.

Blake grinned at him widely before he flipped the hood of the cloak back up and disappeared.

"When the task is over I want you to tell Dumbledore that something is wrong with Mad Eye," Blake's voice came from mid air. "Something isn't right tonight."

Severus shivered, sometimes Blake could creep him out, not that he would tell the man that. Blake grabbed his arm suddenly, his grip like steel.

"Whatever happens tonight, Severus," The man whispered close to his ear. "Do not answer his call and look out for Ry, okay?"

Severus nodded unable to speak as his heartbeat picked up at the man's words. Blake squeezed his arm then let go. The hedge beside him parted to let someone through then closed again, leaving Severus alone once again with just the darkness around him for company.

xXx

Harry moved through the hedges of the maze as he made his way towards the magical signal of the portkey. That damn Moody had given him the slip with the cup and hadn't changed the portkey until just before he entered the maze. He'd hopped to fix the portkey destination on the cup before the task but Dumbledore had kept it under lock and key and he hadn't been able to get close enough to it. Damn them both!

The numbing charm on his leg allowed Harry to move with more speed and with Ry's invisibility cloak he was able to bypass anything that would like to rip out his throat. He marvelled once again, how a school could even conceive that this was okay for children. The walls of the hedge parted before him as he cut his way through, the plants protesting every time. He had to make it towards the cup before his son and the Diggory boy got there.

He fell out of the last hedge to see Ry and Diggory looking down at the cup before they reached for the cup together.

"Ry!"

Harry lunged for his son, just as the two boys grabbed the cup. The world swirled around Harry as he tightened his hold on the cloak, he'd grabbed a hold of. The portkey spun them out in a familiar looking graveyard and he felt coldness shoot through him. The breath caught in his throat as ice curled around his heart. He knew that this night would come as he ran his plans through his head. Adapting them as he took in his surroundings.

"Dad?" Ry asked as he got to his feet

"Mr Sun?" Cedric asked looking around at the graveyard. "Where are we?"

Harry got to his feet as quickly as he could. He reached into his jacket and pulled out a marble and held it out to Cedric, who took it in puzzlement.

"Tell Dumbledore 'Tom Riddle'," Harry told the boy. "Understand?"

"Um, yes sir." Cedric stuttered, looking puzzled.

" _Home_ ," Harry whispered and the boy disappeared.

"What's going on Dad?" Ry asked as he moved close to him.

Harry looked around with wide eyes he could feel the anti-apparation wards and how far out they stretched. The marble portkey he'd made could only take one person and Harry was kicking himself for not making more but it had been hard to make a gap in the wards around Hogwarts without the Headmaster's permission.

"Dad?"

"I have to get you out of here," Harry said as he gripped his son's hand tightly and gabbed up the Cup in the other.

He could feel that the portkey in the Cup wasn't ready yet and he quickly poured magic into it trying to speed it up. He could feel the fear in his stomach as he looked around the graveyard and tried to keep control of his panic as memories filtered into his head from a similar night so long ago. His son's hand in his grounded him to the here and now. Ry's hand in his reminding him of the price he could pay if he couldn't get his son to safety. He'd not be prepared for the memories pushing at his mind. He pushed them to the side roughly and focused on what was before him.

"Someone is coming," Ry pointed out.

A short man was walking between the graves with something in his arms. Suddenly Ry clutched at his head and fell to his knees. Harry gritted his teeth and held onto his son. He cursed as he tried to pull the boy up but he was just too heavy.

" _Kill the spare_."

Harry ducked the green spell and tried to pull his son along. He only got as far as the closest grave. He pushed Ry against the grave and placed the cup in his hands. Memories and reality mixing together around him in his mind as he looked down at his son to ground himself in this time. He couldn't afford to slip now.

" _Praesidio vi repellere mela_ ," Harry muttered the spell, pointing his cherry wand at his son, cutting the link between the Dark Lord and Ry.

"Better?" Harry asked Ry as the boy looked up at him and nodded, his eyes still clouded in pain.

"That won't last," Harry muttered, distractedly. "I want you to stay here with the Cup."

"But-"

"No!" Harry cut him off with a glare. "You will stay here. Do not let go of the Cup. Promise me on your magic, Harry!"

"Yes, Dad." Ry muttered and the magic settled between them.

Harry looked over to the grave to see Pettigrew lowering the bundle in his arms to the ground before a large cauldron. Harry quickly untied the Invisibility cloak from around his neck and pushed it towards his son, his hands shaking slightly.

"Okay, Ry." Harry explained quickly. "That is the reborn body of the Dark Lord and Pettigrew. The Cup still needs time to recharge before it can send you home. Severus is going to look after you when you get there. Do not go with anyone else, understand?"

"No," Ry gasped, holding the cup close to him.

Harry grabbed his shoulder.

"Please, just trust me. Okay?" Harry pleaded.

Ry nodded, his eyes large as they looked up at his father. Harry felt his heart clench in his chest.

" _Come out, little Potter_." A high-pitched voice called out across the graveyard. " _You can't hide forever. What would your parents say?"_

Chilling laughter floated on the air and Harry shivered. He could see that Wormtail had already started the ritual and it was only a matter of time before Voldemort would rise again. He had to act soon.

"Dad?" Ry whispered in a small voice.

"It's going to be okay, Ry." Harry said softly. "Severus will look after you."

His son looked up at him with large green eyes, pleading with Harry to stay with him. Harry grabbed the boy's shoulder one more time before stepping out from behind the grave and moving towards the ritual before him. He could feel the darkness on the air and he had to force himself forward. The bitter taste of the magic in the back of his throat.

" _James Potter_!" The high-pitched voice of Voldemort hissed. " _I killed you_!"

Harry stood up straighter and looked down at the grotesque version of the child that was the new born body of Voldemort. Wormtail looked up at him and shrunk back slightly.

"That's not James, my Lord." The small man whispered. "His name is Blake Sun, he's Harry Potter's adoptive father."

The cold laugh that burst forth from the Dark Lord chilled Harry to the bone.

" _I get to kill the boy's parents twice_!" The child laughed.

"No!" Ry screamed from behind the gravestone but his promise with Harry held him back, keeping him out of harm's way.

Harry smiled darkly.

"You don't have the power," Harry mocked coldly.

"But I do!"

Harry ducked the spell fired at him from a figure dressed in black with a white mask. The blue spell passed over his head and with a cry Harry sent another curse back at the other man. He stepped to the side easily as Harry ducked behind another gravestone.

"Finish the ritual, Pettigrew." The death eater said coldly. "I'll keep him busy."

Harry held his wand to the ground below him and channelled his power down. Plants sprung up around the man's feet making him shout out as the vines tangled around his legs. The vines bit into his skin with sharp thorns as Harry poured his magic down. The Death Eater flicked his wand as he started to cut into the vines. Harry could hear Wormtail's voice on the air as he started the ritual. His chance of corrupting the magic was slipping away and he cursed.

The Death Eater finally cut through the last vine and flicked his wand towards Harry. The Gravestone next to Harry exploded into dust. He swore and started moving. He couldn't do anything until he got rid of the Death Eater.

" _Stupefy_!" Harry yelled out as a distraction.

The red spell headed straight for the man who ducked down to avoid it. Harry pulled on the magic in the earth and it split open trying to take the Death Eater down as Harry poured power into the earth. The man yelped and skipped to the side as he cast a spell in Harry's direction.

Harry swore as the spell sliced into his side cutting through his shirt and into his skin. He quickly ducked behind another grave as dark magic poured out around them. He wasn't dealing with a simple follower, he was dealing with someone with duelling experience.

"You think you can beat me!" The man cried out, blonde hair falling loose around the mask.

"Yes," Harry called back as he circled around him.

The man laughed as he watched Harry carefully. Harry could feel the dark magic swirling around and slowly grabbed a hold of it. He felt it come into his hands as he held the elder wand lightly. The dark wand drinking in the magic hungrily and Harry let it as he collected the magic. The move made the Death Eater pause as dark mists started to swirl around Harry. He was sure that the other man had never seen anything like it as Harry gave him a dark smile.

"Do you think you can beat me?" Harry spat back the other man's words, the dark magic nipping at his heels.

"Yes!" The man gasped and pushed his wand forward at the same time Harry released the dark magic he'd gathered.

The black mist went screaming towards the other man absorbing the man's spell and smashed into the other man's chest. The Death Eater was thrown from his feet as Harry crashed onto one knee as the magic left him. He heaved a sigh of relief when he felt the Portkey activated as it sent his son back to safety to the school. At least one thing was going his way this night.

Slow clapping made Harry look up to see a tall man with brown hair and red eyes looking down at him. Harry pulled himself to his feet and tried to stand evenly. His right leg throbbed and his side bled but he was not going to show weakness. He looked Voldemort over as the other man eyed him.

"Nice show," Voldemort hissed.

The other man looked very different to the way Harry remembered. More human and yet his eyes showed no humanity as they stared at Harry coldly. It looked like the change in the Dark Ritual, since they couldn't use Ry's blood, had made all the difference. Harry gathered up the last of the dark magic around him, ready to use it if he needed to. He could feel it settle on his skin as he tapped into the magic held in his dark wand.

"Dark Lord Voldemort," Harry greeted calmly.

"You are Blake Sun?" The man questioned.

"Yes," Harry replied shortly.

"You wield that dark magic as well as any Dark Lord," Voldemort laughed coldly. "You could be a asset to my cause."

Harry laughed back.

"You think I would join you in your campaign against muggles and muggleborns?" Harry hissed.

"Yes," Voldemort hissed. "Dark power, pulls dark power."

Harry laughed in the man's face and raised his wand. Dark magic rushed out of him toward the Dark Lord. Voldemort flicked his wand at the spell but Harry hadn't aiming for the man but the tree behind him.

CRACK!

The Dark Lord twisted around just as the tree behind him exploded, sending shards of wood flying. Harry used the distraction to duck and run. He had to make it to the edge of the wards before he could disapparate. A cry sounded from behind him and Harry dived behind a gravestone and covered his head as stone went flying around him. The stone dust coating him and making him swear as he pulled more dark power to his hands. He quickly let the magic run over him in a shield.

"You can't run from me!" Voldemort screamed.

Harry pushed his magic into the ground and with a wench he pulled. The earth cracked and split as it raced back towards the Dark Lord. The man yelled out but it was too late. He fell and Harry ran as fast as his leg would allow him. He was mere meters away from the edge of the wards when he felt the magic build behind him. He knew what was coming.

With a shout, Harry brought up the strongest shield charm he could master on the fly and the Dark Lord's magic slammed in to it. The clashing of magic pushing Harry back across the ground but he managed to hold his feet as the other man poured magic into his spell. Harry gritted his teeth and held on to his dark wand with two hands as he slowly and painfully kept stepping back. His bad leg threatening to collapse under him with every step. He was too old to be tangling with Dark Lords head on.

' _Just a couple of steps to go,'_ Harry thought as he held his wand.

"You can't hold that spell forever," Voldemort hissed, his magic bitting into his barrier charm.

"You're right," Harry gasped. "But I don't have to."

Harry grinned and took another step back.

"I only have to get to the edge of your wards."

"NO!"

Voldemort's scream followed Harry as he disaparated. His magic swirling around him as he disappeared.

xXx

Harry stumbled to his knees as he landed with the world spinning around him making him feel sick. The last of the dark magic he'd gathered rolling off him harmlessly and into the earth under his hands as he panted. The world still spun and he just couldn't hold his stomach. He threw up everything he'd eaten and kept throwing up until it was only bile.

"Blake!"

The yell made his head ache as he moved away from the sick on the ground. He sat back on his heels as he rested his hand on his thighs with his head bowed. He opened his eyes to find Headmaster Dumbledore and Severus Snape looking down at him.

"Hey," Harry said weakly. "Mind giving me a hand up?"

Severus jumped forward on his bad side and got under his arm. Harry hissed at the pain in his side but didn't say anything.

"What happened, my boy?" Albus asked. "Ry came back saying that Voldemort had risen?"

"Yes," Harry replied shortly, leaning heavily into Severus.

His head pounded and he wasn't sure if he was going to be sick again. He turned his head away from Severus just in case. He could feel how tense Severus was under his arm but he was having enough trouble trying to stay on his feet.

"Is Ry okay?" Harry asked.

"Yes, he's fine." Albus reassured him. "Both Cedric Diggory and Mr Potter made it back safely. We had a little trouble with Alastor Moody but it was all worked out."

Harry nodded and stumbled into Severus, who grunted until Harry felt another person get under his other arm. He let the men take his weight and just focused on moving one foot in front of the other as the two men softly spoke between each other.

"What could have-"

"-dark magic-"

"-yes, it's all over him-"

"How could-"

"-Dark Lord-"

Harry jolted at those words, more awake.

"Dark Lord?" Harry questioned.

"Voldemort," Albus cleared up. "You still have dark magic clinging to you."

"Oh, yeah." Harry said softly. "He used a Dark Ritual, there was a Death Eater there. Lucius Malfoy, I think, he was there to back up Pettigrew. I tapped into the Dark Ritual and pulled some of the dark magic off to use against Malfoy."

He felt Albus nod. "That's very advanced, not to mention very dangerous."

"The things you do when your life is in danger," Harry laughed humourlessly. "Don't think Malfoy will be walking too great for a while."

Harry looked up when they reached the castle stairs. Everything was so quiet around them and he frowned.

"Why is it so quiet?" Harry asked.

"After Ry came back, I sent all the students to their common rooms and the other schools back to their rooms." Albus explained.

"Oh," Harry said dumbly. "Where are we going?"

"Hospital wing," Severus said shortly.

"Why?"

"Because you are leaving a trail of blood in the hallway, Mr Sun."

Harry looked down at his side. "Oh, yeah."

Now that he thought about it, his side started to throb and he noticed the blood running down his leg. Harry fell silent again as they moved towards the hospital wing.

"Dad!"

Harry's head shot up and the world spun around him. Suddenly Ry was before him and peering up at him in concern.

"Dad, are you okay?" Ry questioned quickly.

"Out of the way, Potter." Severus snapped.

Ry danced to the side to let the two men move Harry to one of the beds.

"Are you okay, Ry?" Harry asked as the two men eased him down onto the side of the bed.

"Yeah, Dad." Ry said softly, his eyes wide. "The Cup took me back, you were amazing! I've never seen anything like it before!"

Harry smiled for his son. "Thank you, Ry."

"Maybe you should get back to your bed, Mr Potter." Albus suggested gently.

"Okay, Professor Dumbledore." Ry agreed, subdued. "I'll see you in the morning Dad."

Harry nodded as Ry moved off and Madam Pomfrey bustled over with a frown on her face.

"Mr Sun, don't tell me that I'll have to make you up a bed next to your son's." Madam Pomfrey stated.

"I don't think that will be necessary," Harry replied.

He pulled his jacket off and passed it to Severus, before working on his shirt. Madam Pomfrey stepped forward to give him a hand. Once his shirt was off, they could see the long cut from the bottom his ribs on the right side to the left hand side of his hip. Madam Pomfrey placed the tip of her wand at the top of the cut and slowly ran it down the cut, muttering the healing charms under her breath as she worked.

Harry caught Albus eyeing off the scars on his back and arms out of the corner of his eye but he ignored it. He couldn't deal with that conversation at the moment.

"Are you in pain?" Pomfrey asked as she worked.

"I'm fine," Harry replied automatically and Severus snorted. "Could do with a glass of water though."

"Albus?" Pomfrey asked, as she ran her wand over Harry checking for more injuries as her magic soaked into the cut.

"Of course, my dear." Albus replied leaving the room to get the glass of water.

It was then that Harry noticed the black dog peering around the door of Ry's room. Harry nodded at the dog while Severus glared at it. Albus must have called the Animagus.

"Everything else seems to be in order," Pomfrey said, lowering her wand. "Take it easy on the magic for a little while and just take it easy for the next few weeks and you should be fine."

"Can you tell that to Ry?" Harry asked her with a smile.

Pomfrey glared at him and placed a bandage over the cut across his stomach before moving off into her office. Albus returned with the water as Black moved into the room.

"Poppy is going to give Mr Potter a potion to help him sleep," Albus told him as he passed the water over.

"Thank you," Harry replied.

"You will want this, Mr Sun." Poppy commented as she held out a cane that she'd picked up from her office. She looked down her nose at the dog but said nothing. "If that is all, I will head to bed, Headmaster?"

"Yes, thank you my dear." Albus said with a smile.

Pomfrey nodded and made her way out of the hospital wing.

"I thought she would never leave," Black cried, once he was human.

"Impatient as always, Black." Severus snarled

"Shove it, Snape!"

"You only wish, Black."

Harry turned to Albus as the two bickered.

"Have they always been like this?" Harry asked.

Albus smiled down at him. "Much like Mr Potter and Mr Malfoy."

Harry snorted loudly and the two men stopped bickering to look at him.

"Okay," Harry said as he slid to the edge of the bed and got his cane on the floor.

"Where do you think you're going?" Severus asked silkily.

"A shower," Harry replied, looking down at the blood on his hands and the stone dust on his arms and in his hair. "Either give me a hand or disappear somewhere else. So that when I land on my ass, I don't have witnesses."

Albus laughed and clapped Harry on the shoulder and made his way out.

"I'll talk to you tomorrow, Blake." Albus called over his shoulder.

Severus moved to his side and both men looked at Black. Sirius looked at his feet for a second before he looked at Harry.

"Thank you," Black whispered then transformed and tottered off to Ry's room.

Harry looked up at Severus and the man grinned down at him.

"I guess you're going to be my crutch," Harry grinned.

Severus just sighed and helped him to the bathroom.

"What have I got myself into," Severus muttered.

Harry just snorted.

End of Part One.

Author's note: Okay, this is when everything changes. This part of the story was more about setting up events. Voldemort has returned, which had to happen because you can't fight against a disembodied spirit of a Dark Lord. Some events were always going to happen and will continue to happen but the impact of Blake Sun being alive in this time will start to change events completely.


	5. Chapter 5

Step Back in Time. Part Two.

"Dad!"

The spell Harry had been working on shattered as his son's call broke through his concentration. He sighed as he carefully channelled the magic into the ground. Ry skittered into his office then pulled to a stop suddenly. Harry still had his wand raised and he was sure that he would be having 'that talk' with his son again.

"Oops," Ry said sheepishly. "Sorry, Dad."

Harry sighed and lowered his wand.

"What is it, Ry?" Harry asked and the boy held up a piece of paper.

"Sirius just sent me a letter. He wants me to come to his house for a couple of weeks before I start school." Ry said in a rush. "Hermione and Ron are going to be there as well!"

Harry frowned, reading through the letter until he reached the bit at the bottom.

' _The Headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix may be found at Number twelve, Grimmauld place, London._

 _You are welcome to come as well Sun._

 _Yours,_

 _Sirius Black'_

"Please?" Ry pleaded with big eyes.

"Very well," Harry conceded. "But I will be dropping you off and making it very clear to Black that he will be responsible for you and no flying cars, understand?"

"When will you drop that?" Ry sulked.

"When you learn your lesson about running into things without thinking," Harry replied with a wink. "So probably for a long time."

"Dad!" Ry whined.

"Go pack your bag," Harry said with a smile.

"Thanks, Dad," Ry cried, giving Harry a quick hug before dashing back out of the room.

Harry picked up his phone and dialled a familiar number

"Yes?" Severus answered on the fourth ring.

"So, Order of the Phoenix?" Harry asked with a smirk.

Harry was amused to hear silence on the other end of the phone.

xXx

Harry pulled Ry's backpack further up onto his shoulder as they got off the bus and headed down the street towards number 12 Grimmauld Place. Harry watched Ry carefully at the same time as keeping an eye out on the streets and his mind open to any magic around him. London wasn't as safe now as it had been six months ago.

"Ron said that there has been lots of people coming and going from the house," Ry commented as looked over his shoulder at his father.

"I spoke to Severus and he said that the Order of the Phoenix was some group that was formed a long time ago to work against Dark Lords," Harry added quietly.

"Really?" Ry pipped up, slowing down to walk beside his father on the busy street.

"He said he couldn't tell me anymore than that," Harry replied.

"Formed to fight against Voldemort?"

Harry winced at the use of the man's name but for a very different reason than most people. He would have to sit his son down and explain again why the man's name should not be spoken.

"Before this Dark Lord," Harry replied.

Ry stopped and Harry had to give him a soft push to keep him going.

"You mean there have been more?" Ry asked.

"Of course," Harry scoffed with a laugh. "I think I need to get you a history book."

Ry groaned, "You sound like Hermione; 'In Hogwarts a history…'"

"Hey." Harry cried and swatted Ry's shoulder. "Remember that you are in some of those history books."

Ry ducked his head and muttered, "Don't remind me!"

Harry laughed and stopped out the front of number ten and fourteen as the muggles flowed around them. Harry and Ry moved closer to the divide of the two houses and Harry looked the spell work over as Ry glanced around with a frown.

"Where is it?" Ry asked.

Harry laughed and stepped closer, until he stood on the front step of number twelve. He looked back at his son and could see the boy trying to focus on where he stood. He was sure that Ry knew he was there but couldn't see him. He let him try to work it out before taking pity.

"Focus on the number twelve." Harry suggested with a smirk.

Suddenly Ry's eyes got large and he quickly stepped up next to his father as another house appeared in front of him. Ry was used to Harry's type of warding not this kind of magic. Harry added it to the list of items that he needed to teach him.

"Wow," Ry whispered then went to step back down to the street but Harry grabbed his arm.

"We can look at this kind of magic at a later time," Harry muttered in answer and Ry gave him a grin.

Harry knocked on the door loudly and waited, he could hear yelling and a bang behind the door until it was pulled open sharply. A kindly red headed woman answered the door looking harassed, her hair having escaped the bun at the back of her head and had curled around her face. She still gave them a huge grin.

"Ry, Blake!" Mrs Weasley exclaimed and grabbed both Potters in a big hug as she pulled them into the house. "So good to see you both!"

"Nice to see you again, Molly." Harry replied, as Ry just stood slack jawed in the entrance. "Are you getting enough rest?"

"I'm fine, my dear." Molly huffed and patted his shoulder.

Harry looked the woman over in concern. She looked thinner and stressed but her smile still touched her eyes as she smiled at him.

"I'm sorry, Ry but dinner is going to be a bit late tonight." Molly continued. "Why don't you run upstairs and see Ron and Hermione?"

Ry nodded and went to run off.

"Ry!" Harry called after him, holding out the boy's backpack.

Ry grinned sheepishly, dashed back and grabbed his bag before running out of the room.

"Blake, follow me." Molly offered with a smile. "Severus is already here."

Harry grinned and walked with Molly down the hall.

"MORE BLOOD TRAITORS!"

Harry looked down his nose at the portrait of Mrs Black.

"Ignore her," Molly whispered as she moved passed the portrait.

"YOU WILL GET YOURS!" Mrs Black yelled. "THE DARK LORD WILL KILL YOU ALL!"

Harry stopped in front of the portrait and pulled his dark wand.

"YOU JUST TRY IT BOY! FILTHY HALF BLOOD!"

"Just ignore her, Blake," Molly tried again.

Harry grinned and held his dark wand up with his fingertips at either end of it. Mrs Black's eyes widened slightly as she looked at the wand. Harry slowly moved the wand to place the tip of it on the frame. Harry let his dark magic run across the wand and into the frame. The woman yelped and fled leaving the frame empty.

Molly gasped beside him. "What did you do?"

"Just a little dark magic," Harry replied, replacing his wand. "She'll be back but it should give us some peace for a while."

"But dark magic?" Molly gasped.

Harry turned to Molly in surprise then remembered what people were like in this time and just grinned.

"No harm done, Molly." Harry said softly. "How about a cup of tea?"

That had the woman bustling off towards the kitchen and Harry smiled after her fondly. He moved through into the dining area to see Severus sitting at the table. The man looked him over as he entered the room and Harry gave him a grin.

"Severus," Harry greeted, taking a seat next to the man. "Fancy meeting you here?"

"Blake," Severus nodded, looking around at the other people in the room.

Remus Lupin nodded in greeting as he spoke to a small woman with pink hair in the corner of the room while a man dressed in a pile of rags slept in the other corner. Moody glared at him, his magical eye focused on him and Harry gave him a wink. Moody's expression twisted up in distaste as his real eye glared at him. He was sure that he'd felt his use of dark magic as Harry glanced at the other people in the room.

"So what's with all the people?" Harry asked as Molly placed a tea tray down and he gave her a smile.

"The Headmaster has called a meeting," Severus remarked mildly.

"Meeting?"

"Of the Order of the Phoenix," Severus cleared up.

"Don't tell the boy that!" Moody growled as he moved over. "He's not a member!"

Severus glared at the older man.

"If he is here. He is trusted." Severus sneered silkily.

"Bah," Moody cried, thumping his cane on the floor. "He is a Dark Wizard!"

Harry sat back in his seat, it had been a long time since he'd been called that as a slur. Severus stood from his seat as Remus and Tonks focused on the drama, the werewolf moving closer.

"He's here at my invitation, Alastor." Dumbledore said calmly as he moved into the room with Sirius Black on his heels.

"He is dark and will betray us!" Moody hissed, his magical eye focused completely on Harry.

Harry stood up slowly, his eyes never leaving the ex-Auror.

"I can see when I'm not wanted." Harry said blandly.

"No," Sirius stated, holding out a hand to stop him. "This is my house. You are welcome here, even if I don't like you."

"Thanks," Harry replied dryly. "That's very encouraging."

"Hey, I let Snape in here." Sirius remarked, with a glare at the other man.

"Gentlemen," Albus called calmly. "We are all working towards the same goal here."

"And what is that goal, Albus?" Harry asked as he stood up straight with his cane at his side.

"To remove Voldemort," Albus stated blandly.

Harry and Severus flinched at the name.

"See!" Moody cried. "Can't even bare to hear the man's name!"

Harry sneered at Moody but said nothing more for a couple of minutes. He could feel the tension in the room.

"I'll be leaving now," Harry stated.

"You won't stay for the meeting, Blake?" Albus questioned.

Harry looked the Headmaster in the eye.

"No." Harry replied flatly.

"See!" Moody grumbled. "He can't be trusted!"

Even Severus was eyeing him off which made Harry stand up straighter as he looked Albus in the eye.

"I have been tortured for information before," Harry intoned softly, silencing the room. "I'm not inclined to repeat the experience."

Harry left the room to silence, his hand shaking slightly. It wasn't until he reached the front door that Severus caught up to him. The other man grabbed his arm and pulled him to a stop.

"Blake?" Severus asked softly.

Harry turned back but wouldn't look at the other man. Severus's hand grabbed his shoulder and Harry turned his head to look the man in the eye.

"Are you okay?" Severus asked as he released him.

"Yes," Harry replied stepping back, giving himself some space.

"The Headmaster apologises for Moody," Severus stated softly.

"It's not him," Harry muttered with a sigh. "I've been called many things over the years. I just can't do this again."

Severus pulled his robe together, folded his arms over his chest and looked down his nose at him. Harry sighed and looked away, unable to look into the man's dark eyes. This was a part of his life that he'd buried and he felt that now that Voldemort was back. That it was pulling up images of a war that he'd fought a long time ago. A time that he had tried to bury deep in his memory and yet now was forced to uncover.

"I was held for months," Harry whispered, taking of the torture he'd suffered. "They knew I had information that they wanted. The information was about a mission that was being held two weeks after I was taken. I knew that the group I was protecting didn't know I had been taken. If I broke they would have all be killed…"

Harry didn't know his hand was shaking until Severus grabbed it.

"I can't go through that again," Harry whispered. "I don't think I would be able to…"

"Did you break?" Severus asked softly, black eyes filled with concern.

"No," Harry replied, remembering the pain and the screaming that never stopped. "By the time they got to me I was half dead."

Severus's hand clenched around his own.

"They were amazed I recovered as well as I did," Harry said softly, voice wavering slightly. "I was retried from active duty six months later, best thing that ever happened."

"Is that when you moved into curse breaking?" Severus asked, his voice flowing over him.

Harry nodded sharply.

"I don't mind helping against the Dark Lord," Harry commented, after a couple of minutes of silence. "But I don't want to be part of any planning."

"I'll pass that on to the Headmaster," Severus replied.

Suddenly Severus pulled Harry into a hug. Harry fell into his arms and took in the comfort the other man was offering without complaint. Unsure at the move but he would take it.

"I have no doubt that I will be pulled into this war," Harry whispered into Severus's shoulder. "Harry Potter being my son and all that."

"We'll keep him safe," Severus muttered, pulling back from the man.

"Thank you."

Harry gave him a thin smile.

"That's all we can do." Harry stated. "I would never fully be trusted being a Dark Wizard anyway."

"Try being a former Death Eater," Severus uttered and they shared a smirk.

Suddenly Harry laughed dryly and grinned at the younger man.

"What a couple we make."

xXx

Severus looked at the peeling paint of the wooden door long after Blake had left. He could still see Blake's hollow green eyes, looking through him, as he remembered the torture that he'd endured. He had never thought of the man as broken but at that moment he had considered it. He had seen the scaring but that was nothing compared to listening to the man talk about it.

"Did Blake leave?"

Severus looked over his shoulder to see the Headmaster looking at him calmly.

"Yes," Severus replied softly, feeling slightly hollow.

"Is he okay?" Albus asked moving closer.

"I think so," Severus replied. "He won't be joining us. He said he would help but won't be part of any planning."

"That man is older than he says he is," Albus remarked.

"What do you mean?"

"What he can do with his magic. That is only something you learn from many years of study," Albus replied. "I believe he may be older than me, Severus."

"What?" Severus asked shocked. "But he only looks to be in his late forties."

Albus smiled and gave Severus a wink.

"Looks can be deceiving, my boy." Albus said softly "I have yet to find the man's birth certificate or what he was doing before he arrived in England to claim Mr Potter."

"He mentioned living in Germany and working in France."

"Yes, I have found contracts that he's had in those countries and many more but they don't date back far, but that might just be a filing problem." Albus admitted with a chuckle. "I would have liked for him to have joined the Order. His skills would have been very useful."

Severus shook his head. "I don't think he will."

"In that case, his assistance will be greatly received."

With that the two men moved back towards where everyone else was waiting.

xXx

"Blake Sun," Harry answered the phone on the third ring.

"Blake!" Bill's voice floated down the phone line. "How are you?"

"Very well and you?" Harry asked as he poured hot water into the mug of coffee.

"Yeah, very well." Bill answered, "I have a favour to ask?"

"What's that?"

"We found a trunk that we can't open," Bill explained. "I was wondering if you have any time to look it over?"

"For Gringotts?"

"Yeah, they said that they are happy with the standard fee as long as it's opened before the end of the day." Bill laughed, "And when I say happy…"

"Oh yes, I bet they are happy with that." Harry remarked in amusement. "Are you in London?"

"Yeah, are you able to look at it?"

"No problems," Harry replied. "Give me an hour?"

"Prefect, see you then!"

xXx

Harry stepped off the bus with a sigh. The sneering jeers of the teenage boys, that he'd so wanted to hex, still ringing in his ears. He put that behind him as he moved towards the Leaky Cauldron and through into Diagon Alley. The shopping area was busier than normal due to school starting up soon and Harry was glad that they did owl ordering for the school supplies now.

He took his time as he made his way up the stairs of the Gringotts building and into the main part of the bank. The goblin on the door looked him over before sneering at him. Harry quirked his lips and the goblin's expression changed to amusement.

"Grinhook is waiting for you in room four," The goblin stated, then nodded at the next wizard to enter the bank.

Harry moved passed the creature and behind the counter. A couple of wizards and witches looked over to him in interest but he ignored them as he made his way further into the bank. A couple of goblins looked him over but they were familiar with him by now. He made his way to room four and knocked on the wooden door.

"Enter."

Harry entered the room to find Bill and Grinhook waiting for him.

"Blake, welcome." Bill cried as he stepped forward to pull him into a hug. "You're looking well."

"As are you," Harry replied, giving the other man a grin. "I think you should take your mother out to lunch though."

Bill gave him a look which Harry just gave him a wink in reply.

"About time you got here, Sun." Grinhook snapped.

"Nice to see you again, Grinhook." Harry greeted with a smile. "You have something good for me?"

"The Weasley says he can't open it," Grinhook grumbled with a smirk in Bill's direction. "Standard pricing, Sun."

Harry looked down his nose at the goblin and raised an eyebrow.

"Is that so. I think I will see what's in this trunk first before I set a price." Harry stated.

"No deal!"

"In that case," Harry announced as he turned towards the door. "I'll be off then, plenty of shopping to do."

"Stop."

Harry let his hand rest on the doorknob without turning it.

"Very well," The goblin stated from behind him. "Once the trunk is open, we'll work out a price."

"Fee or the trunk," Harry countered as he turned back.

"No, fee only."

"In that case, if the contents are worth more than my standard fee then we'll work out the difference."

The goblin sneered before he held out a clawed hand. "Deal."

Harry took the creature's hand in his and they shook. Harry looked up to see Bill smirking at him.

"The Weasley will show you the trunk," Grinhook stated. "Call me when it's open…before the end of business today, Sun."

"Of course," Harry replied.

Bill laughed softly once they were out of the room.

"You know how to deal with them!" Bill laughed.

"Only way to do business." Harry said with a smirk. "Veelas are worse."

Bill's eyes got glassy at the word veela and Harry's smirk widened.

"I bet." Bill said with a stupid grin on his face.

The two men moved down to room twelve where a large leather trunk sat in the middle of the room with a protection circle around it. It was made from smooth black leather with silver trim and no lock Harry could see. He looked it over with interest, feeling the time magic around it.

"Lost and Found?" Harry asked as they moved into the room.

"How could you tell?" Bill asked.

'Lost and found' was the name they gave items that fell out of nowhere, sometimes through cracks in time or they just appeared on streets or other places. They were held by Gringotts and reported to the Ministry, if no one claimed them or if the Ministry didn't want them. They were handed over to Gringotts to process.

"Has that feel about it," Harry replied. "I would say a time crack. Nothing dark about it, how come you couldn't open it?"

"It rebounds anything we throw at it." Bill commented with a shrug.

"I don't see a rebounding spell on it." Harry remarked with a frown.

"Really?"

"Yeah," Harry agreed.

He stepped into the circle and pulled the charm up behind him. He looked closely at the trunk but couldn't see anything that would attack him. There no darkness clinging to it and only a wisp of time magic. He pulled out his cherry wand and placed it on the lid of the box.

" _Revelare_ ," Harry whispered, only using a small amount of magic.

The box took the magic into the leather which spread out across the box running over the edges and making the trim glow light blue as the spell worked into it. It was just a standard leather box, made about twenty years ago, right here in London by a very good maker. He gently ran his magic along the seam and let it leak into the small gap.

His magic found the lock and he gently nudged his magic along the latch, pushing on it slightly. With a soft click a keyhole appeared on the front of the box. Harry pulled a silver key from his pocket and placed his wand against it.

" _Fingunt_ ," Harry softly muttered.

The silver key in his hand slowly moulded to the shape that Harry wanted. He waited while the key worked out its shape and when he knew it was ready he stopped the spell. He reached forward and placed the key into the lock and turned. He opened the lid of the box and looked into it. Glass vials of potion ingredients glinted up at him. Harry broke the protection charm behind him as Bill moved closer.

Harry turned to the other man with a grin. Bill looked him and the trunk over with an odd look in his eyes.

"Tell Grinhook, that the trunk is open and I'll take it as payment." Harry told him in amusement.

"Really?" The man asked in surprise.

"Yep, I know someone that will find a use for it."

xXx

"Dad!"

Harry braced himself as Ry ran into his arms. He laughed and ruffled the boy's hair. He was almost as tall as him now and Harry was sure that given a couple of more years he would be a good head taller. He was still skinny but it was a good kind of skinny not the showing your ribs kind that Harry had been at his age.

"You made it!" Ry cried, stepping back.

"Of course," Harry scoffed. "I had to see my son off on the train, even if I will be seeing you at the feast tonight."

"I had so much fun at Sirius's house, but it was so creepy!" Ry said in a rush. "And there was a portrait of his mother that kept screaming at us and then Mrs Weasley was yelling back at her saying that you would be back to curse her!"

Harry laughed as the words tumbled out of the boy's mouth as they walked towards the train. Harry nodded over at the Weasley family and ignored the glare he got from Lucius Malfoy.

"Oh, there's Hermione!" Ry cried, looking over at his brown-haired friend. "I'll see you at the feast Dad."

"Off you go." Harry encouraged as he gave his son a pat on the shoulder before he dashed off towards Hermione.

"So, Mr Sun."

Harry turned to see Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy standing behind him. Both sets of pale eyes looking him over.

"Mr and Mrs Malfoy," Harry greeted with a smile. "How can I help you?"

"My son wishes to continue the extra lessons you are offering." Lucius stated blandly, his own silver and black cane at his side.

"I'm happy to hear that," Harry said with a smile. "He's a very talented boy. He puts a lot of work into his spell and charm work."

"He's a Malfoy before anything else, Sun." Lucius hissed, shaking his cane at him. "Remember that!"

Lucius turned on his heel with Narcissa giving Harry one last look before turning to follow her husband. Harry looked after the two blondes, slightly confused.

"Okay," Harry said slowly to no one. "That was odd."

xXx

Harry snuck into the Great hall as the sorting hat started its song and took his place at the Head Table next to Severus. Dumbledore and a couple of other teachers smiled or nodded at him. They were used to the way Harry would arrive in the hall by now. The woman in pink next to Dumbledore gave him a frown but Harry turned away and leaned in towards Severus.

"I left a trunk in your rooms," Harry whispered.

Severus raised an eyebrow in question.

"I got it from Gringotts-" Harry answered the silent question.

"Hem, hem."

Harry ignored Umbridge.

"-You'll like what's in it but I want the trunk when you're done-"

"Hem, hem."

"-The key is sitting on top of it." Harry finished, sitting back in his seat as he focused back on the sorting.

"Hem, hem."

Harry turned to the short woman in pink.

"Can I help you? Because I'm trying to watch the sorting." Harry questioned sweetly.

Severus snorted next to him as Umbridge looked down her nose at him.

"You are late," The woman stated. "According to the founders all teachers must be seated before the start of the sorting."

"Oh, it's a good thing that I'm not a teacher then," Harry replied and looked back at the sorting as Severus snorted. "Now I'm trying to watch the sorting."

"Hem, hem."

"Yes?" Harry asked.

"If you are not a teacher, you are not permitted to sit at the Head Table." The woman stated.

"Blake is here under contract, Dolores." Dumbledore explained, with a smile.

Umbridge snorted and put her nose up in the air. Harry could see what was coming.

"No problems," Harry replied as he stood up. "I'll go sit with my son then. I'm sure I can embarrass him enough that he'll disown me by the end of the feast."

Severus snorted loudly as Harry walked down the middle of the hall. His cane clipping against the stones with his steps, while the sorting was happening. He plonked himself down between Hermione and Lavender Brown and smiled back at Umbridge.

"If you are done, Mr Sun?" Professor McGonagall called from the front of the hall, where she had been calling out first year students' names from the scroll in her hand.

"Yes, Professor." Harry called back to the snickers of a few students. "Carry on."

Harry turned to the Gryffindors around him.

"Comfy seats these." Harry said with a grin. "Could do with a little more padding though."

Ry's head hit the table with a thump, his face red in embarrassment as Harry looked around at the students. He winked up at Umbridge as Severus smirked at him.

xXx

"You are going to pay for that stunt," Severus smirked as they walked out of the Great Hall together, Ry having fled as soon as the feast was over.

"I have no doubt," Harry grinned. "In fact, I'm looking forward to it. She can't remove me from this school, while I have a contract in place."

"She could go to the Ministry," Severus stated.

Harry smirked this time, making Severus shiver.

"She can try but the contract is with the Ministry as well," Harry explained

Severus stopped in the hallway with students flowing around them. Harry stopped and looked back at the man with a smirk.

"How did you manage that?" Severus asked.

Harry just grinned and held his arms out to his sides.

"I'm Blake Sun." Harry replied with a smirk and a few students giggled.

Severus just laughed and they moved off as the students around them just stared after Snape. Harry stepped forward when they reached Severus's rooms and opened the door with a flourish. He flung his arm inward to show the other man the black and silver trunk.

"Ta da," Harry announced.

"Really?" Severus asked dryly.

"Now," Harry stated as he limped towards the trunk. "I haven't looked through the contents too closely, but there are no nasties on the trunk itself…"

Harry opened the lid and let Severus peer inside, his dark eyes lighting up.

"I think there might be some books at the bottom of the trunk," Harry explained, stepping back. "And I'm not sure if they had any nasties inside the trunk, but there is no dark magic about the thing, so should be okay. It was a 'Lost and Found'-"

"Lost and Found?" Severus cut in.

"Oh, ah." Harry stumbled over his words. "Sorry, a 'Lost and found' is an object that is found and they have no idea where it came from. This one is from a time gap."

"Time gap?"

"Ah," Harry stuttered as he rubbed his neck. "I haven't explained time rips and gaps before?"

Severus straightened up as he pulled his robe tight around his form. He crossed his arms over his chest and looked down his nose at the shorter man. Harry smirked at the 'professor' stance.

"Oops," Harry smiled, feeling a bit like Ry at that moment. "Really?"

Severus raised an eyebrow in answer. Harry ran a hand over his short hair.

"I'm not a very good teacher," Harry said with a laugh. "Am I?"

"Evidently," Severus replied blandly. "Care to explain, Mr Sun?"

Harry rubbed his hand over his hair one more time with a lopsided grin.

"So, Mr Snape." Harry said as he slipped into teaching mode. "Time gaps or rips are made when two times touch where either a large magic explosion has disrupted the natural time flow or when a decision was made that split time. There are many other theories about how time rips or gaps are made. A 'Lost and Found' item can also be found when a wizard casts a spell to dismiss an object and it falls through a gap.

"When an object is found and is handed into the Ministry, it is held for a period of time and if the Ministry doesn't want it, it gets sent to Gringotts. Gringotts when they can't open said object calls in a handsome dark-haired man to break the charms on the trunk to find out what's inside." Harry finished with a grin.

"So, how did you come to get it then?" Severus asked dryly, with a smirk.

"Ha, ha." Harry replied as he rolled his eyes. "I gave them an option of a fee or the trunk. I took the trunk since they have no need for potion ingredients. Bill Weasley found the whole thing quite amusing."

"Smart boy that one," Severus muttered. "For a Weasley."

"Fred and George aren't too bad either," Harry added. "Won't have them in my classes but they do have the intelligence to get in."

"Lucky you," Severus remarked dryly. "I've lost count of the amount of cauldrons I've lost to those two."

"More than Neville Longbottom?"

Severus just shivered in answer, making Harry bark a laugh.

"So," Harry stated, turning back to the trunk. "This trunk is from a time gap, I would say maybe twenty years or so in the future."

Severus looked at the trunk in renewed interest. "How can you tell?"

Harry grinned. "I could explain but I think that's a lesson for next time, Mr Snape."

xXx

Harry and Severus were walking back towards Harry's rooms after having dinner in Hogsmeade when it happened. Luck being on Harry's side for a change, the hallway was deserted. Ry, however, wasn't as lucky as he was in the middle of the Gryffindor common room.

Harry stopped in the middle of the hallway and frowned.

"Blake?" Severus asked, turning back to him.

"Something isn't right," Harry muttered as he tried to work out what that wrongness was.

That's when the pain hit him.

"Blake!"

Harry dropped to his knees as his cane skittering across the floor. He landed hard on the stones of the hallway. Pain coursing across his whole body as he tried to focus his mind on where it was coming from. He could feel Severus's hands on his shoulders but the pain was building. He found himself flat on his back as he located the link to Ry, Voldemort was attacking Ry through the curse scar and the connection he had with the boy.

Harry cried out as the pain spiked across his head and he lost the link for a second. His mind greyed out and he went limp, tremors running down his spine.

"Blake!"

Harry started as Severus gave him a hard shake and groaned as the pain came rushing back. He had to follow the link. He pulled his mind together as much as he could.

"Ry," Harry gasped, his eyesight tinged in red.

"What's going on?" Severus asked.

"Follow link," Harry muttered, he wasn't sure he was making sense as he cast his mind out.

The pain increased as he followed the link towards Ry through the bracelet and he was sure he was screaming. He found the boy's mind and cut the link between the Dark Lord and Ry while temporary attaching it to himself. His mind screamed as he took the cursed link and he almost lost himself for a second but Severus grip on his shoulder pulled him back. He focused his mind on the link with Voldemort, pinning it down in the back of his mind then grinned.

" _Avada Kedavra_ ," Harry hissed, the green spell sped across the link.

Before Voldemort could pull back his own attack, Harry's spell hit the man and the link broke harshly. Harry went completely limp.

"Blake!"

"Dad!"

Harry just laid there as he tried to breath. His body trembling from the pain curse. He slowly opened his eyes, he could just make out Severus seated next to him with his hand on his shoulder. Ry knelt beside the Professor as he held Harry's ahnd. He blinked a couple of times to try to get the blood out of his eyes and noticed the blood on Ry's forehead from the curse scar.

"Dad," Ry whispered. "Are you okay?"

"Been better," Harry muttered and closed his eyes again.

He drifted slightly after that, he remembered hearing Dumbledore and being lifted and the pain, before a floating sensation overcame him. The next time he was aware, he was lying on his bed with Ry curled up on the other side of the bed and Severus sitting in a chair next to him asleep. Harry reached over and grabbed his hand and the man started awake.

"Blake?" Severus asked, gripping his hand back. "How are you feeling?"

"Better," Harry croaked, his throat raw.

"Do you want some water?" Severus asked, going to stand.

Harry tightened his grip on his hand, stopping the younger man.

"All good," Harry whispered. "Did I hear the Headmaster?"

"Yes," Severus said blandly. "You said the killing curse."

Harry frowned.

"You don't remember?" Severus asked, leaning forward.

"Yes, but didn't realise I said it out loud," Harry replied.

Severus leaned back in his chair, relieved.

"The Headmaster spoke to Mr Potter after we moved you to your rooms." Severus explained. "He said that the Dark Lord tried to take him over and that he felt you in his mind before the Dark Lord and you were gone?"

Harry nodded tiredly.

"Yes, he attacked Ry through the link that they have through the curse scar," Harry whispered. "I used my link, through the bracelet I gave him, to break the link with the Dark Lord."

Harry closed his eyes in remembered the pain. Severus squeezed his hand making him open his eyes again.

"I grabbed the link," Harry continued, fatigue pulling at him. "He won't be trying that again for a long time."

"Did you break the link completely?" Severus asked softly as he glanced over at Ry on the other side of the bed.

"No," Harry replied, hoarsely. "Only Ry or the Dark Lord can break that link. He will have to start on mind magic though."

"Will you teach him?" Severus asked.

"I can't," Harry admitted. "I never learnt Occlumency."

"What!" Severus squeaked, then quickly looked over at Ry but he was still asleep. "But you have barriers!"

Harry nodded slowly and whispered, "Not Occlumency. Different magic."

Severus sat forward in his seat and looked Harry directly in the eyes. Harry just looked back, his eyes half closed. Harry knew what the man was looking for.

"Too long to explain," Harry whispered. "You know Occlumency?"

"Yes," Severus replied. "I'm not teaching the boy."

Harry nodded, eyes starting to close.

"Chicken," He muttered.

Severus's grip tightened on his hand.

"Smart," Severus replied.

Harry rumbled a laugh as his eyes closed completely as he fell back asleep.

xXx

Severus looked down at their joined hands and the dark-haired man on the bed.

"Could you teach me?"

Severus looked up at another pair of green eyes of the boy-who-lived and sneered.

"Please?" Potter added, as he pulled himself into a sitting position next to his father.

Severus sighed, "That would not be a good idea, Mr Potter."

The boy looked up at him with pleading green eyes, so much like Blake's and Lily Potter's eyes.

"I don't want Dad to be hurt again," Ry said softly. "I couldn't keep him out."

"And you think I could teach you to stop the Dark Lord from accessing your mind?" Severus sneered, looking down his nose at the boy.

Ry lifted his chin, very much like James Potter used to do.

"Dad said that it would help." Ry stated.

' _So, the boy had been listening to them,'_ Severus thought, he also wasn't surprised.

"Eavesdropping Potter?" Snape drawled with a smirk.

That chin came up again with a stubborn tilt and Severus sighed.

"I will teach you but only if you listen to me and do just as I ask," Severus offered with a sneer. "You will work hard on it."

"Yes, sir." Ry stated with force, before looking down at his father. "For Dad."

Severus's eyes softened when he looked back down at Blake. He could still see a bit of blood in his hair and reached forward with his other hand to touch it.

"I'll head back to my dorm room so he can sleep," Ry said softly, before sliding from the bed. "Thank you for letting me stay here until he woke up, Professor."

Severus nodded to the boy, he'd grown up a lot in such a short time but he was still very much James Potter's son. Even if he could see Blake and Lily in the boy.

Ry shut the door to Blake's room softly as he left and Severus looked back down at the man in the bed and their linked hands. He could see the soft scars on his hand and the man's arm as he ran his thumb over the slightly rough skin. The man was still very much a mystery but he knew from the few contacts that he still had that the man hadn't been in England during the first war as he had claimed. He also hadn't started to work within the country until after he took over custody of Harry Potter. Even if Blake had said as much, the spy in him still wanted to confirm that was the case.

He also knew that the man had a lot of money behind him and the file of properties to his name in the Ministry was a long one. Most of them were brought after he came to the UK but there were a few that he was in trust with due to them being Potter properties that Ry would inherent once he turned seventeen. He was interested in what other properties that he owned overseas but hadn't been able to find out. He also knew that the man spoke or at least read up to six languages and seem to have a talent at picking up new languages easily.

He did still disappear for a week to a few weeks at a time but he always let Severus knew where he was headed and would answer his phone or at least call him back when he could. Owls were a bit more hit and miss, which was odd, but at least the phone seem to work well enough. Blake didn't speak about his work, only that it was for the goblins or the Ministry, here or overseas. The Headmaster knew more since he had Blake's file from the Ministry but even he said that parts of that file were censored.

Blake mumbled in his sleep and turned towards Severus the blanket slipping down his shoulder showing more of the scaring. Severus was sure that they were whip marks but wasn't completely sure. Severus reached up and pulled the blanket up to cover the man before with a sigh he picked up his book and went back to his reading.

xXx

Harry appeared at the gates of Hogwarts with a sigh as he hitched his backpack up on his shoulder before moving towards the castle in the distance. He'd been working in Germany for the last two weeks and was happy to be back at the castle. He almost had a happy skip in his step as he limped towards the main doors. It was the middle of the day and most of the classes should still be on so the grounds were quiet but he could see a class down at the greenhouses.

He moved into the entrance hall and stopped. The wall in front of him had been covered in posters from floor to ceiling. He stepped up to the wall and looked it over.

' _Umbridge has been busy_ ,' Harry thought as he read through the posters.

He conjured up a stool and took a seat as he read through each one. Students started to leave their classes and moved around him, used to his ways by now.

"Dad?"

Harry looked over as Ron, Ry and Hermione walked over to him.

"Hey," Harry replied. "Interesting wall you have here."

Ron snorted.

"You could say that," The red head muttered.

"When did you get back?" Ry asked.

Harry picked up his bag to show Ry.

"Just now," Harry replied. "Thought I would catch up with the news."

Harry pointed at the wall.

"How was Germany, sir?" Hermione asked quietly, still a little unsure around him. "I went there two years ago with my parents for a holiday."

"Very busy, I'll have to get use to speaking English again after two weeks of just German." Harry remarked with a smile.

"Hem, hem."

The three students started and looked over to their right where Professor Umbridge stood in all her pink glory.

"Mr Sun," Umbridge stated, coming closer.

Harry looked up at the woman from his stool.

"Professor Umbridge, how nice to see you." Harry said with a smile, ignoring the snort from the two boys beside him. "How can I help you?"

"Are you back here to teach?" The woman asked, looking down her nose.

"There are a couple of students I want to catch up with but I won't be starting classes for a couple of days," Harry answered. "Nice of you to ask."

"Hem, hem." The woman replied, clearing her throat. "When you have your first class, I will be sitting in to evaluate your teaching."

"You know," Harry said slowly. "I had a nice chat with Minister Fudge the other day. You know him, yes? Minister of Magic?"

"Oh yes," Umbridge replied with a grin that showed off her very pointed teeth.

"Well I brought up my contract with him," Harry continued. "And about my contract with the Department of Mysteries. You know about that right?"

"Yes," The woman stated, looking sourer by the minute. "I have read your file, Mr Sun."

"Well the Minister was very happy with some work I did down in the Department and he gave me this," Harry announced and held out a parchment.

The woman took it with the tips of her fingers like it would bite. She unrolled it and started reading, her face getting paler by the minute to the amusement of the students watching. Harry winked at Ry before focusing back on Umbridge.

"Hem, hem," Umbridge coughed and passed the parchment back. "Um, everything looks to be in order then."

The woman turned on her heels and marched from the room with students scattering before her.

"Wow," Ron gasped. "That was brilliant!"

Harry laughed and held the parchment out to Hermione. The girl took it in her hands and unrolled it.

' _To whom it may concern,_

 _Mr Blake Sun is exempt from any High Inquisitors Degrees or examinations. Due to a contract with the Ministry of Magic and Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Section 34, paragraph 5 of the Laws of Magical Britain._

 _Yours Sincerely,_

 _Minister Cornelius Fudge_

 _Minister of magic.'_

"How did you get this, sir?" Hermione asked, passing it to Ry.

Harry smirked with a glint in his eyes.

"The Department had a little bit of a problem with Fire Throwing Slugs." Harry commented mildly as he held his fingers an inch apart. "Just a little problem."

Ry laughed. "You didn't?"

Harry grinned wider.

"Release Fire Throwing Slugs into the Department?" Harry said innocently. "No, of course not. The head of the department wouldn't have been pleased with that."

Ry laughed harder and didn't stop even when Severus plucked the letter out of the boy's hand. Hermione looked horrified, while Ron grinned along with Ry.

"I believed that lunch is being served," Severus said smoothly and tapped the parchment to Ry's head.

Ry snorted and threw a 'bye' over his shoulder at his father as they moved into the Great Hall.

"Fire Throwing Slugs?" Severus smirked, looking down at the letter.

"Nasty buggers," Harry agreed. "They breed so quick and are sneaky bastards!"

Harry got to his feet and dismissed the stool that he'd been sitting on.

"It's great to be back home," Harry admitted as he took the letter back from Severus. "Miss me?"

"Yes," Severus replied. "I've missed your dry wit."

Harry barked a laugh and bumped his shoulder against the taller man's shoulder.

"Looks like I've missed the action around here?"

Severus just smirked at him.

Harry silently cast a silencing charm around the two of them and Severus raised an eyebrow in question.

"So the Dark Lord has been moving around Germany," Harry said quietly, all humour leaving him. "Not that it's getting him anywhere. The Germans have had their hands full with a man called Graham Simpson an exile from the States making waves. He's been causing all sorts of trouble over there. Let's just say that the public relations with the States and Germany are more strained then normal."

"Why are you telling me this?" Severus drawled.

"What?" Harry exclaimed with a grin. "You think I would walk all the way up to the Headmaster's office?"

Harry held up his cane with a smirk.

"I'm a cripple remember? I can't make it up all those stairs." Harry commented with a smirk.

Severus just smirked back and had to admit to himself that he'd missed the man.

"Now," Harry continued. "Do you want the rest of my report?"

"You know you could just call the Headmaster," Severus remarked. "You have a phone and he has a phone."

Harry leaned close to the other man and flicked his eyes over to a couple of students.

"But then I wouldn't be able to start rumours around the school about having a close conversation with the most feared teacher in all of Hogwarts." Harry remarked with a wink. "Without being cursed, that is."

Severus grabbed the other man's shirt and pulled him flush with his body, their faces inches away from each other. Harry just grinned up at him and gave him another wink as the students gasped.

"Yeah," Harry announced with a grin. "That would work to."

Severus pushed the man away with a huff as Harry stood back with his cane held before him in a double grip.

"Why Professor Snape, what will the students say?" Harry squeaked with a smirk.

Severus looked down his nose at Harry, his dark eyes glinting in the lights of the hallway.

"The dunder heads can think what they want," Severus snapped.

Harry chuckled and fell into step with Severus as they moved towards Harry's rooms. The silencing charm breaking as they moved through it. Harry held his door open for Severus when they reached his rooms and the younger man slipped passed him. Harry shut the door behind them and moved towards the kitchen.

"You're older than you look," Severus drawled.

"What?" Harry yelped and twisted around in surprise.

His cane slipping slightly on the floor as he dropped his bag to the floor. He looked up at the taller man with wide eyes.

"How old are you?" Severus questioned.

"Why do you ask?" Harry countered.

"Albus mentioned that you are older than you look," Severus explained.

Harry went still, all humour gone as he stared back at Severus. The man stood straight with his dark hair framing his pale face. His dark eyes bore into Harry's green ones. Harry was at a cross roads as Severus watched him carefully.

"The Headmaster would be correct," Harry said slowly.

"Your style of magic is very different to everyone else," Severus continued.

"Correct," Harry agreed with a nod.

"You have contracts with Ministries all over the world and with different kinds of creatures."

"Where are you going with this Severus?" Harry asked softly.

"Who are you?"

"Blake Sun." Harry replied evenly with a smile.

Severus stepped forward until there was no space between them. Harry had to tilt his head back slightly to look the man in the eyes. Severus reached up a hand and cupped the other man's cheek and Harry froze. He hadn't been this close to another person in a long time. Not since after he stepped through that rip in time.

"Very old," Harry replied softly. "Too old it feels like."

Severus looked down into Harry's eyes as he brought his other hand up to cup both sides of his face.

"Severus," Harry warned.

The two men froze like that for a second before Severus closed the gap between them. Their lips touched in a light kiss before Harry pulled back. He looked away from Severus but didn't move from in front of the taller man.

"Sorry," Harry whispered.

Severus just pulled the man close in a hug. Harry tensed before wrapping his arms around Severus.

"What happened?" Severus whispered.

"When?" Harry asked.

"To stop you from being close to someone?"

Harry stepped back slightly to look the man in the eye.

"I was cursed," Harry said slowly.

Harry moved to the lounge with Severus following him. They took a seat next to each other, their legs slightly touching. Harry removed his dark wand and a ring from his finger, that Severus had never noticed before. He placed both items on the coffee table before them. Severus reached out and picked up the ring in his hand. It was black with a red stone in the middle with a triangle around the stone and a circle around the triangle.

"When I was young," Harry explained. "I picked up three artefacts, these things were never meant to meet but they did. I didn't realise anything was wrong and went on with my life. Got married and had children."

Severus raised an eyebrow at that as he placed the ring back on the table next to the man's dark wand.

"It wasn't until I looked around and noticed that everyone else was old and I wasn't that it dawned on me that something was wrong," Harry continued. "I was a bit thick back then. My children grew up and had children, then they had children and I was burying my wife and I stayed the same.

"Everything changed around me, I went from being dad, to grandad, to great grandad, then to a friend of the family." Harry recounted sadly, he could still feel the stab of hurt in his heart when he'd heard that.

Severus laid his hand on his knee, bringing him out of his memories.

"What happened then?" Severus whispered.

"I had to leave," Harry replied. "I couldn't look at my family, when all they saw was a family friend. I floated for a while, until the goblins contacted me."

"Harry Potter?" Severus asked.

"Yes," Harry agreed. "I picked him up off the doorstep of his Aunt's house. When I looked down at him all the images of my children just ran through my mind. I just couldn't leave the boy there."

They fell into silence for a while.

"Are you a Potter?" Severus asked and Harry snorted and looked at Severus in amusement.

"Oh yes!" Harry smirked. "Very much a Potter. The goblins wouldn't have been able to contact me if I wasn't. My name isn't Blake Sun, but it is a name I have gone by for a very, very long time."

"And here I was hoping you weren't a Potter," Severus replied dryly.

"Sorry to disappoint you," Harry remarked with a grin. "If you want to start a relationship with me Severus, you will have to be patient."

"You mean I haven't been already?" Severus drawled with a smirk.

Harry barked a laugh and looked the other man over as Severus placed a hand on his knee. They worked so well together and as Harry looked at Severus he could pick up the slight signs that he hadn't noticed before. He gave him a soft smile.

"I can be a bit thick sometimes," Harry commented. "Never seemed to grow out of that."

Severus just ran his hand up and down his leg a couple of times.

"I think I can work with that," Severus said silkily and Harry felt a shiver run down his back.

"And being a Potter?" Harry questioned with a wink.

"I already deal with one Potter," Severus muttered. "I'm building up a tolerance for them."

"Well, in that case." Harry retorted with a smirk. "You should know what you're getting yourself into then."

"Ha!" Severus barked. "Not with you, Blake."

Harry just gave him a grin in answer.


	6. Chapter 6

Translations kindly supplied by AverageFish.

xXx

Harry leaned against the wall of his classroom as his students arrived, excited for their first class since he'd gotten back from Germany. He watched them in amusement as they came through the doors, mostly in year groups. They seemed to gravitate towards other members of their own houses as Harry waited for everyone to arrive. His class today was a mix of all years, since the spell they would be working on was simple but took time and skill to get right.

Harry stepped away from the wall and closed the door as the last student came through. He didn't have chairs in his classroom, so the students just spread out around the room. Most of them standing clear of the bronze circle on the floor.

"Welcome everyone," Harry greeted, leaning on his cane. "We'll be working on protection circles today. Anyone already covered them?"

A couple of seventh years raised their hands.

"You can leave or stay to watch," Harry offered, they didn't move. "Okay, you would have noticed the bronze circle on the floor?"

"Yes, sir."

"Well, this is a protection circle." Harry explained. "If everyone could step within the circle please."

The students moved into the circle a little unsure. They never knew what to expect from Harry's classes. Once everyone was inside the circle, Harry stepped forward.

"Now the incantation is _Praesidio_ ," Harry intoned as he placed his wand tip to the circle closing it. "Now try to get out."

Harry stepped back and watched closely as each student stepped forward and hit the invisible wall. When one student went to pull his wand, Harry held up a hand.

"Not a good idea, Mr Wheeler." Harry purred and the fifth year student froze.

"Why is it not a good idea to use magic inside a protection circle?"

Hermione's hand shot up.

"Ms Granger?"

"It could rebound." The girl replied smugly.

"Correct, very good." Harry congratulated, wishing that he could give points.

Harry stepped forward and broke the spell and the students quickly stepped out of the circle. He gave them a smirk.

"A bronze circle, like this one, can be very hard to break through." Harry explained. "You can use different materials to make a protection circle and when working with dark magic or objects you must have a protection circle up. The stronger the better."

Hermione's hand went straight up in the air.

"Ms Granger?"

"Isn't dark magic illegal, sir?" Hermione asked.

Harry smiled, such a simple world when you are young.

"Nope," Harry said simply. "Dark arts are illegal."

"But the killing curse and Imperious…"

"Are illegal spells," Harry confirmed. "Dark magic in general is not illegal and can come in handy in many situations. 'Light' magic and 'dark' magic are just a label most of the time, but that's for another lesson."

Harry smiled as the students whispered between themselves and he could see that Hermione wanted to ask more. He encouraged discussions in some of his classes while others he had a set lesson in mind. Like today.

"Now," Harry announced as he pulled out a box of chalk. "Please take a piece of chalk and we'll get started on casting protection circles. Spread out around the room and draw a circle around yourself. You want it large enough to sit in then just place your wand tip to the chalk. Now, remember that the spell is _Praesidio,_ what you want to do is close the circle. Focus on letting your magic run around the line. Then it is a matter of bringing the charm up as a barrier around you. To break the spell just break the line of chalk and start again."

Harry stood back and watched as the students work. The upside to having advanced students was the drive to get the spells right and the intelligence to back it up. Once he had shown them how to work the spell it was just a matter of letting them work through it. The students also knew that if they acted up or didn't follow the lesson. Harry would just throw them out.

"Okay everyone," Harry called after about an hour. "Let's call it a night. Anyone that wants extra time on this, please let me know, and I'll work out a time with you. Keep the chalk. It may save your life one day. Now out."

Harry watched them file out before moving to the bench along the side of the room. He had a few potion ingredients to get ready before he could start on a new potion he was working on. He hung his cane on the edge of the table and pulled out one of his silver knives and started on the herbs.

He fell into the work of slicing and dicing. He was working on a new medical potion for restoration of muscles. He was hoping he could come up with something that would help on the wasted muscle of his leg. He'd tried many times before and failed, but he lived in hope and had time on his side.

A soft knock at the door made him look up. Draco Malfoy poked his head around the open door.

"Mr Malfoy," Harry greeted.

He turned towards the door with the knife still in his hand. He saw the boy's eyes dart to the knife then quickly look away. Harry placed it down on the bench before he focused on the boy.

"Hey, Mr Sun." Malfoy said softly. "I'm here for my lesson?"

"I thought you were working with Severus tonight?" Harry replied with a frown.

"He sent me over here," Draco explained, coming into the room and closing the door.

"Really?" Harry asked, surprised. "Oh well, you can help me with this then."

Draco came into the room and moved towards Harry, tucking his blonde hair behind his ear.

"What are you working on?" Draco asked, stepping up close to him.

"Muscle restoration potion," Harry said. "Those rabbit furs need to be skinned back to the leather. There's a knife just there on the table."

Draco picked up the knife and moved over to the rabbit skins.

"I need to keep the hairs," Harry remarked as he went back to his work. "So, try to work carefully. There's a plastic container there to catch the hair. Did Severus say why he sent you here?"

"No, sir." Draco replied. "He just said you were free and might need my help."

Harry frowned, it wasn't uncommon for Severus to send students his way but he normally let him know beforehand. Harry carefully sliced into the rabbit's liver making the slices as thin as he could as he watched the Slytherin working out of the corner of his eye. Something was going on here, he just wasn't sure what it was.

"Severus mentioned that you are working on truth potions at the moment?" Harry asked.

"Ah, yeah." Draco replied, slightly tense.

Harry tensed as he moved onto cutting up the mice tails. Draco had placed a plastic container under the skins as he worked to catch the hairs from the furs.

"I heard that you have joined Professor Umbridge's little group as well?" Harry asked.

"Um, yeah." Draco replied, looking the skins over.

"When you are done with that, there is some octopus ink that needs to be measured out to 10ml and the snake blood to 20ml." Harry instructed.

He moved closer to the boy to show him where he kept the glass measuring cups.

Suddenly the boy turned and thrust the knife at Harry. He flinched to the side but not fast enough. The knife sliced into his right side and the boy jerked his hand up slightly. Harry's hand clamped down onto the boy's wrist quickly as he looked into the boy's glassy pale eyes.

"Draco," Harry gasped.

Harry kept his hand locked around the boy's wrist as pain raced down his side. The boy had dug the knife in deep and he couldn't do anything unless Draco let the knife go, without causing more damage.

"Draco, fight it!" Harry hissed.

The boy just looked at him blankly. Harry could see blood starting to drip down onto the floor and feel himself tremble slightly from the adrenaline rush as his hand tightened on Draco's wrist. Suddenly the boy jerked the knife to the side slicing through his skin, making Harry groan. The groan seemed to do it, for the boy's eyes cleared.

Draco gasped and released the knife. Harry dropped to his knees as the knife pulled free and clattered to the floor. Harry grabbed his side tightly, feeling the warmness of his own blood as he looked at Draco.

"Mr Sun," Draco gasped in horror. "Did I…but I didn't."

"Draco," Harry hissed. "Calm down!"

"No, no, no." The boy cried and scrambled back, his face pale.

"Draco!"

The boy started then bolted from the room, leaving Harry kneeling on the floor and bleeding from the gash in his side.

"Damn it," Harry swore.

Harry pulled his phone from his pocket, his hand slightly trembling. He dialled the familiar number, spreading blood over the phone's buttons.

"Can't you walk three doors down?" Severus asked silkily over the phone.

"As a matter of fact, I can't," Harry said into the phone.

He had one hand clenched over the wound as his blood dribbled around his fingers. He leaned his head back against the wall behind him.

"What have you done now?" Severus asked, but Harry could hear him moving out of his room.

"Draco Malfoy just tried to kill me," Harry replied mildly.

Harry could hear running outside his classroom and Severus appeared in the doorway looking pale. He rushed across the room to Harry's side and fell to his knees in front of him. Harry placed his phone beside him as Severus looked him over.

"What the hell?" Severus exclaimed.

"You need to find, Draco." Harry ordered through the pain. "I think he was under the Imperius curse."

"No, we need to get you to the hospital wing," Severus said roughly, black eyes shining.

Harry grabbed Severus's shoulder.

"Find Draco, use Ry's map." Harry hissed painfully. "He could hurt himself or someone else! You need to find him!"

"I can't just leave you here, Blake!"

"You have to! Go!"

Severus stood at the command, torn between Blake and his godson. The dark-haired man looked up at him, looking pale but with steel in his eyes.

"Go," Harry insisted. "I'll call Ry to bring his map down to the dungeons so you can find him faster."

Harry dialled his son's number and cursed silently as it rang for a while before he picked up.

"Yeah, Dad?" Ry asked.

"Ry," Harry said quickly. "I need you to bring your map down to the dungeons and help Severus find Draco Malfoy."

"Why?"

"Get down here, now!" Harry snapped as the pain in his side spiked and his hand tightened on the wound.

"Yes, Dad!"

Harry hung up knowing his son would be down as quickly as he could. Harry cursed under his breath and pulled his shirt away from his side. The knife wound was rough and still leaking blood. Severus cursed under his breath and grabbed some rags and shoved them towards Harry.

"You need help!" Severus hissed.

His face close to Harry's as he worked. Harry grabbed the back of Severus's head and pulled him down for a kiss. Severus was shocked for a second before returning the kiss. Harry released him just as suddenly as he'd grabbed him.

"I'll be fine," Harry whispered. "Find Draco."

Severus looked slightly shocked for a second.

"Bloody stubborn Potters," Severus hissed.

Suddenly Ry skittered into the room, map in hand.

"Dad!" Ry cried, taking in the sight of his father and paling.

"Help Severus find Draco Malfoy." Harry said quickly.

"But Dad-"

"Go, both of you!" Harry snapped. "Before something worse happens."

Severus and Ry stared at him for a few seconds before turning to each other. Something seemed to pass between the two before they turned to the map in Ry's hand.

"I solemnly swear that I am up to no good," Ry whispered to the map with a tap of his wand.

Severus snorted as lines ran across the paper showing up the corridors of the school. Harry grinned at the look on Severus's face as he leaned his head back against the wall behind him with his hand clutched against his side.

"Look," Ry exclaimed. "There he is."

Two sets of eyes, one black and the other green turned back to Harry.

"I'm fine," Harry muttered stiffly. "Go."

"You better not bleed out on that floor," Severus grumbled, before he grabbed Ry's arm and the two set off out of the room.

Harry sighed and closed his eyes briefly before he picked up the phone again.

xXx

"Will he be okay?" Ry gasped, as the two made their way towards the dot on the map marked as 'Draco Malfoy.'

"We should hurry," Severus hissed, picking up the speed.

"What happened?"

"Mr Malfoy stabbed him."

"What!" Ry cried.

"Your father thinks that he was under the Imperius curse," Severus quickly explained.

The two skittered around the next corner to see Draco Malfoy leaning against the wall. He stood there just looking at the blood on his shaking hands.

"Draco!" Severus yelled out.

The blonde's head snapped up, they could see he'd been crying and there was blood on his face. The sight chilled Severus.

"Severus," Draco cried. "I didn't mean to. I don't know what happened!"

"Shh," Severus crooned as he pulled up next to the blonde. "It's okay. Blake thinks you were under the Imperius."

Malfoy gasped, then looked down at the blood on his shaking hands again. Severus grasped him by the shoulders and gave him a sharp shake. Draco's pale eyes focused on him.

"Is he okay?" Draco asked in a small voice.

"He sent us to find you," Severus explained.

Draco looked passed his godfather to see Potter standing next to the dark-haired man.

"I'm sorry," Draco whispered. "I didn't want to."

"Come on," Severus snapped, grabbing the boy's arm. "We have to get back to him. Potter run back to Blake."

Ry nodded and shot off down the hallway. Severus turned to Draco, the boy was very pale and the blood, Blake's blood, was swiped across his forehead and face.

"What happened?" Severus asked.

"I don't know," Draco cried. "A seventh year had stopped me in the hallway as I was making my way down to you for our class, then it just becomes a bit of a blur until I was standing there with a knife and Mr Sun and the blood…"

The boy trailed off and looked down, he looked very small and nothing like a Malfoy at that moment. Severus sometimes had to be reminded that the boy was still a teenager and not the adult he tried to act like.

"What is going to happen now?" Draco asked in a small voice.

"That depends on Blake," Severus sighed. "And the Headmaster."

"I can't be expelled!" Draco yelped. "My father would kill me!"

Severus sighed and grabbed the boy's shoulder.

"We'll see, Draco." Severus said softly. "Blake is here under contract with the Ministry as well as the Headmaster."

Draco ducked his head and they silently made their way back to Blake's classroom. The door was open when they got there and the Headmaster and Madam Pomfrey were already there. Blake looked up when Draco and Severus entered. He was seated on the bench at the back of his room with his shirt off as Poppy worked on his side. His scars showing plainly for everyone to see as well as the jagged gash in his side.

Severus felt Draco stumble beside him and placed a hand on the boy's shoulder. He gently pushed him into the room and closed the door behind them. He was keeping a tight hold on both his anger and worry.

"Ah, Severus." The Headmaster greeted. "You found him without a problem?"

"Yes, Headmaster." Severus replied, playing the game.

He could see Ry leaning against the wall, a little further down from his father, the map nowhere to be seen. His eyes settled on Blake, his gut clenching at the sight of the wound and Poppy whispering under her breath. By the look Blake was giving the woman, she wasn't having much luck closing the wound. That kicked up his concern, he knew that silver knives were used in a lot in preparing potion ingredients. He also knew that closing wounds inflicted by silver were difficult.

"Mr Sun is being a little stubborn," The Headmaster continued. "Madam Pomfrey had to come down here."

Blake just gave them a grin before flinching as Poppy worked on his side.

"Now, Mr Malfoy." The Headmaster turned to Draco. "This is a very serious situation. Since you have attacked a Ministry worker, he does have the power to request your expulsion from this school. He also has the right to level legal action against your family."

"Please," Draco pleaded.

"No," Blake stated at the same time.

Both Draco and Blake looked at each other, before Draco ducked his head and looked at the floor.

"Mr Malfoy wasn't in his right mind," Blake continued. "He was under the Imperius or a related charm. We need to find out who cast it on him."

"And why you were the target," Severus added.

"Yes," Blake agreed with a nod before he flinched as Poppy did something.

"This isn't going to close, Albus." Poppy announced. "The silver knife is working against my magic. He'll have to go to St Mungo's."

Severus watched as the colour drained from Blake's face with both interest and concern.

"No," Blake stated firmly. "I'll go to a muggle hospital once we are done. Just wrap the wound up."

"But Mr Sun-"

"No," Blake snapped, that stubborn tone in his voice.

Poppy tutted and pulled the wrappings tight, making Blake gasp and glare at the woman. Poppy just stared back at him, making her point clear.

"Thank you, Poppy." Albus said, breaking the stare off.

The woman nodded, gathered up her bag and bustled out of the room. Blake pulled his shirt back on ignoring the bloodstain and the rip.

"Now, Mr Malfoy." Blake announced and looked the boy over. "Do you give permission for Severus to look into your mind to see what happened?"

Draco nodded and turned to Snape. Severus shared a look with Blake before turning to Draco and raised an eyebrow.

"Mr Malfoy?" Severus said, asking for permission.

"I give you permission," Draco whispered.

" _Legilimens_!" Severus uttered, entering the boy's mind easily.

Draco had even less barriers than Potter, he looked back into the memories of the child. He pulled up the memory of the seventh year that Draco had spoken to. He then watched as the boy cast the Imperius spell, before watching Draco enter Blake's classroom and the stabbing.

He winced as the boy thrust the knife at Blake and was surprised with how quickly Blake was able to move to the side and grab the boy's wrist. If he hadn't, Severus was sure that the damage would have been so much worse than it was. He pulled out of Draco's mind and let the room around him come back into focus before turning to the Headmaster with a nod.

"Mr Sam Backer," Severus said softly. "He cast the Imperius."

The Headmaster sighed softly as Blake look distracted.

"Why would he or someone he had contact with, want to kill me?" Blake muttered.

Draco flinched at the words and Ry moved closer to his father. Severus was surprised that Potter had been quiet so far. He looked closer at him and could see how pale he was but there was something odd with the way he stood and the look in his eyes.

"Could this have something to do with Voldemort?" Potter asked quietly.

Severus flinched and noticed that Blake did slightly as well.

"Ry," Blake warned.

"Well, could it?" Ry insisted, lifting his chin.

"Possibly," The Headmaster commented. "We will have to question Mr Backer before we can come to a conclusion about his motives. I'll start on that now. Good night, everyone."

"Good night, Headmaster."

"Night, Albus."

The Headmaster nodded, looking older than his years as he moved out of the room. Silence overcame the room for a while before Blake turned to Draco. The boy shifted on his feet but met Blake's eyes.

"Mr Malfoy," Blake stated.

"Yes, sir?" Draco replied, nervously.

"I want to see you down here every night for the next two weeks after dinner," Blake stated softly. "Understand?"

"Yes, sir." Draco replied.

"Go wash up and head to bed," Blake ordered. "I'm sure that the Headmaster will check up on you later tonight or tomorrow."

"Thank you, sir." Draco uttered before he rushed from the room.

Severus watched the boy leave with a frown. He would have to sit the boy down and have a talk with him tomorrow. He turned to Blake, the man was looking pale but otherwise if it weren't for the bloodstain on his shirt you wouldn't think that he'd just been stabbed.

"What have I told you about saying the Dark Lord's name?" Blake demanded as he turned on Ry.

Potter ducked his head and Blake sighed before he grabbed Ry's hand.

"Off you go to bed, Ry." Blake said softly.

"But Dad," Potter whined.

"Go on," Blake said and gave his hand a shake. "I'll give you a call when I'm done at the hospital and no doubt I'll have Severus for company."

"Okay Dad," Ry conceded, he gave his father a gentle hug before saying goodbye and leaving the room.

"Are you okay?" Severus asked.

He stepped close to Blake until he was within touching distance. The other man looked up at him from his seat, his eyes pale green in the light. Those eyes gave him away.

"Yeah, feel a bit rough but I should feel better after I see the Doctor." Blake replied. "Just let me call him to give him the heads up."

Blake pulled his phone out from his pocket and dialled a number he knew well.

" _Guten nacht_ , Doctor Greenburg." Blake said softly.

Blake held the phone out and Severus could hear the shouted German down the line. Blake rolled his eyes at Severus.

" _Ja, ja_." Blake agreed. " _Nein_. Stab wound with a silver knife."

Black held the phone out for a little longer.

"Ja," Blake said, once he could talk again. "Ten minutes?"

Severus could hear the click of the phone being hung up and Blake sighed.

"Fair warning?" Severus asked with a smirk and Blake swatted him on the leg.

"Give me a hand up?" Blake requested.

Severus got under his arm and helped him up, ignoring the hiss of pain as Blake moved his cane to his left side. With Severus's help they made it out of the room.

"You will need to remove your robes," Blake told him, his voice strained. "Doctor Greenburg's surgery is in a muggle neighbourhood."

"Is he a muggle?" Severus asked.

Blake leaned against the wall outside his office as Severus slipped out of his robes. He wore a black shirt and slacks under the robes. Blake watched him as Severus flicked his robes into his office.

"Nope," Black replied. "But he does have some muggle patients and some not so muggle ones."

Severus took the man's weight again as they moved towards the front gates of the school. Severus could tell that the wound was hurting Blake and tried not to jolt him too much. Once they were passed the school wards they stopped.

"Hold on," Blake said softly.

"Are you up to apparating?" Severus asked in concern.

The feeling of being pulled through a small tube overtook him in answer. He braced himself as they landed and caught Blake as he stumbled. He held the man for a second before looking around the small alley they'd appeared in. Blake was breathing heavily next to him and Severus could see the blood leaking through the bandage.

"Blake?" Severus asked softly.

"Yeah, good." Blake replied with gritted teeth. "Just down the alley and to the right. It's the first door."

Severus helped Blake down the alley. There were no markings on the plain wooden door but it opened easily under his hand when he grabbed the handle. A small waiting room with chairs down both sides greeted him. A couple of people sat waiting as Severus helped Blake to the reception desk.

The young woman at the desk looked up with a smile, which dropped when she saw them.

"Go straight through to room two." She snapped, before going back to her computer.

Severus tensed and was ready to snap back but Blake tightened his arm around his shoulders.

"Thanks, Rebecca." Blake muttered to the woman.

"He's not happy," The woman told them. "I now know why."

Blake didn't even bother to say anything to that. Severus didn't know if he should be concerned or angry at the woman. Once they reached the room, Severus eased Blake down onto the bed. The man smiled up at him in thanks.

" _Was hast du jetzt schon wieder gemacht, Dummkopf?"_ A large man cried as he stepped into the room.

"Hello, Albert." Blake said calmly.

"Bah!" The man said loudly then turned to Severus. "Who are you?"

"Severus Snape," Severus stated, looking down his nose at the man.

"Ah, the boy." Albert cried and held out his hand. "Doctor Albert Greenburg."

Severus took the man's hand, unsure why the man was calling him a boy. The big man in front of him looked close to Blake's age with short dark brown hair and sharp dark eyes. However, it was the size of him that stood out the most. He filled a room and not only with his bulk but his presence as well. Not to mention the fact that he was all muscle.

"Now," Albert announced as he turned to Blake. "Silver knife, _ja_?"

"Ja," Blake replied. "Pure silver."

"Shirt off." The man barked as he pulled some plastic gloves on. " _Dein Lehrling_?"

Blake's eyes darted to Severus. " _Nein."_

Albert frowned, dark eyes looking the wound over, once Blake got his shirt off.

"Wediwitch tried to close it without success," Blake said then gritted his teeth as the big man poked at the wound. "Oi!"

Albert laughed loudly.

"Just a scratch!" Albert boomed and waved his hand.

"Doesn't feel like a scratch." Blake muttered.

Albert turned to the side and picked up a needle. Blake paled but sat there as the man injected around the site of the wound before he flushed it out. He grabbed up a jar of balm and covered the wound with it. Severus picked up the jar after the Doctor placed it down and took a sniff. The Doctor watched him but said nothing as Severus placed it back on the table.

Albert towelled off the excess balm around the wound before he started to work on the stiches to close it. He finished quickly and placed a bandage in place. He passed Blake a bottle of pills, which the man slipped into his pocket with a nod of thanks.

"Keep dry for 10 days," Albert ordered. "If it swells up or becomes red, come back and see me. Now get out of here."

Blake slid off the bed and Albert grabbed his arm.

" _Dracka moechte mit dir reden,"_ Albert said softly.

" _Nein_ ," Blake replied. " _Du weisst was bein letzten Mal passiert ist_."

"Bah," Albert cried and waved his hand. "He will talk this time."

"I'll think about it," Blake replied.

Severus just watched them in growing curiosity. He hadn't been around people that would slip back and forth in different languages before. Blake eyed off the large man for a few minutes.

"What does he want?" Blake asked.

Albert's eyes flicked to Severus.

" _Vertrag_." The big man said calmly.

" _Was_?" Blake stuttered. "With me?"

"Ja," Albert said calmly.

"I'll call him," Blake promised.

"Ja," Albert rumbled and released Blake with a grin on his face. "Fantastic."

"Thank you, Albert." Blake said. "We'll be going now."

"Ja, call Dracka."

Blake nodded and pulled his shirt back on and took up his cane. He grabbed Severus's arm as he moved towards the door. They made their way quickly out of the office and down the alley, before Blake stumbled. Severus grabbed him around the waist and slung his arm over his shoulder again.

"Sorry," Blake muttered into his shoulder. "We seem to find ourselves in this kind of situation a fair amount of time."

Severus smirked, holding the other man close.

"I don't mind." Severus purred in his ear.

He could hear Blake's muffled laughter. He apparated them back to the school front gates before Blake thought that he could do it himself.

"What was that about at the end about a Dracka?" Severus asked and Blake sighed.

"Dracka is the leader of a group called the Council of Magical Creatures. He has agreements and treaties with different dark and light creatures. He and I had a bit of a misunderstanding a while ago." Blake explained. "Albert says he wants to talk to me about a Treaty."

Severus stumbled a step in shock.

"I didn't know there was such a thing." Severus said softly.

"You and most wizards." Blake replied. "Most wizards believe that people with creature blood or dark and light creatures are just beasts without government."

"How have I not heard of this before?" Severus asked as he moved them down the hallway towards Blake's rooms.

"They keep it quiet mostly," Blake explained. "If the Ministry of Magic knew that dark creatures were gathering, it would not end well. Which is amusing since most dark and light creatures have had councils in place longer than the Ministry of Magic has been around."

"I can understand that," Severus muttered as they reached Blake's rooms. "Bed or lounge?"

"Bed," Blake replied with a smirk.

Severus smirked back as he helped Blake to the bed. Severus lowered Blake down on the side of the bed and the man groaned and cursed. Severus's smirk widened.

"I've had a couple of different dark creature groups contact me as well as light," Blake admitted as he pulled his shirt off for the third time and kicked it into the corner in distaste. "The Dark Lord has been talking and trying to recruit within the creature communities. They are scared."

Severus shivered at the thought and gave Blake a hand getting his jeans off.

"That can't end well," Severus remarked.

"No, it can't." Blake agreed. "And there has been some that have decided to join him, mostly the younger ones. While the wizards chase their tails and discredit anyone saying that the Dark Lord has returned. Dracka has been working with all the magical creatures to help them and bring them together under the Council's protection."

"Why does he want a Treaty with you?" Severus asked with a frown on his brow.

"Ah, well." Blake stilled. "That's a complex answer and I'm way too tried to explain it."

"What did Doctor Greenburg call me?" Severus asked instead.

" _Dein_ _Lehrling?"_ Blake asked.

"Yes," Severus answered as he sat on the bed next to Blake.

"Means apprentice." Blake explained with a smirk.

"What!" Severus snorted. "Why would he think that?"

Blake just gave him a smirk and didn't answer.

xXx

Harry looked up from his book at the soft knock at his classroom door.

"Come in," Harry called, turning in his seat.

Draco Malfoy peeked his head around the door unsure and looking pale.

"Ah, Mr Malfoy." Harry said with a smile. "Come in."

"How are you, sir?" Malfoy asked, nervously playing with his hands.

"Healing," Harry said, it had been a rough morning but he had pushed through as he always did.

"Come stand in front of me." Harry ordered.

The boy moved towards him.

"I'm going to have a look at you to see if there are any spells or charms on you before we start." Harry explained. "Is there anything I should know about before I start?"

"Um," Draco said, thinking. "I have a hair charm and a couple of charms on my robes."

Harry nodded, very common charms for students. "No problems."

Harry pulled his cherry wand.

"Sir, why do you have two wands?" Draco asked suddenly then blushed.

"This one," Harry held up the cherry wood wand. "Is suited to delicate work and lighter magic and the dark wand loves dark magic, it is also a very strong wand that can take any magic I want to channel through it. It is however temperamental and can be hard to control sometimes."

"I thought a wand was just a wand," Draco sneered.

Harry grinned and said, "Don't let a wand maker hear you say that."

"Like that creepy man in Diagon Alley?" Draco sneered.

"Yes, like him." Harry agreed, Ollivander had always creeped him out too. "Now Draco, just stand still and I'll check you over for magic."

Harry channelled his magic gently through his cherry wand, a spoken spell not needed for this kind of work. He started with the boy's clothes before moving on to his body then his mind last.

"There's a tracking spell on your necklace and just a shadow of the Imperius on your mind." Harry reported, after a few minutes. "The shadow should be gone in a couple of hours, that's why that spell is so hard to detect."

"Is it still active?" Draco asked.

"Nope," Harry replied kindly. "You managed to push through it, the student that cast it didn't have enough power or skill to make it stick completely."

"Did the Headmaster find the seventh year?" Draco asked.

"I don't know," Harry remarked.

He could have easily found out but he didn't want to know. He was sure he already knew who wanted to kill him

"They didn't tell you?" Draco retorted with a sneer.

"I didn't ask," Harry stated mildly.

Sometimes Draco's attitude grated on him but he had learnt to work with the man in his own time. He knew where he'd been coming from after his father was jailed.

"Now, the tracking spell." Harry announced, changing the topic. "Do you know who placed it?"

"No," The boy replied.

"Do you want to keep it or want me to get rid of it?"

"Get rid of it, please."

Harry focused into the spell and broke the thread. He could have tried to follow it back to the source but he didn't think it was worth it. Draco's father had probably cast it at some point.

"Done," Harry remarked. "Now we are going to work on you throwing off compulsion magic."

"The Imperius?" Malfoy asked, looking pale.

Harry laughed and said, "No, that spell is illegal."

"Moody used it!"

"Yes, yes he did." Harry said sourly. "How the Headmaster got permission for that, I have no idea."

Draco sneered at the Headmaster's name but knew better than to say anything against the man in front of Harry.

"Okay," Harry said. "Ready for the spell?"

Draco nodded, still fiddling with his hands in nervousness.

" _Capere_ ," Harry whispered.

Harry's spell cut straight through Draco's barriers and into his mind, taking over his body.

' _Jump_ ,' Harry thought to the boy.

Draco jumped, he could feel the boy fighting against the spell but it wasn't enough. Harry ended the spell.

"That felt like Imperius!" Draco accused with a glare.

"Nope," Harry replied calmly. "There are many spells that can take control of the mind and body. The Imperius is the only one that can take over a person to such a degree that they will murder their own families. The spell I used is a weaker form. By the end of these lessons, you should be able to shake this spell off without a problem."

"Does that mean I'll be able to break through the Imperius?"

"It will help if the spell is weak," Harry explained. "If the Dark Lord cast it on you, it will give you more protection and free will, but you probably won't be able to throw it off."

Draco nodded, looking pale.

"You call him the Dark Lord?" Draco stated, nervously.

"Yes," Harry replied mildly. "That's what he is."

"I only hear Death Eaters call him that," Draco spurted out then looked embarrassed.

"I could call him Dark Lord Voldemort," Harry intoned with a smirk. "But in doing that, he now knows where I am. I am safe behind the wards of Hogwarts but anywhere else it could put my life in danger. A name can have power, Draco. Remember that. Especially one that a person has crafted themselves."

Draco nodded, looking slightly shaken.

"Death Eaters have different reasons," Harry continued softly. "Due to the spells worked into the Dark Mark on their arms. Now, shall we get back to today's lesson?"

xXx

The next morning found Harry at the Ravenclaw table showing a group of fifth year students how to work with a length of silver cord. The lesson had started with teaching Sean Goulber how to work with the silver, to a display to the group around him. He had the cord shaped like a snake with silver scales and black stone eyes on the table. The students watched as the snake slithered along the table.

"Wow," A third year gasped, as the snake turned in his direction, and the boy reached out and touched the silver scales in wonder.

"Will I be able to do that?" Sean Goulber asked, with wide eyes.

"Sure," Harry replied and changed the silver into the shape of a chicken and had it silently clucking around.

The mail arrived and Harry changed the silver into an owl, which kept trying to take off, but was too heavy and kept falling back to the table. Whispers suddenly dropped the noise in the hall and Harry looked up at see a few students looking his way. Harry changed the silver back to the snake form and froze it as it reared up.

"What's that?" Harry asked, pointing at the Prophet that the student was trying to hide.

The girl in question froze, newspaper half under her plate.

"Give," Harry ordered as he held his hand out.

She reluctantly passed it over, looking everywhere but at Harry.

' _Love scandal at Hogwarts School._

 _It has come to the attention of this newspaper that a love scandal between two teachers at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry has been allowed between Mr Blake Sun and Professor Severus Snape…'_

There was a picture of Harry looking up at Severus with a grin on his face. Harry gave a laugh as he looked at the paper. He glanced up at the Head Table to see Severus glaring at him, a paper in his own hand. He knew it would have only been a matter of time before the papers picked up on the story.

"Hey Severus," Harry called across the room, silencing the hall. "We made it into the paper!"

Severus glared intensified and a few students shifted in their seats as McGonagall's lips tightened.

"I think they got my good side," Harry called, to a couple of laughs. "You could have smiled though!"

A few more giggles went around the room and the tension broke around him. Whispers started up as a few papers changed hands. Harry could see that Umbridge looked ready to explode and gave her a smirk. She had played her hand and now Harry was going to play his.

"Do you want me to send them a better photo?" Harry called to Severus, he needed the other man to react.

Severus stood and glared down at Harry who just grinned back. He locked eyes with Severus and hoped that the man wouldn't take this the wrong way and would understand his actions.

"Sun!" The man hissed turning his name into a curse word.

"Is that a no?" Harry asked, the giggling around him increased.

"That's enough, gentlemen." Albus said sternly, pulling himself to his feet as he placed his hands on the table before him.

Severus kept the glare up for a couple more minutes before seating himself. Harry just grinned, turning back to the paper, reading through it as whispers picked up around him. He was sure his lawyer was going to be happy with the work.

"Hem, hem."

Harry kept reading as the students around him went silent.

"Hem, hem."

Harry looked up at Umbridge next to him.

"Professor Umbridge, I see you have been quoted in this article?" Harry remarked silkily.

"Well yes-"

"Well in that case," Harry cut her off. "Mr Boulder, my lawyer, will be in contact with you."

The woman went pale.

"What is this?" Umbridge stuttered.

"Well it's called slander for a start," Harry replied, with a grin that made a few students shiver. "I'm sure my lawyer can explain it to you when he serves the papers."

"But-" The woman tried again.

"I believe that you and…" Harry muttered as he looked at the article writer "Rita Seeker will have a few things to talk about and here I thought she would have learned her lesson after her last article about Ry. Oh well, I guess some people just don't learn."

"But it's illegal!" The woman squeaked and the room went silent.

"What is?" Harry asked, turning in the seat to rest his back against the table.

"A relationship between you and him," Umbridge shouted, pointing up at Severus. "You are both teachers at this school!"

Harry raised an eyebrow as a few students shifted around them.

"It is!" The woman shrieked.

"I think you would find," Albus's calm voice said beside them. "That it isn't."

"But-"

"Blake Sun is not a Professor at this school," Albus stated calmly.

Harry grinned and said sweetly, "Mr Boulder should be in contact with you soon Professor Umbridge."

The woman stormed off in a huff as Harry and Albus watched her. Harry chuckled in amusement then looked up at Albus's stern face and it turned it into a cough.

"Ah, yeah." Harry coughed and ran a hand over his head. "Oops."

Albus just shook his head and walked off. Harry turned back to the stunned students.

"Now, where was I?"

xXx

Harry could see Severus waiting out the front of his rooms after his lesson with Draco that night. Harry limped towards him and could see that his arms were crossed with his wand in his right hand. He gently tapped his wand against his elbow as he watched him approach.

"Should I be armed?" Harry asked, as he limped closer.

Severus glared down his nose at Harry and if he weren't as old as he was, he probably would have shivered. Severus was holding onto his temper and Harry knew it wouldn't take much to tip him over.

"I contacted my Lawyer and he is very happy to bring a case against the Prophet, Rita Seeker and Professor Umbridge," Harry explained, standing calmly in the hallway as he leaned into his cane. "The last case against the Prophet was well worth the trouble. I'll pass your number along to him for your statement."

"Are you serious?" Severus hissed, his eyes flashing.

"Oh, yes." Harry said with steel to his voice. "This is slander, not just against me but against you as well. Our relationship is not illegal or wrong, Severus. The students of this school shouldn't think there is anything wrong with who they are interested in. Whether they are male or female."

Severus stood there as he looked down his nose at Harry with his wand still tapping his elbow. Harry waited out the younger man, he could tell he was hurt but he wasn't sure if it was the paper or because of him calling it out across the hall. He wasn't sure how he dealt with his preference in this time.

"Why did you call out across the Hall?" Severus questioned at last.

Harry gave him a small smile.

"To draw attention to the paper." Harry replied softly. "My lawyer can now argue that the paper had an adverse effect on our working commitments. I'm sorry, if that was out of line Severus."

"I prefer my life to be private," Severus stated.

Harry looked around the hallway they were in, they were alone but it was still before curfew.

"Should we move this to my rooms then?" Harry offered.

"I think I need a bit of time," Severus replied then looked away from Harry.

Harry felt a stab of pain in his heart and felt his own temper flare at the paper and Umbridge. He carefully masked his body language and looked Severus over.

"Very well." Harry conceded. "Have all the time you need."

Harry turned away towards his door but Severus grabbed his arm stopping him. Harry looked up into Severus's black eyes, the man looked down at him, his eyes unreadable.

"Blake," Severus whispered.

Harry looked away.

"I'll be heading to France in a couple of days to meet with Dracka," Harry mentioned softly and felt Severus's grip tighten. "I should be gone for a couple of weeks. Could you continue Draco's training for me?"

Severus's eyes burning into him and Harry met his eyes evenly before he released his arm and stepped back. He pulled his robes tight around himself, the tension thick in the air.

"Yes, I can do that." Severus agreed.

"Thank you, Severus." Harry said.

The two men eyed each other off before Harry turned away and entered his rooms. Severus didn't stop him.

xXx

Four days later found Harry moving towards the front gates of the school with a backpack over his shoulder as he limped across the lawn. His steps slowed as he spotted Severus waiting for him at the gates. Harry sighed and moved forward. They had not spoken since that night after the article.

"Seeing me off?" Harry asked as he stepped up to the other man.

"Yes," Severus replied. "And the Headmaster wanted me to give you this."

Severus passed over a glass mouse and Harry could feel the magic of a Portkey on it.

"Thank him for me," Harry replied and slipped the glass mouse away in his jacket pocket.

Suddenly he found himself in a hard hug. Harry hugged the other man back for a second before they broke apart.

"Good luck," Severus whispered to him.

"With Albert or Dracka?" Harry asked with a grin.

Severus flinched, "You need to see the Doctor?"

"Just a check-up," Harry replied with a grin.

"Good luck with that," Severus smirked.

Harry just grinned back.

"I'll see you in about two weeks," Harry commented as he stepped over the anti-apparation wards. "Earlier if there is trouble."

Harry gave Severus a wink and apparated to the alley near Albert's office. He walked into the busy office and made his way up to the reception desk, the young woman looked up and gave him a dark look.

"Room five," Rebecca snapped. "Be quick, we are busy today, Sun."

"Thank you, dear." Harry said sweetly.

Harry stepped into room five to find Albert already waiting for him.

"Blake," The big man cried in German, taking him in a hug. "So good to see you again!"

"Rebecca can't say the same," Harry laughed in German, slipping into the language easily.

The big man laughed. "She will get over it."

"One day," Harry replied. "I'm off to meet Dracka after you check out the wound."

"Ah, good, good." Albert cried as he pulled up Harry's shirt to look the wound. "Healing nicely, stitches can come out in a week or two."

"I'll be in France then," Harry replied. "I'll have a Doctor take them out there."

"Bah," The man waved.

Harry grinned. "Do you have anything for Dracka?"

" _Nein_ ," The big German replied.

"Good day then Albert," Harry remarked as he shook the man's hand.

"You're not taking the boy?" Albert asked, referring to Severus.

"Ah no," Harry replied. "Bit of a misunderstanding, it will just be me."

"Be careful then, old man." Albert said with a cheeky grin.

"Ah," Harry snorted as he clapped a hand to the other man's shoulder. "Old man indeed."

xXx

Harry apparated from the International Portkey Platform in Paris to a small town near the border with Belgium as the sun started to set. He had been there before when the French branch of Gringotts had contacted him to put up wards around the village and many times after that.

Harry made his way down the street, ignoring the stares he got from the few people that were out. They followed him with their eyes as he walked up to the large mansion in the middle of town. He could see children moving back inside of the houses and more men appearing on the streets as he limped along.

"Oh boy, this was a bad idea." Harry muttered to himself.

He walked up to the big gates and pressed the bell. Big black hellhounds came running out from the main house barking loudly and growling at him as he waited. Their red eyes flashing as they prowled the fence line, snarling and barking at him.

"Oh, yes." Harry muttered to the beasts. "Bad idea."

"Quiet," A voice commanded and the beasts stopped barking instantly.

Harry looked up at the tall man at the gate, his black eyes staring down the length of his nose. His short black hair cut in the latest fashion and his facial hair groomed perfectly as the last of the light of the day faded casting the grounds into shadows.

"Sun," The man greeted, his dark eyes looking him over.

"Dracka," Harry replied, standing up straighter.

"The Council wants to talk to you," The dark-haired man intoned. "I would rather cast you out but they have other ideas."

Harry gripped his cane tighter.

"Do I have safe passage?" Harry questioned.

The other man stared down at him, his dark eyes showing how much he disliked him. Harry stood up a little straighter, his hand clenched around the handle of his cane.

"You have safe passage," The man granted. "While on French soil."

Harry shivered as the magic fell between them. Dracka waved the beasts back from the gate and opened the steel door. Harry hesitated for a couple of seconds, while the tall man stared down at him, before Harry moved forward through the gates. He could feel the wards settling on him as the hellhounds eyed him off.

"Pass over the border and it's a different story," The man said silkily.

"I'll keep that in mind." Harry said carefully, hiding a shiver.

The two men made their way up to the mansion, the taller man falling into step with Harry. They respected each other to a degree however there was also a history and spilt blood between them.

"Your Dark Lord has been sniffing around," Dracka remarked darkly, like it was Harry's fault.

"What has the Council said?" Harry asked.

"We have had enough of wizards trying to control us," Dracka spat.

"Then why am I here?"

The man laughed darkly. "You are as much a dark creature as I am."

Harry stopped and turned to the man. Dracka grinned at him showing off slightly longer canine teeth.

"I don't have a drop of creature blood in me," Harry retorted mildly.

"And yet," Dracka pointed out simply. "You are one of us."

Harry shivered and quickened his pace up to the mansion. The two men walked into the house and through to the main hall. People and creatures milled around the room and looked over as Dracka and Harry entered the room. Harry nodded at the men, women and creatures he knew as he walked up to the main table with Dracka beside him.

Harry stopped in front of the main table as Dracka made his way around it. He settled in the chair in the middle of the table with four men to his left and three women to his right.

"The Council welcomes Blake Sun," Dracka intoned, his tone of voice implying different.

Harry bowed to the people gathered.

"Thank you for inviting me," Harry called. "What can I help you with?"

"We wish to forge a Treaty with you and yours," Dracka stated.

Murmurs started up around the room and Harry glanced around with a frown.

"I can't bring much to the table," Harry replied, unsure why this was happening at all.

"You are Harry Potter's father?" A woman questioned, Harry knew her as Gert Filler who stood for the Council of Werewolves. "And you have made our lives easier with your new Wolfsbane potion."

Murmurs of agreement ran through the room.

"So, you want a Treaty with my son?" Harry asked, unsure.

"Ha!" Dracka laughed. "He is still a boy, you are not."

"So, you want a Treaty with me and my contacts?" Harry asked with a frown.

"With you, my dear." One of the other women stated, her black furry ears twitching. "You hold the dark power of the Deathly Hallows."

Gasps and murmurs ran through the room, making Harry uncomfortable.

"How can that help you?" Harry asked, not denying the claim.

"You also have contacts that can come to our aid," The woman with black furry ears continued. "As well as the dark power you wield."

"As you can see, madam." Harry said calmly as he held up his cane. "I'm not what I used to be."

"Sally Pearson," The woman introduced for him. "And you still hold the power and knowledge that could aid us, Mr Sun."

"I do indeed." Harry agreed, looking around the room. "I'm still not sure how that can help you?"

Many of the people and creatures around him were nodding. Understanding something Harry just wasn't seeing. He could only guess at what their motives could be and yet it could also help him.

"We simply ask," Dracka continued. "That if you are in need. We will come to your aid and if we request it, you will come to ours. We wish to pool our people and power with yours."

Harry looked around the room. He could see hope in the eyes of some of the people and creatures as well as doubts. These people had been beaten back, time and time again, and didn't even have rights in a lot of the wizarding worlds. They were looking at him and he shivered at what that could mean.

"Why not go the Ministries of Magic?" Harry asked. "Why are you coming to me?"

Hissing laughter greeted him.

"They don't care!"

"They would kill us on the spot!"

"You work with us as equals!"

"They don't even think we are human!"

"We are just beasts to them!"

"You are different!"

The voices rolled over Harry and he remembered a day so long ago. Standing next to Hermione Granger-Weasley in front of the Ministry of Magic and campaigning for the rights of all magical creatures and people. The Ministry of Magic in Great Britain had been left in a shamble after the second war with Voldemort and they were starting to rebuild with the help of all people. Regardless of blood; pure bloods, half-bloods, muggleborns and magical creatures alike. That day with Hermione by his side had been the start, was that what he was looking at now?

"We have tried and failed," Sally called out, her ears twitching.

"So, you have come to me?" Harry asked. "I don't hold any power in the Ministry beyond my contracts."

Dracka snorted.

"You hold the power of the Hallows, contracts with different Ministries," Dracka recited. "With Gringotts, werewolves, and many more."

Harry leaned back on his cane, he hadn't thought of it that way before. He'd only thought of his work and not who he was working with. He'd been working to slowly nudge people in the direction that the magical world had to head without realising the ripples he was making. Blood and power didn't mean much to him, it was the people at the heart of the magical world that matted.

"And Albus Dumbledore," A slight man in a tweed suit said quietly.

Harry turned to him in question.

"Broxon Silver," The man introduced. "Councilman of the light creatures."

"Nice to meet you," Harry replied with a nod of his head. "I work with Albus only, I have no sway over him."

"You have his respect and ear," Broxon stated, his brown hair falling into his pale eyes. "He has nothing but good things to say about you."

"He is too kind," Harry uttered, feeling out of his depth.

He didn't want this. He just wanted to live his life and see his son grow up. Without knowing it he had built a trap of his own making around himself. He would have to make a choice. Live his life or help fight a war.

"He is a powerful light wizard," The man agreed. "And the head of the Order of the Phoenix."

Harry nodded and made a mental note to tell Albus that his secret club wasn't so secret anymore.

"But he does not have the power you have," Broxon added, much to Harry's surprise.

"I think you give me too much credit," Harry whispered.

Laughter greeted him and he looked around in surprise. These creatures believed that he had more power than Albus Dumbledore?

"I know I am old and hold the Hallows," Harry commented. "But I'm not sure I am the powerful being you are making me out to be."

Dracka laughed and said, "You are who we need. I may not like that, after you killed my brother, but even I have to admit that."

Harry paled slightly at the mention of Dracka's brother. He stood up straighter and faced the man, meeting his eyes directly.

"I need time to think this over," Harry stated. "And written terms to this Treaty."

Sally smiled at him and nodded.

"We'll give you two weeks." The woman offered. "Think quick, the Dark Lord has been moving quickly and Graham Simpson has been making waves in Germany."

"Could he be a new Dark Lord?" Harry asked.

"We are unsure at this point," A blonde man at the end of the table piped up, Harry knew him as Frank Ace, from his dealings in the German Ministry. "He is showing signs but doesn't have the power yet. We believe your Dark Lord will probably kill him before he becomes too much of a threat."

Harry nodded, he knew what Dark Lords were like. They didn't like competition.

"We are keeping a close eye on him," Frank Ace remarked.

"Which is not the topic for today," Dracka announced as he sneered down at Harry. "We will give you two weeks, Sun."

"Very well," Harry agreed. "You will have my answer then."

Harry bowed to the high Council members and made his way out of the mansion. The hellhounds watched him with blazing red eyes as he left the grounds. Harry sighed as he stepped passed the apparation wards and disappeared.

xXx

Albus started slightly as a Portkey activated in the stone room next to his office. He pulled himself out of his chair and walked to the door and pulled it open to see Blake Sun standing in the middle of the room with his back to him.

"Blake, my boy." Albus cried, stepping forward and looking the man over. "Are you injured?"

"What?" Harry asked as he looked up slightly confused. "Ah, no. Just with a bit of a time restriction. It's okay I used your portkey?"

"Yes, yes, my boy." Albus smiled and waved off his concern. "Keep it, just in case you need it one day."

"Thank you, Albus."

"Would you like tea?" Albus asked, as they moved into his office. "I wasn't expecting you back for another couple of weeks."

"Ah, yeah." Harry answered as he sat in the chair with a sigh. "I seem to have a bit of a problem."

"What is it, my boy?" Albus asked, setting a teacup down in front of Harry.

Harry took the cup in his hands trying to gather his thoughts. Albus let him take his time, sipping at his own tea.

"Did Severus mention where I was going?" Harry asked, looking up at the Headmaster.

"He mentioned that you were going to be meeting with a Dracka?" Albus questioned, already aware that he was going to France.

"Rolf Dracka, is what you would call the Minister of magical creatures," Harry explained, making Albus raise an eyebrow. "Called the Council of Magical Creatures. Have you heard of them?"

"Yes," Albus agreed with a nod. "I've heard rumours of dark creatures forming government bodies."

"No, no, not quite but close." Harry replied with a laugh. "All people with creature blood. Both light and dark, want to be seen as equals within magical communities. In some countries they have succeeded and in others they are known as little more than beasts. Strangely enough Russia is the closest to see them as equals."

"What did they want to talk to you about then?" Albus asked, then looked him over. "Do you have creature blood?"

"Not a drop," Harry replied with a grin. "but I have a curse that they believe would be a benefit to them."

"Really?" Albus questioned, sitting forward in his seat.

"You have heard of the Deathly Hallows?" Harry mentioned.

"I have," Albus muttered, his eyes drawn to his wand on the table.

Harry pulled out his dark wand and placed it next to Albus's own. The two were very similar, except Harry's was a shade darker and a little shorter than the Headmaster's. Albus frowned and picked up Harry's wand with the man's permission.

"But," Albus stumbled over his words, picking up his own wand. "How, I thought."

Albus looked up at Harry with new eyes.

"Master of Death," Albus whispered, with slight fear in his voice.

"That's me," Harry confirmed and watched as Albus's face paled.

"You hold all three?"

"Yes," Harry replied easily and refilled his cup from the teapot.

"But I thought…" Albus trailed off.

"It was," Harry agreed.

"Then, how do you…?"

"Have the elder wand?"

"Yes."

"Because I am from the future, Albus." Harry stated mildly.

Albus just stared at him in shocked silence.

"And here I thought I wouldn't be able to shock you," Harry muttered with grin and a wink.

"Then you know what will happen?" Albus said softly.

"Nope," Harry replied. "Not a clue."

"But you have lived it?"

"When I first got here, yes." Harry agreed. "But now…"

"You changed time!" Albus accused.

"Not in the way you think," Harry stated calmly. "When I stepped into this time I changed things just by being here. When I lived this time, there was no Blake Sun. Some things have stayed the same and yet others have changed. I have to admit there were times that I have tried to nudge things a certain way and yet it didn't work and it still worked out the same. It's those times I get blindsided by something, like the Council, that throws everything out."

Harry sighed and sat back in his seat and tried to wrap his mind around the complexities of time and how much he still didn't know or understand.

"But you have changed things?" Albus questioned, sitting forward in his seat.

"I have tried," Harry admitted. "I tried to get Sirius Black released from Azkaban when I arrived here and fail. I tried to explain Sirius to Ry and yet the boy still went after him. I tried to stop the Ritual to bring back the Dark Lord back and failed. I failed so badly that the man has more power now than he did in my time!"

Harry rubbed his head as he thought over his actions and inactions.

"Fix points in time," Albus uttered softly.

"That is one of the theories," Harry admitted. "The Dark lord had to rise to power because that was always going to happen but this is going off topic."

Albus gave him a grin, a twinkle in his eyes, as he looked at him.

"People with creature blood can feel the Deathly Hallows more than people without," Harry explained, bringing them back the topic at hand. "They want to forge a Treaty with me and mine."

"Yours?" Albus questioned.

"My contacts and, of course, my son." Harry replied.

"Harry Potter," Albus said quietly. "You know what he will become?"

Harry grinned.

"Oh, yes." Harry stated fondly. "But my son is a very different person to the Harry Potter I knew. Still just as stubborn and with just as much of a hero complex as him though."

"Are you really a relative?" Albus asked.

The Headmaster sat forward in his seat, his blue eyes focused intently on him.

"Oh yes," Harry replied with a laugh. "A Potter through and through."

Albus leaned back relieved. Harry wasn't going to take offence at that.

"The goblins wouldn't have been able to contact me when James and Lily died if it wasn't for that blood connection," Harry remarked. "Or give me Harry Potter's adoption papers if I wasn't a blood relative."

"But the Potter family is strictly a light family?" Albus questioned. "And you-"

"Are not," Harry finished, with a grin. "But this is off topic."

"Ah yes," Albus exclaimed. "The Council for Magical Creatures."

"Yes," Harry agreed. "They have given me two weeks to decide whether I will form a Treaty with them or not."

"What are you thinking?" Albus asked.

"I will have to talk to Ry about all of this first," Harry explained. "I have worked well within the communities for a long time so there wouldn't be much change there. It's the parts of the communities I don't work with or refuse to work with that I will have problems with."

"What do they want in return?"

"That if they are in trouble I will come to their aid."

"What?"

"And they will come to mine," Harry finished.

"Against Voldemort?" Albus said quickly. "They will work against Voldemort?"

"It's not that easy." Harry remarked in amusement. "Some of their children have already gone over to the Dark Lord, but the communities do not want to go to him. They do not want to be ruled by a wizard or a Dark Lord."

Albus paled and said, "How long have you known this?"

Harry just grinned in answer.

"The question is," Harry stated seriously. "Will you go to their aid, if they back you against the Dark Lord?"

Albus sat back in his seat and thought about it.

"Yes, that is a question I need to think about." Albus uttered slowly.

Harry got to his feet and picked up his bag.

"Then I will leave you with that question," Harry replied. "I have more contacts to talk to. I'll be back in just over a week for your answer. I'll send you a copy of the Treaty when I get it."

"I'll try to have an answer for you then," Albus announced as he stood and shook Harry's hand.

"Good evening, Headmaster." Harry said softly. "I would hope what we have discussed here will stay within this office. Except, about my offer with the Council."

"Of course, my boy." The white-haired man replied with a twinkle in his eyes.

"Very good."

Harry gave the Headmaster a grin as he stepped back into the stone room and disapparated.

xXx

Harry fell back on his bed in the hotel room in London. He'd had nothing but meetings for the last week and a half and he was so tired. His last meeting with the goblins at Gringotts was rough but he had them on board. How he'd managed to do that, he still wasn't sure. He had already called Albus to give him the heads up that he was heading back to Hogwarts the next morning. He was just hoping he would be able to sleep that night to make up for the other sleepless nights.

He could have just walked away from the goblin that day and let Harry Potter be raised by his Aunt and Uncle but the thought of that just turned his stomach. The thought of the pain that Ry would have suffered in that house at the hands of his relatives. The moment that he'd picked up the child he knew he would be walking away with him. His mind may have been shadowed in darkness and the grief of his losses but he couldn't have left the baby there.

Now, he faced being a part of the war ahead. A war that he had already helped in his wish to stay away and just live his life. He sighed and ran his hands over his head. He'd been an old fool. His eyes caught on the scars on his arms and he sighed. Could he face the pain again?

xXx

Severus stood waiting at the Hogwarts's front gates waiting for Blake to appear. The Headmaster had told him about Dracka's meeting with Blake and about the offer that had been made and he was concerned about the other man. His anger with the man had faded away in the distance since the Prophet had had to print a retraction about Blake and himself. Not to mention the fact that his Gringotts account looked a lot better with the settlement payment from Mr Boulder, sitting in there.

Severus looked up when Blake apparated near him, with a slight stumble. Severus could tell that the man was tired by the fact that it took him a few minutes to spot him leaning against the gate. Blake gave him a smile and limped towards him.

"Severus, how are you?" Blake asked.

Severus just looked down at the man, seeing the tired and shadowed eyes looking back at him. Slowly the man's grin faded as Severus stayed silent. Severus felt his heart clench as Blake's body language closed off. Severus stepped forward and gathered him up in his arms. Blake tensed briefly before wrapping his arms around him and pulled him tighter.

"I'm well, Blake." Severus whispered into the man's short black hair.

"I've missed you," Blake uttered into his shoulder. "Am I forgiven?"

Severus rumbled a laugh and just held the shorter man.

"I'll take that as a yes?" Blake questioned.

"Yes," Severus replied silkily.

Blake pulled back and gave him a big grin as he placed his cane more firmly on the ground. He pulled his bag further up his shoulder and glanced up at the castle.

"Do you know how hard it is dealing with goblins for a whole day?" Blake asked.

Severus smirked, "Try dealing with Death Eaters?"

"Ha," Blake laughed. "What about the German Ministry!"

"Albus when he's had too many lemon drops."

Blake shivered and countered, "Centaurs on the full moon."

"Lucius Malfoy," Severus deadpanned.

Blake laughed and smacked his shoulder as they turned towards the castle. They fell into step together with Severus adjusting his steps slightly to account for Blake's limp.

"Draco has managed to throw off the Controlling spell now," Severus remarked, catching Blake up. "He's looking forward to showing you. Your son however is slipping in potions."

"Again?" Blake squeaked.

"Yes."

"Will I have to start lessons with him?" Blake questioned. "What about his Occlumency lessons?"

"Don't get me started," Severus growled. "His mind just isn't suited to it. The Dark Lord is still getting through. He's been having visions."

"Yeah," Blake agreed. "He called me about them, they seem to be getting worse."

"Why don't you teach him your style of mind magic?"

"He's too young. His magic hasn't settled enough," Blake said sounding frustrated.

Severus laid his hand on his shoulder briefly and Blake flashed him a smile that went straight through Severus.

"Dad!"

Severus and Blake looked up as Ry came barrelling towards them. Severus felt Blake brace himself as the boy ran straight into him, giving him a hug. Ry was as tall as his father now and Severus was sure there was still some growing to do. He was sure that the boy wouldn't get as tall as himself but probably a head taller than his father. Blake gave the boy a big hug, before pushing him back at arm's length.

"How did you grow so tall in a week and a half?" Blake asked, with an easy smile.

"Dad!" Ry yelped in embarrassment

Blake reached up and ruffled the boy's already messy hair, which Severus smirked at.

"Professor Dumbledore said I have a meeting with you and a few other people tomorrow?" Ry asked.

"Ah, yeah." Blake replied. "What time did he say that was?"

"After dinner," Ry told him. "He didn't tell you?"

"We haven't come to that part of the conversation yet, Mr Potter." Severus sneered.

Ry's eyes flicked between the two men for a second. Severus could almost hear the gears turning in the boy's head and smirked.

"Oops," Ry said with a grin. "Sorry, Dad."

"No problems, Ry." Blake remarked with a smile. "I only just got back."

"Oh," The boy said intelligently and Severus snorted.

Potter glared up at him.

"Okay, okay." Blake said stepping between the two. "I'll see you at the meeting Ry and explain everything then, okay?"

"Okay, Dad!" The boy cried with a smile. "I'll see you then!"

The boy dashed off before Severus could take points for running in the halls. Blake slapped him on the shoulder and they moved off towards his rooms in the dungeons. They both ignored the looks they got from students as they passed them. Once they reached Blake's room the man opened the door and waved the taller man into the room.

Severus gave a smirk as he walked into the room. Blake closed the door behind him and before he could move further into the room. Severus grabbed him in a hug and was kissing him. Blake's bag dropped to the floor as Severus cupped the back of the shorter man's head and deepened the kiss.

Blake groaned and ran his hands under his shirt and pulled him closer. Severus lost himself to the kiss, the taste and feel of the man overcoming him. The need to breath pulled them apart. Severus quirked a smile as Blake looked up at him.

Blake chuckled.

"What's so amusing?" Severus asked, looking down into his pale green eyes.

"Nothing," Blake replied and grinned before taking Severus into another kiss.

Severus groaned and pushed the smaller man into the wall behind them, running his hands down his sides and under his shirt. His hands running over the scars he could feel on the man's back before kissing down the man's neck.

"Severus," Blake whispered, stilling his hands on the man's hips. "I haven't slept for two days."

Severus rested his forehead against Blake's, looking into his eyes.

"Sleep first?" Blake asked, with a lopsided smile.

"After a shower, maybe." Severus smirked, with a sniff.

"Ha," Blake laughed and pushed Severus back a step. "I can work with that."

Severus let the man move to the bathroom. He picked up his bag from the floor and moved it to the bedroom. He pulled some clothes out of the drawers and placed them on the sink in the bathroom before clicking the kettle on.

He was still trying to convince the Headmaster to rig his room up with electricity the way Blake's room was but he had yet to see anything for his efforts besides his phone charger.

"Have you eaten?" Severus called out.

"Nope," Blake called back.

Severus called up a house elf and ordered a late breakfast for them.

xXx

Harry let the hot water run over his head, easing the tension in his body. He'd felt better the minute he'd stepped over the wards of Hogwarts and seen Severus. He sighed at the remembered feeling of Severus's hands running over his skin came to mind. He was unsure where that was going to lead but he wanted to find out. He finished up his shower and towelled himself off. He smiled when he saw the pile of clothes waiting for him and pulled them on quickly.

He stepped out of the bathroom to see Severus sitting at his dining table with a pot of coffee and food spread across the top. He gave the man a smile in thanks.

"Did I hear voices?" Harry asked.

"House elf," Severus remarked as he shook out a copy of the Daily Prophet.

"You read that thing?" Harry asked in surprise.

"Worth a laugh," Severus smirked. "My bank account looks better as well."

"Mr Boulder works fast," Harry remarked with a laugh.

"Nice man," Severus replied smoothly.

Harry almost choked on his coffee at Severus saying 'nice'.

"Problem?" Severus asked with a smirk.

"Nope," Harry coughed. "All good."

xXx

Harry woke with a start the next morning, he looked around unsure what had woken him but couldn't find anything. He pulled himself out of the bed and limped to the bathroom, stark naked, which was the way he normally slept. Not quite awake yet.

"Didn't realise breakfast came with a show?"

Harry started and looked over to Severus, staring at him from the dining table.

"Oh, sorry." Harry muttered and rubbed the back of his neck. "I didn't realise you were there."

"Not a problem," Severus replied, not looking away.

Harry smirked at him, not the least bit embarrassed.

"I'll be back in a minute," Harry called over his shoulder as he went into the bathroom.

Harry quickly showered and moved back to the bedroom, feeling eyes on him the whole way. He quickly dressed and moved back to the table, not bothering with his cane. His new batch of muscle restoration potion, seemed to be working better than his last lot, but he still had room for improvement.

"That new potion seems to be working," Severus remarked as if reading Harry's mind.

"Yeah," Harry replied with a grin. "I'm getting closer."

Severus raised his mug in agreement.

"So, this meeting?" Harry asked.

Severus took a sip of his coffee. "Yes?"

"I know that Ry and the Headmaster are going to be there…" Harry let his words trail off as he made his own coffee.

"Yes," Severus agreed. "Also, Black, Shacklebolt and myself."

"Shacklebolt?" Harry asked, surprised.

"He's sitting in due to his connection to the Ministry and the Auror department. I believe you know him?" Severus said calmly.

"Yes," Harry replied. "Got to know him since he was the Head Auror of the Sirius Black case."

"Ha!" Severus laughed. "I wonder how Albus managed that."

"He's a sneaky one," Harry retorted with a wink. "Why is Black going to be there?"

"I don't know," Severus replied. "I think Albus still holds with the whole, he's Potter's Godfather."

Harry snorted and said, "When Ry's Aunt signed over custody to me. He lost his rights to him unless someone manages to kill me that is."

"Why do you let Potter see Black?"

"He is one of his last connections to his parents." Harry explained. "I never met them so I can't tell him any more than what I've read or been told. I let him spend time with Remus as well. At least the werewolf shows some sense, unlike Black."

Severus smirked. "He was no different when he was at school."

"Oh yeah," Harry remarked. "That's right, you went to school with them as well."

"I'm not sitting Potter down and telling him stories," Severus deadpanned.

Harry barked a laugh.

xXx

Harry and Severus made their way up to the Headmaster's office. Harry's cane tapping away on the stone floor.

"Why the fuck did he have to have the meeting up in his office!" Harry cried, for the third time. "He knows I'm a cripple!"

Severus just smirked and that just stroked his anger. The stairs in front of them went to move and Harry pulled his wand quickly.

"If you know what's good for you!" Harry snapped at the staircase.

The stairs trembled and moved back into place, making Severus snorted.

"The great Blake Sun threatening staircases," Severus smirked.

"Shove it, Snape!"

Severus laughed, startling a couple of students in the hallway as they worked their way up the castle. Harry just glared at the Griffin guarding the front of the Headmaster's office. He swore that the statue's eyes were glinting at him.

"Gobblers," Severus said smoothly.

The Griffin moved to the side to reveal more steps.

"For fuck sake!"

Severus just grinned and moved up the stairway with Harry cursing behind him. By the time Harry made it to the top of the staircase and into the Headmaster's office he was ready to curse the man. Everyone looked up as he entered.

"Do you know how many fucking stairs there are from my rooms to this bloody office!" Harry snapped at the Headmaster.

"Dad!" Ry cried at the cursing.

"Well!" Harry demanded, ignoring his son.

"Ah," Albus said, a twinkle in his eye. "An oversight on my part, my boy."

"Oversight, my ass!" Harry hissed, throwing himself inot a seat next to his son.

"Dad!" Ry hissed.

Black barked a laugh as the others just looked amused.

"Yes, Ry?" Harry asked pleasantly.

"Language," Ry hissed, making Black and Severus snort.

"Sorry, son." Harry said. "Should have used more cursing."

Black's laughter kicked up as the others looked amused as Ry covered his face with a groan.

"Okay Albus." Shacklebolt said, taking his own seat. "What is this all about?"

"Blake, the room is yours." Albus countered, turning to the dark-haired man.

Harry looked around the room, wondering where to start.

"Right," Harry started. "A man called Rolf Dracka contacted me a little while ago about a Treaty."

"Treaty?" Black asked. "What kind of Treaty?"

"Dracka is the head of a vampire Coven in France," Harry explained, startling Severus and Dumbledore. "He is also what you would call the Minister for the Council of Magical Creatures."

"I've heard of them," Black commented with a frown. "Remus has mentioned it. Werewolf groups are part of that Council."

"Yes," Harry agreed. "As well as other dark and light creatures and even some ministry workers. It's a group that has agreements, treaties and contracts together for one goal."

"To overthrow wizards?" Shacklebolt asked.

"No," Harry disagreed. "To have equal standing in the magical communities around the world. They have had great success in Russia. They want to forge a Treaty with me and mine."

"What does that mean, Dad?" Ry asked, looking around the room.

"They have stated that they will come to my aid, if I need it." Harry replied.

"To fight Voldemort?" Black asked.

"Not quite," Harry answered slowly. "They don't really work that way."

"So, they are with Voldemort?"

"No," Harry said flatly. "They just want a Treaty with me and mine, which includes Ry, my contacts and the Headmaster to a degree."

"Me?" Ry asked. "Why me?"

Harry turned to his son.

"You are Harry Potter." Harry said bluntly. "You hold power in the wizarding world, Ry."

"What? I can't even pass potions!"

Severus snorted as Harry reached out a hand and placed it on Ry's knee.

"Ry," Harry started then paused as he gathered his thoughts. "I am sorry, but the moment that the Dark Lord's spell rebounded off you and took his body away you become a power in the wizarding world."

"But I was one!"

"Yes, yes you were," Harry agreed. "And you hold great power from that one event."

Ry looked up at him with big green eyes, then they hardened.

"I want to fight him," Ry stated with steel in his voice.

"This is bigger than just this Dark Lord, Ry." Harry countered softly. "Part of the Treaty is that if they need help, I am bound to help them if I agree."

"But it's with me too? And the Headmaster and others?" Ry questioned.

Harry sighed. "I have spoken with many of my contacts, they agree with the terms of the Treaty. Albus did you look over the terms?"

"I did, my boy." Albus agreed. "I am happy with the terms."

"I want to see this Treaty?" Shacklebolt demanded.

Albus passed over the parchment and Black moved to read over the man's shoulder.

"Do I have a say in this?" Ry asked his father.

"Of course," Harry replied. "If you don't want to be part of the Treaty. I can take you out of the agreement."

"But you are going to agree with it?"

Harry thought it over before replying, "Yes."

"Then I will too," Ry said with conviction.

"As will I," Severus said grabbing Harry's shoulder.

"You haven't read the Treaty, Severus." Harry reminded the man.

"I don't have to," Severus said, black eyes boring into Harry's.

Harry nodded and turned back to Shacklebolt and Black.

"You have the backing of the Order of Phoenix as well," Albus said softly, making Black gasp.

"But Albus," Black started.

Albus held up a hand to stop him.

"I back Mr Sun, if he believes this is the right move then we will back him." Albus said with steel in his voice.

Harry nodded his thanks to the Headmaster, unsure why the Headmaster had such faith in him, but willing to take whatever the man would give him. Shacklebolt rolled the scroll up and passed it back to the Headmaster.

"You have my support." The man said softly

Harry looked at him in shock, "Really?"

"If Albus agrees with you then so I do." Shacklebolt stated.

"Thank you, everyone." Harry gasped, slightly shocked.

"You have the support of the Black family as well," Sirius added reluctantly, but he was looking a Ry when he said it.

"Thank you," Harry said softly.

In his time, it had taken years to get close to this point. He had managed it in less than two weeks, he hadn't realised how much he had changed this world until now. The many contracts that he'd had over the years had changed so much. He had brought people together through him without realising it. Building up a network and binding them to him without a thought of what he was doing.

"You're welcome, my boy." Albus replied with a smile.

"Oh," Harry exclaimed. "I almost forgot. There is a Dark Wizard making waves in Germany called Graham Simpson. He was exiled from the States about five years ago. He doesn't seem to have much power at the moment but people over there are keeping an eye on him."

"Another Dark Lord?" Albus asked.

"Not yet," Harry replied. "Dracka is hoping the Dark Lord will kill him before he gets to that point."

"What about if Voldemort recruits him instead?" Black asked.

"It's a scary thought," Harry agreed. "But from what I know from Dark Lords they don't like to share."

Harry clapped a hand on his son's shoulder and got to his feet.

"Well," Harry announced. "If that is all, I think I will be going."

Harry made his way to the stone room next to the Headmaster's office.

"Are you heading out, Blake?" The Headmaster asked.

"No," Harry replied, giving the room a smirk. "I just don't want to walk down all those bloody stairs!"

Harry stepped into the stone room and apparated to the front gates of the school, hearing the laughter following him.


	7. Chapter 7

Severus watched from the high table as Blake Sun made his way into the Great Hall. The man started at the Gryffindor table as he greeted a few of the younger students. He clipped Potter on the back of the head for being too loud before moving on to the older students. He took a seat next to a couple of the students briefly as he spoke to them about their studies.

Severus had never seen another teacher like him, even if he wasn't a true teacher he still worked with students the same way. He worked through the Hufflepuffs then spent a long time at the Ravenclaw table before making his way to his Slytherins.

Unlike many teachers that would shy away from his snakes. Blake spent the same amount of time as he would for any of the other house. He even decided to have a bit of breakfast with a couple of sixth year students, before clapping his hand on Draco's shoulder. Severus's godson looked up at Blake with a smile and not a hint of a smirk.

Yes, Blake Sun was not like anyone he had ever met and he was sure that the man didn't think of himself as anything different. The man looked up suddenly and locked eyes with Severus and winked, which went straight to through him as Severus smirked back. He could feel Umbridge's stare on his back but he didn't care.

Blake settled himself at the Ravenclaw table with some fifth-year students and one of them pulled out that piece of silver and started animating it. It wasn't up to the standard of what Blake could do but was still impressive. He noticed Minerva watching them closely. She had already had a whine to him about the fact that Blake didn't use transfiguration to animate the silver. Severus was sure that she was just annoyed that she couldn't work out what spell he was using and was too proud to ask. Severus threw a smirk in her direction and her lips thinned.

"He is definitely different," Albus muttered to him, taking the empty seat beside him.

"That he is," Severus agreed.

"Not what I was expecting," The Headmaster continued, his blue eyes locked on the man in question. "I was talking to Minerva and we agree that it would be a good idea to strengthen the wards that Mr Sun recommended, now that Voldemort has come back to power."

"What changed your mind?" Severus asked softly.

The headmaster's head tilted towards Blake.

"He did," The Headmaster responded. "I'll ask him after his meeting with Mr Dracka, to see if he is willing to strengthen them. I'll need your help as well."

"Of course, Albus." Severus replied.

Albus clapped Severus on the shoulder and moved back to his assigned seat. Severus looked back down at Blake as he showed the fifth year Ravenclaw how to work with a piece of gold now that he had mastered the silver. A few other students from other houses moved over to watch, a sight that was very rarely seen outside of the classroom. Yes, Blake Sun was a very different man to what the wizarding world was used to.

xXx

Harry placed his bag on the ground of the Paris International Portkey Platform as he waited for Ry and Severus to appear. A couple of minutes later Severus then Ry appeared in front of him and Severus gave Ry a shove towards Harry.

"Trouble?" Harry asked sweetly.

Severus muttered something under his breath as Ry smiled up at him innocently.

"Nothing," Ry said smartly.

Harry raised an eyebrow, but let it slide.

"Come on then," Harry announced.

He led the way to the apparation zone of the Platform. Harry could hear Severus and Ry hissing between each other but couldn't make out the words, so he just ignored them. Once he was in the apparation zone he grabbed each of his boys and they disappeared.

Harry stumbled slightly as they landed and Ry and Severus held him up. A look passing between the two. Harry steadied himself and placed his cane on the ground and they made their way up a familiar path through the village towards the mansion in the distance. Ry looked around in curiosity but then pulled back to Harry's side when the locals started staring.

"Why are they staring?" Ry whispered.

"Because they like to be creepy," Harry replied, making Severus snort.

"Dad!" Ry admonition.

"This village is home to a magical creature known as Shakas," Harry replied.

Severus sucked in a breath.

"Shakas?" Ry questioned, looking around. "They look human."

"They mostly are," Harry replied. "Their tears are used in a few potions, which they are hunted for."

"Really?"

"Yes," Harry answered. "I was called in to ward the village over ten years ago."

"Why do they stare then?" Ry asked quietly.

"Because they don't trust us," Harry retorted.

"But you-"

"There was a misunderstanding," Harry cut across Ry, as they stepped up to the main gates of the mansion.

Ry and Severus started when the hellhounds came running towards the gate, barking and snarling. Harry placed his hand on Severus's arm and pushed his wand down.

"Put it away," Harry whispered.

A tall dark-haired man made his way down the lawn, as the hellhounds milled around the gate. Their red eyes flashing and teeth bared.

"Have you come with an answer, Sun?" Dracka asked as he reached the gate.

"Yes," Harry nodded. "Do we have safe passage?"

"Yes," Dracka replied and looked Severus and Ry over and Harry tensed. "You and your companions have protection while on this soil."

Harry felt Ry shiver beside him as the spell settled around them.

"Thank you."

Dracka just glared at Harry for a few minutes before opening the gate. Severus tensed beside him and Harry grabbed his arm in comfort before stepping forward. The hellhounds stepped back but stayed close. Dracka turned on his heels, his black coat flaring out around him before striding back towards the mansion. The hellhounds close on his heels.

"What's his problem?" Ry hissed.

"I killed his brother," Harry answered, making Ry gasp and Severus pale.

Harry limped towards the mansion saying no more on the matter. When they reached the main hall, it was packed. Light creatures, dark creatures, wizards, witches and everything in between took up every space around the huge room. Ry pulled in close to Harry and even Severus moved close to him as they walked up the middle of the room to the high table.

Harry bowed to the Council members with Severus and Ry following his lead.

"The Council welcomes you," Dracka intoned.

"Thank you," Harry replied. "My companions Severus Snape and Harry Potter."

"Rolf Dracka," The dark haired man in the middle introduced. "Sam Shifta, Gorge Folt, Broxon Silver and Frank Ace."

Dracka introduced the men to his left, each one nodding at their name.

"And Gert Filler, Sally Pearson and Millie Grower." Dracka finished, introducing the women to his right.

Harry nodded at the men and women along the board, feeling the eyes of the people around him.

"I agree with the terms of the Treaty," Harry said loudly, making his voice heard all around the room. "For a period of two years, with an option to extend every ten years after that."

A roar of voices called out around him. Harry stood tall as his eyes locked on the high table.

"Silence!" Dracka called and the noise of the hall dropped. "That was not part of the terms, Sun!"

"The goblins of Gringotts would not agree to anything else," Harry replied calmly as the whispers started up around him. "Harry Potter is also underage so he falls under my protection before he can make his own decision in two years' time."

"The goblins agreed?" Sally asked, her black ears twitching.

"They do," Harry agreed. "As do many more of my contacts."

"Please give us a few minutes?" Broxon Silver asked.

"Take all the time you need," Harry replied.

The man nodded and a silencing charm came up around the high table.

"Goblins?" Severus hissed at him, looking pale.

Harry nodded. "Took me a whole day, but they will back me."

"How in hell did you get them to agree with this?" Severus asked gobsmacked.

"Must have been my charms and good looks," Harry smirked.

Ry gagged next to him and Harry swiped the back of his head, gently.

"We have come to an agreement," Dracka announced, pulling Harry's attention back to him. "We agree with the terms you have given us for the Treaty."

Harry grinned up at the high table and stepped forward. Dracka moved around the table to stand in front of him and looked down his nose at the wizard. He pulled a steel knife from his pocket and sliced into his palm. He hesitated slightly before passing the knife to Harry.

Harry took the knife in his right hand and passed the blade across his left, cutting deep enough to draw blood. He clasped hands with Dracka, magic swirling around the two men. Dracka grinned, showing off his fangs as the magic settled on them.

"Mote it be," Harry intoned.

"Mote it be," Dracka agreed, then released Harry's hand.

The cut was nowhere to be seen as the room erupted into noise.

"You are still not forgiven," Dracka hissed.

Harry nodded in agreement.

"I understand." Harry whispered.

"But I can work with you," Dracka said reluctantly.

"I'm a joy to work with," Harry replied with a grin. "You'll be back to loathing me with a passion in no time."

Dracka barked a laugh, before turning back to the room.

"So mote it be," He called and the room mirrored his words.

Harry stepped back with Severus and Ry and grabbed the boy's hand.

"Let's go home," Harry muttered. "I need a drink."

"Dad!" Ry squeaked, to Severus's amusement.

xXx

Harry stood with the other Heads of Houses and the Headmaster on the grounds of Hogwarts. He had a couple of bars of gold in front of him on the lawn as the teachers looked on in interest.

"So," Harry said. He slipped out of his shoes and jacket as he looked around at the teachers. "Headmaster, please move back a couple of meters in front of me. Severus and Minerva please step to the right. Pomone and Filius move to the left. If you could stand in a rough circle I can get started."

Harry took a seat on the grass in front of the bars of gold and placed a silver knife beside them. A few students milled around and the teachers looked around unsure.

"Should we move the students back?" Professor McGonagall questioned.

"No," Harry replied. "They are part of Hogwarts as well."

The woman frowned and glanced over at the Headmaster but he just smiled at her, much to the woman's frustration. A few more students started to gather. Harry ignored them as he took a gold bar in his hand and with a whispered spell the bar split into four even parts before him. He took two of the bars and placed them to the top and the bottom of the four smaller pieces of gold. The other two bars to the sides so that they circled the smaller one.

"How much are those worth?" Severus asked, looking down at the gold bars.

Harry grinned up at him.

"Do you really want to know?" Harry remarked with a glint in his eyes.

"Did they come out of the school budget?" Professor McGonagall questioned, her lips thinned.

"Nope," Harry said mildly.

"Blake has kindly donated them," The Headmaster answered.

Harry grinned up at the teachers around him.

"I'm sure the Potters would be happy with the donation." Harry commented with a wink.

Severus snorted before looking at the students gathered around them. Harry pulled himself to his feet with the help of his cane and stepped over the gold bars so that they were behind him.

"Okay, Ready?" Harry asked.

The teachers nodded a little nervously.

"Headmaster," Harry began. "I will be using dark magic as well as light, so just a warning."

Minerva's lips thinned even more and Severus was sure that she was close to snapping.

"Do what you must, my boy." Albus said with a smile.

Harry looked around at the students watching.

"Any student watching please stay back at least five meters," Harry called out. "I'm sure one of the teachers here would be happy to give a detention to any student that would disregard that order."

Severus smirked and the students moved back.

"If I call out your house I want you to call out 'so mote it be' with your Head of House." Harry said, looking around. "Understand?"

"Yes, sir."

Harry stepped back over the gold bars as everyone agreed. He took a seat on the grass again and closed his eyes as he cast his mind out to the wards under his feet and above his head. He picked them up with his mind as he focused on them. He held his wards lightly with his cherry wand in his left hand and the dark wand in his right.

Many of the teachers and students had never seen someone working with two wands before. Even, Severus was amazed by the way that the wizard before him could work with so much magic at one time.

Harry was oblivious to all of this as he cast his mind out and become a part of the wards as the castle woke up. He could feel the students and other teachers moving around, living their lives as he grounded himself to the earth under him. He felt the castle start to take an interest as she realised what he was doing and felt the magic of the castle brush against his mind. He gently touched that strand of magic.

Most people would have gone mad at that first touch but Harry had hundreds of years of skills working with strong magic under his belt as he looked into the wards carefully. Picking up the protection wards and the castle wards. With a whisper he had the full gold bars melting on the ground before him.

The teachers and students watched as the full gold bars just melted, leaving the four smaller pieces and slowly moved together into one piece. The mound of gold started to change shape and a small line of gold moved away like a wire reeling out along the ground. It moved away from Harry and behind the teachers until it lopped around them in a circle at their backs. Once the gold looped back on itself, it thickened, then stilled.

" _Praesidio_ ," Harry whispered and the gold circle flared to life.

Harry carefully moved to his feet with the silver knife in his hand. Both of his wands held in the other hand. He looked up with slightly glowing green eyes and the teachers shifted nervously. Harry placed his wands away and held his hand out and a piece of gold flew up to him. With a muttered spell the gold twisted into the shape of a snake on his palm, its gold eyes shining in the sun as the snake moved and reared its head up.

Harry limped to Severus and stepped in front of him. Severus shivered slightly as Harry's eyes locked with him.

"Do you stand for the Slytherin house?" Harry asked softly.

"Yes," Severus replied.

Harry held the knife out to him, hilt first and Severus took it in his hand.

"Please cut your palm and let a drop of blood fall onto the ground then hold your palm up," Harry requested softly as he held onto the magic of Hogwarts.

Severus did as asked, watching the drop of blood fall before turning his palm up the other way and passed the knife back with the other. Harry let the snake in his hand fall to Severus's palm.

"Do the members of Slytherin house agree to the terms of the school of Hogwarts, if so please call out. 'So mote it be'," Harry called loudly.

"So mote it be," Severus muttered as members of his house echoed his words and the snake in his palm curled up and stilled.

Harry nodded and moved to Minerva and looked at her. The woman met his eyes. Harry called the next piece of gold into his hand and the gold twisted into the shape of a golden griffin.

"Do you stand for the house of Gryffindor?" Harry asked.

"Yes," Minerva replied.

Harry held the knife out to her, the blade clean, the woman took it in her hand and cut into her palm and let a drop of blood fall to the ground before passing it back. She held her hand out, palm up. Harry let the gold griffin fall into her hand.

"Do the members of Gryffindor house agree to the terms of the school of Hogwarts, if so please call out?"

"So mote it be," Minerva chanted softly, her words echoed by her students.

Harry nodded and moved passed the Headmaster to Professor Sprout. The next piece of gold flew into his hand and shifted into the form of a badger. Harry held out the knife and the woman cut her palm allowing her blood to fall to the ground before passing the knife back. She held her hand up for the badger.

"Do you stand for the house of Hufflepuff?" Harry asked softly.

"Yes," The small woman replied and Harry let the badger fall into her palm.

"Do the members of Hufflepuff agree to the terms of the school of Hogwarts, if so please call out." Harry called.

The magic was starting to burn in his veins as it built up. He clenched his hand around the knife in his hand to stop it shaking.

"So mote it be."

Harry moved to Professor Flitwick and held out the knife, the man hesitated. Harry waited without moving any closer, holding the magic. The other teachers shifted and Severus grew concerned. Albus went to step forward but Harry held up a hand to the man as he held the knife out to the small man.

Harry gritted his teeth as the magic burned in his system. The short man slowly reached out and grabbed the silver knife but didn't cut his hand.

"Do you stand for the house of Ravenclaw?" Harry questioned, his voice wavering slightly.

"I do," The small man said. "But I will not bleed on this ground."

Harry bowed his head as the ground under his feet groaned. The others looked around in concern. Harry held his hand out for the knife and Flitwick passed it back.

"Will you allow me to stand in your place in your offering?" Harry whispered.

"I do," Flitwick agreed.

Harry cut his palm and allowed a drop of his blood to fall to the ground. He held his hand up and the piece of gold flew into his palm and changed into the shape of a raven. Harry held his hand out and Flitwick held out his palm under his and Harry let the piece of gold, as well as his blood, to fall onto the man's hand.

"Do the members of Ravenclaw agree to the terms of the school of Hogwarts, if so please call out," Harry said softly, locking his eyes with Flitwick's.

"So mote it be," The man whispered, his house echoing his words.

Harry held the man's eyes for a few seconds more before turning to Albus. He limped over to the man. Blue eyes met glowing green easily.

"Do you stand for Hogwarts?" Harry asked.

"I do." The Headmaster said strongly.

Harry held out the knife, the Headmaster took it and cut his palm letting his blood drop. The ground hummed as the blood landed on the ground, the Headmaster went to pass the knife back but Harry stepped back.

Harry moved back to the place he had started at and sat back down. He picked up the four strands of magic and the link with the Headmaster and twisted them together before tying them down into the earth. The gold line sunk into the earth behind them as the gold creatures rose into the air before disappearing. Harry channelled his magic into the ground and stones around him. Dark magic mingling with light as the blood soaked into the grass.

"So mote it be," Harry whispered and released the wards.

Everything was silent and Harry opened his eyes. Severus was relieved that they were back to their normal pale green.

"Thank you everyone," Harry told the group. "That's it."

Flitwick looked around nervously but Harry just nodded at the man and the short man nodded back before he moved off. Severus looked after the man with a frown as he looked down at Harry.

"Well done, Mr Sun." The Headmaster congratulated as he held the silver knife out.

Harry looked at the knife for a couple of seconds before taking the hilt and placing it on the ground next to him. He leaned back on his hands and stretched his legs out.

"That was great, Dad!" Ry cried as he rushed over taking a seat next to his father.

Severus looked down at the two before with a sigh. He sat down on the grass with the other two, much to the Potters amusement. He looked down at his hand, seeing no evidence of the cut he'd made before looking. Harry gave him a grin and a wink when he looked at him.

"When you use blood correctly in rituals or spell work," Harry explained. "It will heal the cuts as the magic settles. In this case, cuts made with silver heals cleaner. I don't know why."

"And if you don't use it correctly?" Severus asked.

"It won't heal it," Harry said shortly, his eye catching on the scar on the inside of his elbow.

"What is going on here!?"

Everyone looked over and groaned as a whirlwind of pink came rushing towards them. Harry sighed and looked up at the Headmaster.

"Your turn Headmaster," Harry told the man. "I've done my part."

Ry and Severus huffed as a laugh as the Headmaster sighed. He moved towards the woman.

"Dolores, my dear." The Headmaster cried with a smile as he took the woman's arm in his as he moved her away.

"I think I got off easy," Harry muttered.

Severus snorted.

"What was the deal with Professor Flitwick?" Ry asked.

"Ah, yeah." Harry muttered and ran a hand over his head. "I forgot."

"And what would that have been?" Severus drawled.

Harry's eyes flicked to Ry.

"Um," Harry said softly. "You can't tell anyone, understand?"

Severus and Ry nodded.

"He has light creature blood in his veins," Harry explained. "I forgot. It would have thrown the ritual off, if he'd added his blood to the spell. The good thing is that he is a charms Professor and knew that. It would have been a lot harder to hold the wards with his magic added to the mix but I would have been able to handle it. I forgot to talk to the man beforehand."

Ry just gaped at him as Severus snorted.

xXx

Harry looked up, startled as Neville Longbottom cashed through his door out of breath.

"Neville!" Harry cried, rushing across the room and kneeling down beside the boy.

"What happened?" Harry asked.

"Ry," The boy gasped, gulping in air. "Was screaming in his sleep!"

"Just take a few breaths," Harry crooned as he rubbed the boy's back calmly. "Just calm down."

"He said he saw a snake and then he threw up," Neville gasped.

Harry stood up straight as he felt a chill.

"You stay here and calm down Mr Longbottom." Harry ordered softly.

"No," The boy yelped, jumping to his feet. "I mean sir. I'm coming with you."

Harry grinned and moved to his office and to the picture at the back of the room. Neville looked on as Harry pushed open the picture and stepped through. Neville gasped as he found himself at the bottom of the stairs leading up to the Gryffindor common room.

"Wow," Neville gasped as Harry closed the portrait behind him and hurried up the stairs.

"Password, Mr Longbottom?" Harry asked softly.

"Grumble bum," Neville said to the portrait of the fat lady.

"Thank you, Mr Longbottom." Harry said stepping through. "Could you wake Professor McGonagall please?"

Neville nodded and ran off. Harry made his way up to his son's dorm room. He opened the door to find his son throwing up on the floor with Ron looking very pale. While Dean and Seamus standing over in the corner of the room whispering. Everything went silent as Harry entered the room and made his way over to his son.

He banished the vomit and conjured up a cup of water and placed it on the bedside table, before pulling a bowl from the air and placing it in his son's lap. He pushed Ry back in the bed and spoke calmly to him as he rubbed his shoulder soothingly.

"Dad?" Ry whispered, looking up at him with bright green eyes.

"Sh," Harry cooed. "It's okay, you're safe."

McGonagall entered the room and shooed, Dean and Seamus out. Leaving Ry, Harry and Ron in the room.

"Is he okay?" McGonagall asked Harry softly.

Harry ran his hand over the boy's back as he threw up again.

"I'm not sure," Harry replied as he turned to Ron. "Did he say anything to you?"

"He said something about my father being attacked by a snake," Ron recounted, his voice shaking. "Was it a nightmare?"

"No," Ry gasped. "I saw it!"

"Through the scar Ry?" Harry asked.

He pushed the boy's hair back from the curse scar, it was bright red and swollen. McGonagall gasped, her hand covering her mouth with wide eyes.

"I'll get the Headmaster." The woman whispered.

"Thank you, Minerva." Harry said, relieved he wouldn't have to climb all those stairs.

"Dad," Ry gasped. "You have to believe me, I saw Mr Weasley get attacked."

"Sh," Harry smoothed. "I believe you."

Harry turned to the very pale Ron. He reached out a hand and grasped the boy's arm. Ron startled at the touch and looked at him with wide eyes.

"It's okay Mr Weasley," Harry said softly. "We'll get this all sorted out."

"But my dad," Ron whispered.

"The Headmaster will take care of it," Harry replied.

"I will indeed, Mr Sun." The Headmaster announced as he entered the dorm room. "I already have people checking up on your father as we speak."

Ron nodded numbly and sat on the edge of his bed.

"You believe me," Ry said in a small voice.

"Of course, Ry." Harry cooed and showed the Headmaster Ry's curse scar.

The Headmaster nodded in agreement.

"Mr Weasley, please come with me." Albus ordered softly. "Blake, can you look after your son?"

"Yes, Headmaster." Harry replied. He could already see that the boy's eyes were closing. "Thank you."

"I'm sorry Ron," Ry whispered to the red headed child.

Ron nodded and followed the Headmaster out of the room. McGonagall looked around the dorm room and cast a quick spell to clear the air and vomit in the bowl Ry held. Harry gave her a nod in thanks.

"I'll send the boys back in," McGonagall said quietly.

"Thank you Minerva," Harry whispered, stroking Ry's hair.

Dean, Seamus and Neville re-entered the room quietly. Neville came straight up to Ry and Harry.

"Are you okay Ry?" Neville asked.

"Yes, Neville." Ry replied tiredly.

"Please go to your beds, boys." Harry ordered.

Harry passed Ry a sleeping draught and watched as Ry drank it down and settled in for the night. He placed the bowl on the boy's bedside table before closing the curtains around the bed. He stood up and looked around the dorm room, memories of his own time in this room assaulting him.

"Will he be okay?" Neville asked in a small voice.

Harry looked over at the blonde haired child. He could have easily been the boy who lived, Harry thought as he moved over to the boy.

"He should be," Harry replied. "Could you keep an eye on him and Ron for me please?"

"Yes, sir." Neville nodded nervously. "They are my friends."

"Thank you, Mr Longbottom."

There was nothing else he could do now. The Headmaster would take care of everything. He would have to talk to Ry in the morning, he thought as limped slowly back to his rooms, his thoughts troubled.

xXx

"So Dark Mark."

Severus's started at Harry's words like he had been jolted with electricity.

"What?" Severus asked dumbly then snapped his month closed.

"Your Dark Mark," Harry clarified.

They were sitting in Harry's rooms with the radio playing lightly in the background as they worked on their different projects.

"Yes?" Severus asked, looking uncomfortable.

"Has he called you?" Harry asked, sitting forward in his chair.

"Yes," Severus replied slowly. "I haven't answered as you told me before his rise to power."

Harry nodded. "Can I have a look?"

Severus smirked and got to his feet. He removed his robes and rolled up the left sleeve of his long-sleeved shirt. Harry stood and limped over to the man, taking his arm in his hands. The snake in the skull hissed silently at him its red eyes blazing. The black of the snake and skull as dark as pitch.

"Is it as dark as it was when he was in power before?" Harry asked, running a finger down his forearm and feeling the ridges of the tattoo.

"Yes," Severus replied shortly.

Harry placed his hand over the mark and could feel the tattoo moving under his palm. The darkness from the spell, leaking slightly out around his fingers. He could feel the link to the Dark Lord under his hand, the spell now complete.

"It's an interesting spell," Harry remarked, absentmindedly.

"I wouldn't call it that," Severus said sourly.

"Do you know another Death Eater that you trust?" Harry questioned. "Someone that wants out?"

Severus thought about it before saying, "I have someone in mind, why?"

"I may be able to break the link with the Dark Lord in the mark if I had two sources to draw on," Harry explained, stepping back from Severus.

The Slytherin looked up at Harry with glinting black eyes.

"What?" Harry uttered.

Severus chuckled low in his throat, making Harry shiver.

"What?" Harry repeated.

"You are one of a kind," Severus said smoothly.

"Of course I am," Harry said with a grin. "I'm Blake Sun!"

Severus grabbed the other man and backed him up to the lounge until the back of Harry's knees hit the edge. He fell back onto it with a grunt. Severus looked down at him before following him down with his knees on either side of the man. He dipped forward and took Harry into a kiss as his hands slipped up his shirt.

"That you are," Severus murmured into his neck, making Harry shiver.

"God," Harry gasped. "I love your voice."

Severus pulled back and looked down into Harry's pale green eyes and gave him a grin. Severus ran his hands under the man's shirt and slowly pulled it up. Harry raised his arms letting Severus take the shirt off. Severus ran his fingers over the scar on his right side from Draco stabbing him. Harry shivered at the contact as Severus gently ran his fingers over his chest. He reached forward and tugged at Severus's shirt.

"No fair you know," Harry muttered.

Severus just smirked and kissed his neck as Harry laid back on the lounge allowing the other man to set the pace. When he felt Severus's fingers working on his belt he opened his eyes to look up at him. The look in Severus's eyes stole his breath. There was a raw look on his face and Harry quirked a smile.

xXx

Missing scene due to rating. Full story can be found on my AO3 account under the pen name black_blade.

xXx

He felt Severus settle down on his lap, running his hands down his sides as he cracked an eye open to look up at him.

"I feel under dressed," Harry whispered.

"Ha," Severus barked a laugh and used his wand to clean them up.

Severus stood up and dropped his slacks to the floor.

"Better?" Severus asked with a smirk.

"Much," Harry replied, looking the man over.

Severus kicked his shoes off before holding a hand out to Harry. Harry took the hand and Severus pulled him to his feet.

"Bedroom?" Severus suggested.

"Bedroom," Harry agreed.

xXx

Ry was surprised to see his father waiting with Snape at his next Occlumency lesson down in the dungeons.

"Dad?" Ry asked as he shut the door behind him. "What are you doing here?"

"You've been having visions," His father stated, making Ry feel guilty. "And your Occlumency lessons are not working."

"I've been trying!" Ry yelped, glaring over at Snape.

Snape just looked back at him blandly, his black eyes unreadable. He looked back at his father who just sighed.

"I know Ry," Blake said softly. "We think your mind is just not suited to this kind of magic."

"Or you are letting the Dark Lord into your mind," Snape said darkly.

"I am not!" Ry snapped at Snape. "I've been working hard!"

"Just hear us out, Ry." Blake cut in, stepping between the two.

Snape sneered and looked away from Ry.

"Severus has seen memories in your head he is concerned about," His father explained. "Which makes me concerned."

Ry looked away from his father. Blake moved forward and tilted his chin up until he had to look his father in the eye.

"I'm sorry," Ry whispered.

His father smiled sadly and clasped a hand on his shoulder.

"The Dark Lord is trying to get into your mind, Potter." Snape snapped. "He is sending you visions, they are not real."

"But what about the vision of Mr Weasley?" Ry countered with a glare. "That was real!"

"You have a connection to the Dark Lord, Ry." His father explained and Ry could see a lecture coming. "That connection was made with the murder of your mother."

Ry flinched at the words, his father didn't sugar coat his words or hold back when he explained something. Ry noticed that Snape had paled at Blake's words as well.

"It's a link that runs deep since it was made with a death and blood," Blake continued as he looked at the floor. "It was not meant to happen. The link between you and the Dark Lord was unintentional which both makes it weaker and stronger at the same time."

"Is that why I can feel what he feels?" Ry whispered.

"In part yes," His father replied, not looking up. "It is also why it is harder for you to tell the difference between a real vision and a fake one. He is now aware of the link Ry and he will use it against you."

His father looked up, his eyes cold as they looked at him. Ry could see the anger there as well but he knew it wasn't directed at him.

"That vision of Mr Weasley was not meant to get through to you," Blake explained before he looked away from Ry. "What are these memories that he is sending you?"

Blake focused his eyes back on his son and Ry looked down at his shoes.

"They are about the Department of Mysteries." Ry muttered softly

"The Department of Mysteries?" Blake asked with a frown. "He must be after the prophecy."

"What prophecy?" Ry asked.

Blake looked up at him and Ry shivered at the look in his eyes.

"There was a prophecy made a long time ago." Blake explained quietly

"About me?" Ry asked softly.

"Not everything is about you Potter!" Snape snorted.

Blake elbowed the other man in the ribs, which Ry smirked at.

"The prophecy could have been about two children," Blake stated, ignoring Snape behind him. "Neville Longbottom or yourself. That was why your parents went into hiding. The Dark Lord must be after the prophecy."

"We have to stop him!" Ry cried.

"I have the prophecy, Ry." Blake said calmly. "What we need to do now is stop the Dark Lord from getting into your mind."

"You have it?" Ry gasped, feeling slightly betrayed.

His father nodded and said, "You are welcome to view it?"

"Really?" Ry asked hopeful.

"Of course," Blake said with a smile and placed his hand on Ry's shoulder. "To tell you the truth, it slipped my mind that I had it. It might be a better idea to view it after we have worked out how to keep the Dark Lord from your mind."

"This connection," Ry said softly. "You can't break it?"

His father looked at him with unreadable eyes as he held himself still. Ry felt a ball of coldness in his stomach.

"No," His father said shortly.

Silence fell around the office and Ry shifted slightly at the look in his father's eyes as he looked him over.

"Now about your lesson," Blake said, standing up straighter.

Ry groaned.

xXx

Harry leaned against the wall in Severus's office and watched again as his son fell to Severus's spell. He had to stop himself from stepping forward and shielding him from the spell.

"Okay stop," Harry called and Severus lifted his wand.

Ry stayed on the floor, breathing heavily.

"This is not working," Harry muttered, it seemed his son had even worse barriers in his mind than Harry did at his age. "Why is this not working?"

"He is not clearing his mind," Severus spat, frustrated at the lack of advancement.

"I am too!" Ry cried, jumping to his feet with his eyes blazing green.

"Then you should be able to stop me!" Severus yelled.

Ry and Severus stood toe to toe. They glared at each other while Harry just sighed and he rubbed a hand down his face.

"All you have said is 'clear my mind!'"

"Which you can't even master!"

"That's not instructions!"

" _Legilimens_!" Severus hissed.

"Oh, god." Harry shook his head, knowing this couldn't end well.

Both men froze and Harry watched in fascination. He could feel the spell move to Ry then suddenly it flared back at Severus then both men were stumbling back from each other. Harry stood up straight as Ry looked up at his Professor with wide green eyes.

"I-" Ry started.

"Get out!" Severus shouted.

"That was my-"

"Out!"

"My father-"

"Stop!" Harry shouted and both men turned to him having forgotten he was standing there. "What just happened?"

"I saw inside his head," Ry said softly. "My father was being nasty."

"You father was nasty," Severus spat.

"I never knew him!" Ry cried.

Harry shook his head as they started up again.

"Enough!" Harry shouted as he hit the floor with his cane, causing a loud bang.

His son and lover froze in place, nose to nose. They turned slowly to look over at him.

"Stop acting like children!" Harry snapped sternly, limping towards the two and they both recoiled back. "This is more important than how nasty James Potter was or you were Severus! The man is long dead and buried!"

Ry flinched back at the words and Harry sighed and pinched his nose.

"What I am trying to say is that whatever you just did, Ry." Harry explained. "It worked."

"I-I'm not sure what I did," Ry stuttered. "I was just so angry!"

Ry glared at Snape who glared back. Harry could feel a headache coming on.

"Can strong emotions create a barrier?" Harry asked Severus, with a frown.

"The theory is there," Severus agreed, reluctantly.

Harry sighed.

"Okay Ry," Harry said. "Maybe we should call this a night?"

Ry nodded and quickly grabbed his bag then gave Harry a hug before dashing out of the office. Harry leaned back against the table behind him with a frown. Severus moved to stand in front of him.

"Will it be enough?" Harry asked, looking up at Severus.

"To shield his mind?" Severus asked with a frown.

"To keep him alive?" Harry clarified, his heart clenching in his chest.

Severus stepped forward until their legs touched. He gently placed his fingers under Harry's chin and tilted his head up. They locked eyes.

"We can only try," Severus whispered.

"I can't lose him, Severus." Harry said softly.

Severus gathered him up in a hug and Harry let his head rest against the man's chest, taking in the comfort. Severus didn't bother saying any empty promises just gave what comfort he could to the other man.


	8. Chapter 8

Harry was working with Sean Goulber from Ravenclaw near the end of the year when everything came to ahead.

"Okay," Harry said calmly, watching the two metals twisting together.

The boy was concentrating very hard, sweat breaking out on his brow as he worked the metals together.

"That's it," Harry said softly. "Just soften the gold a little more."

The gold flowed a little quicker as the boy worked the two metals into the bracelet he was trying to make. The spell was very complex and took a lot of concentration to hold them together as the boy worked. Harry watching carefully in case the boy slipped in his spell work but so far he hadn't had to help.

"Very good," Harry encouraged. "Just one last twist, then harden the metals again and you are done."

The boy worked the metals into place before hardening them together.

BANG!

Both Sean and Harry looked up as Severus crashed into the room.

"Your son!" Severus quickly said.

Harry was across the room before Severus could finish what he was saying, leaving Sean looking after the two men.

"What happened?" Harry demanded quickly.

Severus was leading them out of the school and Harry paled.

"Albus contacted me," Severus explained quickly. "Potter and his friends left through one of the fireplaces to the Ministry of Magic. Albus has gathered the Order in his office and he is waiting for us."

Harry quickly pulled out his phone and dialled the Department of Mysteries number then paled as his phone just beeped at him. He tried Kingsley's number with the same results.

"I can't get through to the Department or Kingsley," Harry reported to Severus beside him. "The line's been cut or corrupted."

Harry's phone suddenly rang in his hand.

"Blake," Harry answered.

"Blake, the Ministry has been cut off completely." Albus said in a rush. "We can't get in."

Harry swore as all his carefully laid plans came unravelling around him. His son had run off even after he had warned him. The Ministry had been blocked and he couldn't get a hold of anyone. Everything he had put into place, in case something like this happened, was for nothing.

"I can't get into contact with Kinsley," Harry replied. "Are you able to contact him?"

"Yes," Albus commented. "I have him here in my office as well as the Order."

"Severus and I are heading to your office now," Harry reported. "Can you pass the phone to Kingsley?"

"Blake," Kingsley greeted, once he had the phone. "I can't contact anyone with a phone from the Ministry or with any other communication device linked through the Ministry."

"The news just keeps getting better and better," Harry muttered. "He must have had someone corrupt the link in the phones. My phone isn't connected to the Ministry's network."

"The Ministry has been blocked off as well." Kingsley reported. "We can't get any information into or out of the place."

"Okay," Harry replied. "We'll be up in a minute."

Harry hung up and pulled his portkey from his pocket as Severus grabbed his arm. Severus's hand tightened around his arm as they landed and Harry quickly moved through to Albus's office. There were people all around him as they moved through to Albus and Kingsley. He quickly threw up a silencing charm around them.

"Your son and some of his friends were able to use the floo to get to the Ministry," Albus told him. "Straight after that, the Ministry went into lock down and we were cut off."

"There was a attack in East London and the Dark Mark was spotted," Kingsley reported. "Auror teams that were on duty were dispatched."

"Was it a attack?" Harry questioned.

"I haven't been able to find out," Kingsley admitted. "All lines of communication went down after they arrived."

"Is this Voldemort, Blake?" Albus asked softly.

"Yes," Harry replied. "He has been trying to get Ry to go to the Department by sending him visions. We told the boy they were fake and he was not to go."

Harry was frustrated and pissed off but he had to push those feelings to the side and deal with a problem at hand. He could yell at his son later.

"He would have flooed straight to the Department," Harry muttered as he ran a hand over his head. "I have been down there with him before."

Albus and Severus looked at him in interest but he ignored it.

"Okay," Harry announced as he thought through their options and looked around at the Order as they looked at them in interest or suspicion. "I'm going to have to punch a hole through the wards. So, that means I'll have to get the goblins to pass the base wards over to me."

"How are you going to do that?" Severus asked softly.

Harry gave him a wink.

"Just give me a minute," Harry said easily.

He pulled his phone out of his pocket and moved back but still within the boundary of the silencing charm around them. He flicked through his contacts until he found the number he wanted and pressed it. This was going to be the first test of the Treaty.

"Gringotts, London branch." A voice rumbled down the phone.

"It's Blake Sun, calling for Goldsmith." Harry said smoothly into the phone as the other wizards spoke quietly between each other.

"Yes, sir." The goblin said calmly. "Please wait."

Harry nodded as he pulled his silver knife and idly tapped it against his leg as he waited. The others paused in their conversation before turning away from him.

"What do you want, Sun?" The voice of Goldsmith demanded.

"I need you to hand over the base wards for the Ministry of Magic in London," Harry requested quickly. "The Dark Lord has taken over control of the connections with the building and placed it into lock down."

Silence greeted him for a couple of second.

"Where are you?" Goldsmith asked.

"Hogwarts."

"I'll be there in five minutes." Goldsmith replied reluctantly and hung up.

Harry smirked and slipped the phone and knife away as he turned back to the other three wizards.

"I'll be back in about five minutes," Harry told them. "Albus have everyone ready to go. If Bill is here, I will need him. We'll have to work fast."

"Okay, my boy." Albus replied.

Harry walked through the silencing charm breaking it and moved towards the stone room with Severus close behind him. All the eyes in the room were watching them. He would be the only person in the room that wasn't a member of the Order.

"Where are we going?" Severus asked, unsure.

"You can stay here," Harry offered. "I'm just going to the front gates. I won't be long."

"I'm going with you," Severus stated, stubbornly.

"Keeping an eye on me, Mr Snape?" Harry asked with a smirk and a wink and apparated to the front gates.

"That would be a full time job, Blake." Severus drawled when he appeared.

Harry gave him a small smile as he leaned back against the school gates and pulled his silver knife again to tap it against his leg as they waited.

"Why would he go to the Ministry?" Harry questioned, more to himself that Severus.

"I don't know," Severus replied as he leaned next to the man.

"Why did he not come to me?" Harry wondered. "Why would he act so recklessly? He can be so bloody stubborn."

Harry flipped the knife in his left hand a couple of times in thought.

"I would give you my opinion of the boy," Severus drawled. "But you are armed with a knife."

"And I know how to use it," Harry remarked with a smirk.

The two men looked up when a goblin appeared in front of them. Harry stepped forward with the silver knife still in his hand and kneeled down in front of the creature.

"Thank you for coming, Mr Goldsmith." Harry greeted quickly. "We have to do this quickly."

"You know the price?" The goblin inquired with a sneer, making Severus tense.

"Yes," Harry agreed and put his cane to the side.

The goblin looked down his long nose at Harry for a couple of minutes before pulling a knife from his own pocket. He sliced into his hand without another word. Harry cut his own hand with the silver knife.

"Only the London Ministry, Goldsmith." Harry stated sternly and the goblin gave him a smirk with a glint in his eyes. "I don't want any of the others."

"On my blood," The goblin rumbled.

"On my blood," Harry repeated and felt the magic settle around them.

Harry braced himself as he held his hand out and felt the wet grass soaking into his pants. The goblin grabbed his hand in his own. Information assaulted his mind and Harry quickly grabbed a hold of it as the link was made and passed to him. He worked through the link as he held the goblin's hand and everything else disappeared around him. The information flooded into his head about the wards and the state that the Ministry was in. It rushed into his head and Harry carefully filtered it all out.

He pushed all the useless information to the side as he grabbed a hold of the link that the goblin was holding. He took it into his mind and strengthened the connection before releasing the goblin's hand. His vision cleared and he looked up at the sneering face before him, the cut already healed on his hand.

"We have held our part," The goblin commented blandly. "You have one hour or your death before it passes back to us."

"Agreed," Harry confirmed as he held the link and pushed it to the side slightly. "Thank you."

Goldsmith's lips twisted up in what could have been a smile before the beast disappeared. Harry stayed where he was as he sorted out the link and made sure he had a good grasp on it before getting to his feet and turning to Severus. He held up the glass mouse and Severus grabbed his arm as Harry activated it.

Harry went to step forward but Severus held him back. He turned to the other man and raised his eyebrow in question.

"What was the price?" Severus asked, his dark eyes intense.

Harry gave a crooked smile.

"My sanity," Harry replied. "But I can hold it, Severus."

Severus's dark eyes bore into him as they stood there.

"We have to move Severus," Harry said softly.

"Everything ready, Blake?" The Headmaster asked from the doorway.

Severus held his arm a couple more seconds before releasing him.

"Yes, Albus." Harry said and grabbed Severus's hand briefly before moving into the office. "Kingsley, I need your badge to link in with the Auror department."

Kingsley moved forward and pulled his badge out and held it out to him without question.

"You can't use yours?" Kingsley asked.

"No," Harry answered as he took the badge, feeling the man's magic on it as he moved towards the fireplace where Bill stood waiting for him. "Bill, I need you to hold a couple of wards for me."

"What are you planning, Blake?" Albus asked as the rest of the Order looked on in interest.

Harry brought up a silencing charm around them.

"I hold the goblin's base wards for the Ministry but still have to get through the other wards," Harry quickly explained. "I will be making the link with the Auror department. I'm not sure how long I will be able to hold it. So Albus, I need you to go first. I won't be able to go through until after the last person. I'll bend the wards to the side to let you in and give you as much time as I can before I cut through them. They will be alerted the minute I cut through their wards to open the Ministry."

"Okay, my boy." Albus agreed as he clapped a hand on his shoulder.

Harry dropped the silencing ward as he stepped up to the fireplace and kneeled down to the side.

"Oh," Harry exclaimed as he looked over his shoulder Albus. "I may have you use dark magic. Just a heads up."

A few of the Order shifted and Harry could see mad eye watching him carefully out of the corner of his eye.

"Whatever you need to do, Blake." Albus replied with a smile.

Harry turned back to the fireplace as he slipped his silver knife out of his pocket again and cut into his palm with a sigh. It was a good thing that these things healed after they were used in a ritual or spell, or Harry was sure that his hands would be so scarred he wouldn't be able to close them.

Harry let a couple of drops of his blood fall on the fireplace stones and the flames flared up. He closed his eyes and held Kingsley's badge in one hand as he opened his mind and went looking for the connection in the fireplace. He hated linking in with the floo network it was too fluid under his hands and like to slip away without warning. It was also too easy to corrupt and send you to the wrong place.

"Okay, Bill." Harry announced, once he picked up the link with the floo. "Are you ready?"

"Yes, Blake." Bill replied as he sat next to Harry.

Harry reached out with his magic and Bill grabbed the connection Harry held out to him. He could feel the man's magic next to him as he fell into the link with the floo and Kingsley's badge in his hand. He grabbed the link harshly and held it tightly so it wouldn't wiggle away from him. He used the link with the badge and the Ministry and bumped up against the wards.

He passed the link between the Ministry and the fireplace to Bill as he focused on the wards. Bill took the link without question and held it tightly as Harry picked through the mess that the goblins had given him and the wards of the Ministry. He could feel the block and focused in on that magic as he used the goblin's wards to take him further in. He grinned as he saw the ward that he wanted and picked it up and bent it slightly, making a slight gap in the wards. He made it just large enough for the floo to get through.

He reached out to Bill and the man handed back the connection. Harry tied it all in together and opened the floo. The link felt like fire in his hands as he held it steady as it tried to get away from him every now and again. It didn't like to be held and Harry had to hold onto it tightly. He strengthened the direct connection from the Headmaster's office and the fireplace in the Auror Department.

"Okay," Harry stated, once he was sure he held everything in place. "Go."

Harry felt it as people passed over the link and held it tightly as the magic burned. He couldn't let it slip or wiggle away or someone would end up somewhere different than the Ministry or worse.

"Last one, Blake." Bill reported softly beside him.

"Once everyone is in," Harry replied. "I'm going to slice through this ward to open the Ministry."

"I could hold it?" Bill offered.

"No," Harry said with a smile. "No, you couldn't."

Harry felt the last person arrive and held it open for a few more minutes to give the Order time to get into place. He then picked up the ward that he'd bent and harshly sliced through it. He blinked open his eyes as he let go of his connection to the floo and flicked his hand at the slight sting in his fingers. Bloody things always bit him as he looked into the flickering flames and the bloody badge in his hand. He turned to Bill beside him and noticed how pale the boy looked.

"Are you okay?" Harry asked.

"Sorry, yes." Bill replied. "That was…fuck."

Harry smiled at the boy and clasped his shoulder. He passed the badge to him with a lopsided smile.

"I'm going to apparate into the Department directly." Harry told him. "You can use this badge to get into the Auror department. Tell Severus to help the children and I'll hunt down Ry."

"You're not going to use the floo?" Bill asked.

Harry got to his feet and held a hand out to the other man.

"Nah," Harry commented with a wink. "Don't trust them."

xXx

Severus looked around the deserted Auror department while he waited for Blake to arrive. He grew concerned when the fire went back to normal from the green colour it had been as Blake had worked. The fireplace suddenly flashed green and Bill arrived holding the Auror badge.

"Where's Blake?" Severus demanded.

"He said that he was going to apparate into the Department," Bill reported quickly. "He said for you to help the children and that he would hunt down Ry. His words not mine, sir."

Severus cursed the man.

"Do you know where the Department is?" Severus asked Bill.

"Follow the noise?" Bill replied with a shrug.

Severus just swore again as Bill grinned at him.

xXx

Harry palmed his badge and apperated from the front gates of the school to the Department of Mysteries. He could hear the noise the second he arrived and stepped out of the apparation room and into the hallway. He moved towards the noise and the rotating room as he pulled the elder wand.

He stepped into the rotating room and paused as he thought about where to go. He could hear the whispering in the back of his mind fade as his time ran out and the connection he had with the wards faded, leaving his mind free again.

"Veil of Death," Harry said softly into the room and a door opened to his left.

He stepped through the door and stepped into chaos. He swore as he looked around, the Order seemed to have the upper hand against the Death Eaters around him as Harry quickly spotted Ry.

He swore, as the time lines seemed to cross as he looked around and could almost feel the time magic in the air. Then a shiver went down his spine as he saw Sirius and the veil.

"No," Harry gasped as his eyes widened.

Harry quickly pulled dark magic around him in a shield and dashed forward as much as his leg would allow. He saw the minute that Bellatrix spell hit Sirius and with a cry he sent a spell across the room.

Sirius looked up in surprise as Harry's spell smashed into him sending him crashing to the side of the room. Harry winced as the man hit hard and Bellatrix turned in his direction, shock in her eyes. There was a pause in the room.

"No!"

Harry looked over to Ry, yelling at him being held back by Remus. Sirius sprawled out on the floor to the side of the veil. Remus looked at him with wide eyes.

"Get him out!" Harry thundered at the werewolf before moving forward, towards Bellatrix.

Bellatrix cried in glee and rushed towards Harry. Harry smiled grimly as the woman moved towards him with her wand held out. The woman's mad eyes glinting as they focused on him and Harry tightened his grip on his wand. His dark magic crackling across his skin.

"Dad!"

Bellatrix cackled in glee.

"Little Potter's father! Come to save your boy?" The woman cried.

"Yes," Harry stated shortly.

With a shout he sent a spell towards the woman who skipped to the side. She had flexibility on her side and Harry threw his cane to the side as a spell cut towards him. His shield absorbing the spell as the dark wand in his hand hummed at the magic around them. Harry grinned and skipped back. With a shout a black dog made of dark mists appeared, running towards the woman who cried out a spell cutting the beast in two.

Spells spun between the two as Harry moved closer to the woman. Every spell missing him while Harry's kept cutting through the woman's defences moving her further back in the room. The woman screamed in rage and yelled out the dreaded curse.

" _Avada Kedavra!"_

Harry pulled up the tiles in front of him to block the spell. The green light smashed into them, blowing them apart in front of him. Harry shielded his eyes and missed the next spell headed his way. The blue spell cut into his dark shield and smashed him, throwing him back into the wall behind him.

Bellatrix cackled madly moving forward. Harry lashed out with the dark magic gathered around him. The spell smashed into the woman throwing her from her feet and sending her sprawling.

" _Stupefy_!" Harry hissed quickly and the woman went limp.

Harry gathered up the dark magic again then turned to the next Death Eater. Suddenly a ripple went through the Death Eaters around him and then Harry felt it. That feeling of dark magic rolling through the building and he looked up.

Voldemort had arrived.

Harry looked around the room quickly before dashing back up the to the foyer of the Ministry. Following the dark signal Voldemort was giving out. Moving towards the greater threat.

Harry skittered into the Foyer to find Ry, Dumbledore and Voldemort and he cursed. He slowed his steps and tried not to draw attention to himself as he pulled his dark magic around him like a coat. Tapping into the magic in his core as he moved closer towards his son.

"Time to rid myself of one pain," Voldemort hissed, staring down at Ry. _"Avada Kedavra!"_

Harry lunged towards his son, knocking him out of the way of the killing curse. The green spell smashed into his side, burning into him as he gasped. He landed hard and gasped as his back smashed into the wall. Ry screamed his name and he flinched at the sound as fighting started up around him.

"Dad!" Ry yelled at him and he felt hands on his shoulders.

Harry screwed his eyes closed as he lay limp. The killing curse burning into him as the ring on his finger and the wand in his hand blazed hot. He could feel fire burning down his back and across his side. The Hallows taking glee in his pain. He could feel other hands on him as he gasped.

"Blake!"

"He was hit with the killing curse!"

"He's alive," Severus whispered, above him. "Are you sure?"

"Yes!"

Harry felt cold and hot all at the same time as shouting swirled around him.

"Blake?" Severus snapped, pushing against him.

Harry started to shiver, the dark curse coursing through his veins. The Deathly Hallows fighting against it as it consumed him and foreign magic.

"Blake!"

"Dad! You can't die! Dad!"

Harry reached out blindly and a small hand took his. He grabbed a hold Ry's hand, letting everything else crash over him as the curse burned its way through his system. With a last shake, Harry went limp as the last of the spell was eaten away by the Deathly Hallows. He squinted up at Severus's pale face and the tearful green eyes of his son.

He looked passed them to see Albus and Voldemort fighting it out, understanding once again why the man was so feared the world over.

"Give me a hand up," Harry whispered hoarsely.

"I don't think you should move," Severus gasped, his eyes wide and face pale.

"How are you alive?" Ry sobbed. "The killing spell hit you! The Hallows?"

"Just a graze," Harry replied.

"The killing curse doesn't graze, Blake!" Severus hissed. "It kills!"

"Not me it doesn't," Harry snapped.

He pushing himself up to his feet. He was unsteady but could already feel his magic gathering around him again, more light then dark this time. He stumbled forward and Severus quickly got under his arm. Harry's side was screaming at him but he moved forward. Suddenly Voldemort froze staring at Harry and Severus. Harry grabbed Ry's arm tightly in case the boy was going to do something stupid.

"I killed you!" The man screamed.

Albus paused, staring over at Harry in disbelief as well.

"You will find," Harry remarked softly with a hard look in his eyes. "That I am very hard to kill, Tom."

Voldemort's face twisted up and Harry quickly pulled on the light magic in him before the man could form a spell. He focused on the Dark Lord before releasing the light magic he'd pulled forward in a wave. The light magic drowning out the dark as he sent it hurdling toward Voldemort.

Severus, Ry and Dumbledore had to turn away from the brightness as Harry released the pure light spell. Voldemort screamed as Harry's light magic crashed into the man. Harry kept pouring magic into the spell until it ran dry.

He sagged and Ry quickly moved under his arm or Severus would have dropped him. When their eyesight cleared, Voldemort was nowhere to be seen. Harry panted for breath between Severus and Ry as Dumbledore moved over to the other men.

"Well done, my boy." Albus cried.

"Wow," Ry gasped.

Harry could only try to get his breathing under control, completely spent.

"Did you kill him?" Ry asked.

Harry chuckled darkly.

"Nope, but he is going to be hurting." Harry whispered.

Severus moved his hand on Harry's side, making him hiss.

"Sorry," Severus uttered, removing his hand.

"Black is downstairs," Harry reported. "I think I might have broken a couple of his ribs."

"You what?" Severus hissed.

Ry stiffened next to him. "Why did you cast a spell at him?"

"He was headed towards the veil," Harry stated, looking up at Albus.

The Headmaster paled.

"I'll go down and see him." Albus whispered.

"Tell him I'm sorry," Harry said softly, energy leaving him quickly.

"I will," Albus agreed. "Go back to the school, I'll clean up here and make my statement to the Minister when he gets here."

"Thank you," Harry muttered. "Severus the portkey is in my jacket pocket."

Severus reached into his pocket and pulled out the glass mouse.

"Wait," Ry said quickly. "What about my friends?"

"They are all safe," Severus sneered to the boy. "I gathered them all up myself."

"You did?" Ry gasped in disbelief.

"Later, Ry." Harry said stiffly.

"Home," Severus said shortly, activating the portkey.

The world revolved around them then formed into the stone room next to the Headmaster's office. Harry groaned, head pounding from the magic and his side screaming.

"Front gate," Harry hissed. "Before I pass out."

xXx

Severus quickly apparated the three of them to the front gate of the school and Blake went limp between them. Severus grunted under the added weight.

"Lower him down," Severus ordered Potter.

They gently lowered Blake to the ground. The man was out.

"Is he okay?" Potter questioned in concern as stared down at his father.

Severus checked the man's pulse.

"I don't know." Severus whispered.

He'd never heard of someone surviving the death curse well except the boy next to him.

"Should we take him to the hospital wing?" Ry asked.

"I don't know!" Severus snapped, pulling up Blake's blue shirt.

Ry gasped beside him as they looked at the red veins running all over the man's side and chest like a spider web that all led back to a fist sized red mark.

"That would have been where the killing curse hit him," Ry gasped. "I thought no one could survive that curse?"

"They can't, Potter." Severus uttered, looking over at the boy. "Normally."

The boy's eyes were too large and tears still escaped now and again. He knew the boy was in shock and he wasn't much better. He'd seen the killing curse hit his lover and his heart had almost stopped.

"Come one," Severus said, getting under Blake's arm. "Give me a hand to get him to his rooms."

Ry got under Blake's other arm and was glad for the fact that Blake was so short and slim as they made it up to the castle in silence. Halfway there, Blake groaned.

"Blake."

"Dad."

Blake shook his head and managed to get his feet under him but stumbled on the first step.

"Blake?" Severus asked, trying to see the man's face.

The man mumbled something and Severus decided to keep going. They made it up to Blake's room without a problem and they moved him into his bedroom. Severus and Ry gently placed Blake on the bed and the man sprawled out across it limply. Severus could tell he was awake but out of it.

"What's wrong with him?" Ry asked, sitting next to his father as Severus took the man's shoes off.

Severus looked up and said, "Looks like magic shock."

"What is that?"

"When you use too much magic, you go into a type of shock." Severus explained, pulling Blake's legs up onto the bed.

"Will he be okay?"

Severus sighed and looked down at Potter.

"He should recover from the magic shock," Severus said softly and for the first time, he rested his hand on the boy's shoulder gently and squeezed it in comfort.

The boy looked up at him in thanks, looking more like his mother in that moment than ever before. They started when a door banged open.

"Where is he!?"

Severus and Potter looked up as Black barged into the room and then stopped at the sight of Blake sprawled out across the bed, pale and lifeless.

"Oh my god!" Black froze and Remus ran into his back. "Is he?"

"No," Severus said shortly.

Potter threw himself into Black's arms crying as Remus gripped Ry's shoulder. Severus saw Black wince at the hug but he didn't push the boy away. He was grateful for the man in that moment.

"Thank god," Remus whispered.

"Are you okay, Sirius?" Ry asked, stepping back.

"Yeah, just have a couple of broken ribs and a concussion." Black replied.

"Why did Dad do that?" Ry asked softly, looking torn.

"He saved his life," Remus replied.

"What!" Ry yelped.

Blake groaned on the bed and everyone lowered their voices.

"How?" Ry asked softly.

"He stopped him from falling through the Veil of Death," Remus whispered.

"That piece of cloth?" Ry asked confused.

"They use that to execute people," Black explained.

"Shouldn't they put a barrier up around it or something?" Ry hissed.

"They should," Blake whispered hoarsely from the bed with an arm over his eyes to block out the light. "Stupid Ministry."

"Thank you Blake," Sirius said. "I owe you a wizard's debt."

"Oh god no," Blake muttered, to Severus amusement. "Now can you take Ry up to the Headmaster for him to yell at him. I'm too tired to do it."

Severus snorted, while the other two men smirked. Ry just looked down at his shoes.

"Come one Ry," Remus muttered, grabbing the boy's shoulder and steering him out of the room with Black on his heels.

Severus followed them out and shut and locked the main door before heading back into the bedroom. Blake was where he'd left him with his arm still over his eyes.

"Have they left?" Blake asked softly.

Severus shut the bedroom door and turned the lights down a bit before taking his robes off leaving him in his shirt and black slacks.

"They are gone," Severus replied, sitting on the bed beside the man.

"I guess I have some explaining to do?" Blake asked, moving his arm so he could look at Severus, his eyes just green slits.

"You do," Severus replied, lying down next to him.

"Tomorrow?"

"Will do," Severus answered.

Blake slowly rolled onto his side and Severus pulled the man into his arms. Severus listened as his breathing evened out. He could have lost Blake and the shock of watching that green spell hit him still ran through his head as he pulled the man closer.

Blake muttered something in his sleep, which made Severus smile. He ran a hand over his short black hair and down his neck. He could still see the light magic that the man had released in his mind's eye. He had believed that the man was a full Dark Wizard, after the amount of dark magic the man threw around, but after seeing that light magic tonight, he was no Dark Wizard. No Dark Wizard could hold that much light magic. That was why Voldemort had fled so quickly unable to stand against it or expected it. No one had expected it.

Severus ran his hand down the man's side and settled there, sleep overcoming him after such a shitty night.

xXx

Harry woke slowly the next morning every part of his body protesting. He could feel Severus curled up around him and just soaked it in for a couple of minutes before the need to pee had him moving. He untangled himself from Severus, surprised he was still dressed, and sat on the edge of the bed.

"Do you need a hand?" Severus rumbled from behind him.

Harry shook his head.

"Should be okay," Harry replied, his voice rough.

Severus lay back on the bed and just watched him. Harry just sat there.

"Are you okay?" Severus whispered, letting a hand rest on his back.

"Yeah, sorry." Harry muttered. "Zoned out a bit there."

Harry slowly got to his feet, one hand on the wall as he painfully limped towards the bathroom. He stripped off his clothing, eyeing off the red spot where the killing curse had hit him and the red veins spreading away from it. He ran a hand over the lines but couldn't feel any raised skin. He knew that it would fade by the end of the day.

He quickly used the toilet before stepping into the shower. He let the water run over his head and down his back easing the tension in his tired body. His head was pounding and his body wouldn't be forgiving him for a while.

He stepped back out of the shower and towelled himself dry before stepping out of the bathroom. He didn't bother with his clothes as he made his way back to the bedroom.

"Didn't realise I was in for a show?" Severus drawled silkily when Harry entered the room.

"Can't help you, love." Harry said softly, moving back to the bed. "You will have to give yourself a hand."

Severus smirked as Harry snuggled under the blankets and curled back up. A few minutes later he felt Severus next to him skin to skin. Harry rolled over onto his back, Severus looked down at him. He ran a hand over the red spot on his side.

"From the killing curse," Harry whispered. "Should be gone by tomorrow."

"You have been hit with the killing curse before?" Severus asked, curling up into his side.

Harry placed his hand on the man's hip and ran his thumb over the soft skin.

"Yes," Harry agreed.

"How…"

"I can't die, Severus." Harry confessed, closing his eyes. "I hold the Deathly Hallows."

Severus froze with his hand on the other man's chest.

"They are a child's story," Severus snorted.

"Nope," Harry said, feeling warm and comfortable.

"That's where your dark magic comes from?"

"Partly, yes." Harry conceded. "But I still wait for the day that it doesn't work."

Severus grip tightened on Harry's side, and the other man covered his hand with his own.

"The curse I spoke of before," Harry continued. "That is the Deathly Hallows."

Severus nodded, pieces of the puzzle falling into place. Harry started to drift off again when Severus spoke.

"Don't do that again," Severus whispered. "I'm not sure my heart could take the shock."

Harry grinned and curled up around Severus and fell back asleep.

xXx

Severus was eating breakfast at the dinning table in Blake's room the next morning when a soft knock sounded on the door. Severus got up and unlocked the door, Albus stood waiting on the other side.

"Severus, my boy." Albus grinned. "Can I come in?"

"Of course, Headmaster." Severus replied with a grin, standing back. "Blake is still sleeping."

"How is he?" Albus asked, looking over to the bedroom door.

"Tired," Severus replied.

"Yes, I imagine that he is after using all that magic." Albus agreed.

"And the killing curse." Severus muttered into his coffee.

"Ah yes," Albus stuttered, looking uncomfortable. "Did he talk to you?"

"Yes," Severus replied, he still hadn't wrapped his mind around the information.

"Oh good," The Headmaster said brightly. "I sat Harry Potter down and had a long talk with the boy. Luckily Voldemort didn't get the prophecy."

"That's because I have it," Blake stated from the doorway, leaning heavily into the frame in only a pair of black jeans.

"Blake, my boy." Albus said with a smile. "How are you?"

Blake waved the Headmaster back and limped to the table. Severus could only faintly see the red spot on the man's side under the bruising, but the red veins had disappeared completely. Severus pushed his mug of coffee towards Blake as the man took a seat.

"Better, Albus." Blake replied, still feeling tired. "You spoke with Ry?"

"I did," Albus agreed. "It looks like Voldemort sent him a vision of you."

"Me?' Blake asked in surprise.

"Yes," The Headmaster reported. "From what Ry said it was a vision of them torturing you."

Blake paled as he stared at the Headmaster.

"It sounded like it was very convincing," Albus added softly.

"Convincing enough for the boy to leave the school?" Severus asked in doubt.

"To Mr Potter it was." Albus remarked.

"He must have tortured some poor soul to make it that convincing," Harry said softly. "All for nothing."

The three men fell silent for a few minutes, each preoccupied by their own thoughts.

"Did you say you have the prophecy?" Albus inquired, breaking the silence.

"I do," Blake confirmed. "I had a contact in the Department pull it for me a while ago now. The Dark lord would never have gotten his hands on it."

"So last night was just a waste of life," Albus said sadly. "At least the Ministry now agrees that Voldemort is back and is just as powerful as before."

"So, he is just as powerful as he was before?" Blake questioned, sitting forward in his seat.

"I'm afraid so," Dumbledore confirmed. "The only change I see, are the red eyes, Severus?"

"Yes," Severus agreed. "He had brown eyes last time, otherwise he looks the same."

The two other men could see a shiver run down Blake's body. Severus also noticed the sharp look that Albus gave Blake and it intrigued him.

"The ritual to bring him back must have been complete," The man muttered as if forgetting that the other two were in the room.

"Yes," Albus agreed. "It's a terrifying thought."

xXx

Harry sat back in his seat, in his time when Voldemort was reborn he was a shadow of himself. Whatever the difference in the ritual was, it had changed the man. Made him more complete, which might also mean he could be saner as well.

"That was an impressive display of light power, Blake." Albus remarked with a twinkle in his eyes.

Harry gave the man a grin and a wink.

"I wasn't in the right state of mind to cast it," Harry admitted and took a sip of coffee. "So not one of my best, but it worked. Sometimes raw magic is just as effective as a spell."

Albus gave a laugh and said, "I would like to see your best."

Harry grinned and pushed his mug towards Severus for a refill. Severus sighed dramatically as he moved to his feet and grabbed up the mug to make another coffee.

"I was quite surprised by the light magic," Albus admitted.

"Is that because you believed that I am a full Dark Wizard?" Harry asked with a raised eyebrow.

Severus coughed a laugh and passed the new mug of coffee over and Harry gave him a nod and smile in thanks.

"I have a feeling I should have known better," Albus remarked.

"I do admit that dark magic comes to me a lot easier, due to the Deathly Hallows," Harry admitted. "The light magic is my own magic."

Albus raised an eyebrow in surprise.

"You are a Light Wizard?" Severus stuttered.

Harry just grinned and sat back in his seat with his coffee in his hand.

"I must admit," Albus said slowly. "That I am surprised by that."

"I'm a Potter," Harry reminded them with a wink. "Even if it's not my last name. The Potters have always been a light family."

"God," Severus groaned as he shook his head. "Do you have to keep reminding me?"

Harry coughed a laugh.

"Severus has a problem with Potters," Harry whispered to Albus.

The Headmaster's eyes twinkled behind his half-moon glasses.

"I would never of guessed." The man whispered back.

Harry barked a laugh as Severus glared at them, to which Harry just winked.

"He likes one Potter," Harry said softly. "But he has a different last name."

Severus swatted him on the shoulder which just made Harry laugh even harder.

xXx

Harry had headed back to bed after the Headmaster had left and was starting to feel a bit more normal when Severus woke him late that afternoon.

"Hey," Harry muttered as he rubbed a hand over his head.

"Dinner is about to start," Severus informed him as he sat on the side of the bed. "Do you feel up to it?"

"Yeah," Harry agreed. "Did Albus happen to pick up my cane?"

"As a matter of fact," Severus remarked with a smirk and held up the cane.

"Brilliant," Harry said with a grin. "Give me a minute."

Severus nodded while Harry placed the bruising balm on his side and ribs before dressing.

"Did Sirius and Remus leave?" Harry asked as he came back into the main room.

"Yes," Severus confirmed. "They left after talking to the Headmaster and Potter."

"Oh god," Harry said softly. "I still have to talk to Ry."

"I think the Headmaster might have caught him up to date," Severus remarked with a smirk.

"Oh boy," Harry cursed under his breath. "Is that better or worse?"

Severus smirked as they moved out into the hallway and towards the Great Hall. Severus kept close to his side as they walked along. Harry was a lot slower than normal and a little shaky but felt better as they moved along. They walked into the Great Hall and the whole room went silent. Harry looked up and around the room.

"What the hell?" Harry hissed at Severus.

A couple of fifth years giggled at the Hufflepuff table at Harry's swearing before the room erupted into clapping. Harry just looked around in confusion. Severus pulled a newspaper out of his pocket and passed it to Harry.

' _He Who Must Not Be Named returned!_

 _Albus Dumbledore and Blake Sun as well as other members of the Auror and Ministry departments stopped You Know Who from taking over the Ministry of Magic and causing chaos in the Wizarding world…'_

The big picture on the front of the paper was of Dumbledore standing against Voldemort in the foyer of the Ministry and Harry groaned.

"Ah, for fuck sake." Harry cursed.

"50 points for swearing Mr Sun," Professor McGonagall said sternly as she walked passed him and patted his shoulder.

"You can't do that!" Harry called after the Professor.

The woman just kept walking.

"Don't make me make it 100 points, Mr Sun!" The woman called over her shoulder.

A few students laughed while Harry was left speechless, just holding the paper in his hand as he looked after the woman.

"Did I just lose points?" Harry asked, turning to Severus. "I'm not even a student."

Severus snorted before moving towards the Head Table.

"Severus," Harry called after the man. "Severus!"

Severus turned with a swirl of his black robes and a sneer on his lips. He folded his arms over his chest and looked back at Harry steadily. Giving him the full 'Professor' look as his black eyes glinted.

"I'm not a student!" Harry stated.

The giggling at the Hufflepuff table increased.

"That is a good thing, Mr Sun." Severus drawled. "Any house that you would be a part of. Would be in negative points by now."

The giggling increased into laughter as Severus turned back to walking up to the Head Table. Harry grinned then sat down at the Hufflepuff table.

"So what's new?" Harry asked the girl next to him, who dissolved into a giggle fit.

xXx

Harry made his way up to the hospital wing the next morning which Severus wasn't pleased with but the man still made the trip with him.

"Mainly to stop you from falling on your ass," Severus had muttered as they left his rooms.

Harry could feel the sweat on his face by the time he made it to the hospital wing and took a minute to wipe it off on his shirt. Severus made a disgusted noise beside him, which Harry just ignored. He stepped into the hospital wing to see a group of six students gathered on two beds talking to each other as they worked through a large pile of chocolate frogs and other lollies.

Harry clicked his way over to the group and dropped the newspaper he held on the top of the pile. Ry looked down at his hands while the other students looked anywhere but at Severus and Harry.

"Well done," Harry said softly. "You made the newspaper."

"Really?" Ron cried as he gabbed the paper while Hermione smacked his arm.

Luna looked off into space as Ginny and Neville tried to look as small as possible.

"I'm sorry, Dad." Ry whispered. "The Headmaster already yelled at me and Sirius and Remus."

Harry looked down his nose at his son, who cringed back.

"Hey they named you in here, Ry," Ron exclaimed suddenly, oblivious to everything around him.

Ron held up the newspaper, which Hermione snatched out of the boy's hand before smacking him over the head with it.

"Hey!" Ron squeaked.

Severus snorted next to Harry.

"We are so sorry sir," Hermione said in a small voice.

The rest of the students piped up with their apologies.

"You are forgiven," Harry said after a few minutes of silence and bowed heads. "But eight people lost their lives. One of you could have been a part of that number!"

The students lowered their heads further at Harry's hissed words.

"If you ever consider such a stupid thing again…" Harry let the sentence hang as he glared at each student.

"We're sorry, Dad." Ry said in a small voice.

"I'm not finished with you, Harry." Harry snapped as locked eyes with his son. "I will be sitting you down later and you will be telling me what the hell you were thinking! Do you understand?"

"Yes, Dad." Ry uttered meekly.

Harry glared down at his son before clasping the boy's shoulder and gave it a squeeze. The boy looked up at him with large green eyes and he sighed before swiping a handful of Chocolate frogs off the bed.

"Hey!" Ron yelped, which earned him another smack with the paper.

Harry passed a frog to Severus with a smirk and nicked a couple more.

"Thank you for your help Professor Snape," Hermione said in a small voice.

Harry turned to Severus as the man stood rooted to the spot.

"You are welcome, Ms Granger." Severus said slowly.

"Yes, thank you Professor." Ginny and Neville at the same time.

"Thank you," Luna added serenely.

Hermione elbowed Ron.

"Yes, Thank you." Ron said reluctantly.

"Wow," Harry muttered as he turned to Severus. "Please tell?"

Severus sneered down at him as Harry leaned back on the bed that Ry, Ron and Hermione were sitting on. Opening the chocolate frog in his hand as he looked the Slytherin over. Severus shifted before pulling his robes around his body and looking down his hooked nose at the students and Harry.

"He was great," Ginny piped up. "He walked straight in throwing curses and taking out Death Eaters left and right. Ron was walking around aimlessly after touching this brain thing and he just pushed him towards Hermione while cursing a Death Eater!"

"Yeah," Neville said excitingly, taking up the story. "They didn't stand a chance!"

Harry flicked the embarrassed man another frog as he munched down on his own. Severus caught it with one hand.

"Severus to the rescue," Harry smirked.

"Shove it, Sun!" Severus snapped.

Harry laughed and nudged his elbow at Ry.

"I sent him after you lot," Harry whispered out the side of his mouth.

Ry held a hand over his mouth as he tried to held back the laughter. Severus looked down his nose at Harry for a few more seconds before cracking a grin to the shock and amusement of the students gathered.

"See," Harry exclaimed to the group. "He's not so bad, he only eats students on Friday nights at midnight."

Severus smile widen, his dark eyes glinting. He could only vaguely remember how bland his life had been before he met Blake Sun and his son. Now it was something completely different.

"Okay, kids." Harry announced as he stood up. "I'm riding on a sugar high, so I'll leave you with it."

"Bye, sir"

"Bye, dad."

"Bye, Professor."

Harry ruffled his son's hair on the way out and fell into step with Severus. Harry chuckled suddenly.

"What?" Severus snapped.

"Oh Severus," Harry gasped. "My hero."

Harry bumped his shoulder with the other man's.

"Oh, god." Severus muttered. "No more chocolate for you."

Harry just grinned and laughed. Severus, not so much.

xXx

"Dad!"

Harry started awake, tightening his grip around Severus's waist, waking the man.

"Did you lock the door?" Harry muttered.

BANG!

"Dad-ugh!"

"I guess not," Harry chuckled.

"You need to teach that boy to knock," Severus muttered.

Harry just laughed harder.

"That's if he can look me in the eye after this," Harry replied mildly. "He wasn't the same after he yelled out in the middle of the night and I forgot pants before running into his room when he was four."

Severus huffed a laugh as Harry pulled the other man close.

"I'm sure he'll get over it," Severus muttered.

"I'm sure he will," Harry replied as he kissed Severus's shoulder. "Bring on the embarrassing teasing."

Severus just snorted.

End of Part two.

Now we are rolling along. :-)


	9. Chapter 9

Part Three.

xXx

Harry stood at the back of the church service for the Ministry workers that were killed when Voldemort broke into the Ministry. Severus stood beside him looking uncomfortable as a few Ministry workers glared over at him. Harry was uncomfortable in black robes, it had been a very, very long time since the last time he'd worn the garments and he was sure it was probably for another funeral. He glanced over the room as he leaned against the wall as the service finished up and people started to leave.

"Blake," Shacklebolt greeted, shaking Harry's hand. "Thank you for coming. Mr Hamlet's family would like to talk to you before you leave."

"Thank you, Kingsley." Harry replied.

"Snape," Kingsley nodded at the Slytherin.

"Shacklebolt." Severus returned.

Kingsley moved off after that and a few other people moved forward to talk to Harry before he found himself in front of Mr Hamlet's wife. The short blonde woman gave Harry a big hug, crying into his shoulder.

"Oh, Blake!" The woman cried. "I can't believe that Leo is gone!"

"It's okay, Mary." Harry whispered as he patted the woman on the back.

"Thank you for coming," Mary whispered, stepping back and trying to get herself back under control and failing.

"No problems," Harry muttered. "Is your sister taking you home?"

"Oh yes," Mary exclaimed. "I better catch up with them!"

The woman rushed off and Harry watched her sadly.

"What was…?" Severus started.

"That about?" Harry finished. "I worked with her husband a few times on different projects, smart man."

Severus laid his hand on Harry's shoulder and gave it a squeeze.

"If it isn't Blake Sun and his little pet."

Harry and Severus turned at the voice to see Lucius Malfoy moving towards them. The blonde sneered as Severus stiffened beside him.

"Mr Malfoy," Harry greeted. "I thought Malfoy's were known for their well-mannered pure blood greetings."

Malfoy sneered at the two of them.

"Not to mudbloods and blood traitors," The man hissed.

"Now you aren't even trying to be polite," Harry hissed as he stood up straight and his tone hardened. "This is a funeral service, Mr Malfoy."

"You have been turning my son against me!" Lucius snapped. "And my wife!"

"What are you talking about?" Harry asked in confusion.

Harry flicked his eyes to Severus but the man was just smirking at them.

"You and your lessons!" Malfoy sniped as stepped closer and brought his cane up between them.

Harry braced himself just in case the man took a swing at him, for he looked angry enough.

"I have no idea what you are talking about." Harry replied calmly, as a few people started to take notice.

"Bah!" The man cried and turned on his heels, pushing through the people around them.

Harry turned to Severus to see the man smirking after the blonde.

"Did you have something to do with that?" Harry inquired.

"Me?" Severus asked, trying to look innocent and failing.

"What did you do?" Harry demanded.

Severus leaned down close to Harry's ear.

"I found that other Death Eater you needed," Severus whispered.

Harry reeled back, like he'd been hit as he looked at the other man with large eyes.

"You…!" Harry splattered. "Him…his wife!"

Severus's lips turned up in a smirk and Harry just stared at him in disbelief.

"Ha!" Harry laughed. "Where did they go?"

"Paris," Severus replied. "Narcissa has family there, she took Draco with her."

"You went to school with them, didn't you?" Harry questioned as they made their way away from the service.

"Yes," Severus confirmed. "They were a couple of years ahead of me. Lucius was the one to introduce me to the Dark Lord."

Harry chalked that up as another reason to hate the man.

"Mr Sun."

Harry turned to see a goblin standing near the church.

"Yes?" Harry asked, stepping up to the goblin.

"Snaphook, sir." The goblin said politely.

Harry nodded his head in greeting.

"Nice to meet you, how can I help?" Harry asked.

The goblin's eyes flicked to Severus but then dismissed him just as quickly.

"Grinhook has asked me to contact you about some new wards around an old vault in our London branch," Snaphook requested softly. "Standard fee."

"Which vault number?" Harry asked.

"Vault number twenty-four," The goblin replied.

"Didn't I place wards on that vault four years ago?" Harry questioned with a frown.

"Grinhook wants you to strengthen them," Snaphook explained.

"Okay," Harry agreed as he pulled out his notebook. "How about on Wednesday after lunch?"

"Perfect," Snaphook confirmed with a nod and disappeared.

Harry frowned at the spot for a few minutes.

"What's so special about vault twenty-four?" Severus asked.

"No idea," Harry replied with a shrug.

"How many vaults are there in Gringotts anyway?" Severus questioned.

"London branch?"

"Yes."

"Two thousand and fifty-two at my last count," Harry replied with a grin. "I swear the goblins just store stuff in a lot of them…or live in them. I don't ask really."

"How many of them are yours?" Severus asked with a smirk.

"Mine alone?" Harry asked. "Or Ry's as well?"

"Yours," Severus replied.

"Five vaults and Ry has six," Harry answered with a smirk. "Some of those are Potter vaults, they are spread equal between Ry and myself since we are the last Potters alive with magic. You?"

"One," Severus said smoothly.

"Really?" Harry asked in surprise. "Your mother was a witch, right?"

"Yes, correct." Severus said blandly. "A poor one, she had one house to her name. A run-down piece of shit."

"Ha!" Harry barked with a grin. "I have a good real estate agent that could help you out with that."

"Not such a bad idea," Severus retorted. "Albus lets me rent my room at the school during school break."

"You can always use one of my houses," Harry replied as he bumped his shoulder. "I have spares."

"I've seen your property profile," Severus smirked.

"Ha!" Harry laughed. "Have you been looking up on me, Mr Snape?"

"Pays to be an ex spy," Severus drawled smoothly. "Makes it easier to find the dirt on people."

Harry laughed and slapped the other man's shoulder before they apparated back to Harry's house in Leeds.

xXx

Harry and Severus made their way up to the school after dropping Ry off at Grimmauld place in London for the boy to spend some time with Remus and Black. School would start again in a couple of weeks and Severus wanted to set up his lab and work out his plans for the year. The two of them and Ry had been staying in one of Harry's houses in Leeds but it felt good to be back at Hogwarts again. Harry went to step into the entrance hall with Severus when he recoiled back.

"Oh god," Harry gasped, holding his nose.

"What?" Severus asked, pulling his wand. "What is it?"

"Very dark magic," Harry coughed.

"On the school?" Severus asked, looking around in alarm.

"Come on," Harry said and turned away from the castle and back to the main gates. "We'll take the portkey up to the Headmaster's office."

"What no stairs?" Severus stated with a smirk.

Harry glared at him and stepped through the gate.

"You can take the stairs," Harry announced as he palmed the glass mouse. "Home."

Severus lunged forward and grabbed Harry's arm as the portkey activated. Harry stumbled with Severus's extra weight landed against him.

"Bastard," Severus cursed.

Harry just coughed and grabbed his nose and tried not to gag at the smell of dark magic. He folded over slightly and his eyes started to water.

"What the hell?" Severus gasped.

Harry just ignored him and pushed through into the Headmaster's office.

"What the hell did you do!?" Harry demanded of the man behind the desk.

"Blake, Severus." The Headmaster said calmly with a smile. "How are you?"

Severus looked between Harry holding his nose and the Headmaster sitting calmly behind the desk.

"Oh god." Harry whispered as his eyes widened.

Severus followed Harry's eyes to see Albus's blackened and twisted hand and coldness flowed through him.

"Jesus," Severus gasped.

Harry stepped forward, the dark magic curling around the Headmaster and the room. It felt wrong, the magic was just wrong. It grated against his skin and whispered in the back of his mind as he stepped closer.

"What did you do?" Harry choked.

"It was a Horcrux," The Headmaster relented, standing at his desk.

Harry flinched back with a curse.

"You silly old man," Harry hissed, making Albus flinch back this time. "You are a Light Wizard! That dark magic is eating you alive!"

Harry walked back to the side of the room, his back to the Headmaster as he tried to gather his thoughts. The dark magic brushing him and making it hard to think clearly. He should have seen this coming, he should have remembered and that just frustrated him. He just hadn't known enough when he was a child. He'd hoped that he had made enough changes and yet as he'd looked at the Headmaster's hand, the memories had resurfaced. They had pushed at his mind and mocked him.

Harry felt Severus place a hand on his shoulder and the tension in his body, he didn't know was there, eased. Harry placed a hand over Severus's before turning back to the Headmaster. The white-haired man had retaken his seat and was looking down at a gold ring on his desk. Harry glared at it.

"Is that it?" Harry snapped and had to grab a hold of his temper.

"Yes, my boy." Albus replied.

Harry pulled out a red silk bag from his pocket, which was linked to his Gringotts's vaults. He placed his hand inside the bag and thought of the containment jar that he needed, which fell into his palm. He pulled the jar free and unscrewed the top. Holding the Jar in one hand and his dark wand in the other he moved towards the Headmaster's desk.

"I've destroyed the Horcrux in it," Albus stated softly.

Harry just slid the ring across the table with his wand and into the jar. Harry glared at him while he screwed the lid on the jar tightly and placed it back in the silk bag. The jar disappeared back to his vault in Gringotts. He would deal with it later.

"You may have lived a long-life Headmaster," Harry remarked softly. "But you have not worked with dark magic as long as I have. Its stain is now coating your core."

Albus paled at the words.

"You have not held dark magic in your hands and pushed it into a spell where it would take glee in destroying anything you send it at." Harry continued, his eyes hard. "Dark magic likes to eat, to destroy, to rip and render and that is what it is doing with you! Just because you were too proud to call me!"

Harry hissed the last part, so angry with the man in front of him and at himself. Even Severus had stepped back and the Headmaster's blue eyes were wide.

"A Horcrux is as dark as you can get!" Harry said harshly. "It is ripping your soul apart. They are made in blood and death…and torture."

Harry turned away from the Headmaster once again, unable to look at the man. The dark magic stinking up the room and coating the man. On some level, he felt responsible for this situation and that just angered him even more.

"Can anything be done?" Severus asked softly.

Harry sighed and turned back to the room as he grabbed a hold of his feelings. His green eyes sad, tired and haunted with memories. The two men watched him carefully.

"I can try," Harry whispered into the silent room. "This is the kind of magic that I don't touch, but I can try."

"Thank you, Blake." The Headmaster said with a small smile.

"If you find another one of these things," Harry spat. "You call me!"

"Yes, of course." Albus agreed brightly, a slight twinkle coming back into his eyes.

Harry took a deep breath as he centred himself before raising his dark wand and pointing it at the Headmaster. He slowly pulled on the dark magic around the man, muttering spells under his breath. He knew his eyes were glowing slightly as he worked with the magic and the stones under his feet groaned. Harry pushed down his own light magic completely and took in the dark magic of the Deathly Hallows that flowed through his blood.

The dark magic drained off slowly and Harry took his time. He pushed the magic he captured down into the ground at his feet, to be absorbed into the earth, harmlessly. The dark power of the Hallows burning as the wand in his hand happily took in the magic as Harry channelled it into the stones.

"Stand in front of me," Harry whispered to the Headmaster as he took a couple of steps back.

The Headmaster moved to stand in front of him. The smell, taste and harshness of the dark magic rolled over Harry, making him groan and swear.

"Blake?" Severus asked in concern.

"Stay back!" Harry warned, without looking at his lover.

He could already feel the dark magic reaching out to the man and the Dark Mark on his arm. He quickly grabbed a hold of it and pulled it harshly back. Fire raced in his veins as he worked with the darkness. The burning making him grit his teeth as the dark wood wand bucked in glee at the magic running through it.

Harry's right knee buckled under the strain and he used his free hand to steady himself. Albus looked down at him in concern but said nothing as they could see the dark mists swirling around him. He gently pulled the dark magic off the Headmaster strand by strand.

With a gasp, Harry pulled one last time and grounded the magic through the stones below him. He dropped his dark wand, feeling the dark magic pulsing in his veins and pushing on his mind to kill, to destroy, to rape and tear. He was careful not to look at the other men in the room as the thoughts raced over his mind. The burning increased as he pushed the magic down into the earth. He could hear the screams of pain of the person that had been tortured and murdered to make such a vile thing was released from their prison.

He got an image of a lovely blonde-haired child with shining blue eyes, grinning at him, and Harry could feel bile in his throat as the girl twirled on the spot. Her green flowered dress spinning around her as her laughter rang in Harry's head before she faded away with the last of the dark magic.

Harry sat back on his heels with tears in his eyes as he looked down at the stones before him.

"He used a child," Harry whispered.

"Oh god," Albus gasped in horror as he leaned back on the desk behind him.

Severus knelt next to Harry and placed his hand on his shoulder as he offered his comfort.

"Just a slip of a girl," Harry said softly. "Full of innocence. Oh, god."

Severus rubbed his back as the tears fell, he had felt the pain the girl had gone through as the madness crept into her mind. The last breath she took as the twisted part of Voldemort's soul mingled and became the Horcrux, forever sealing them together until Harry released her.

"I'll look through the Ministry's missing persons and the muggle police records to see if I can find her," Harry commented. "How many of these do you think he made?"

"Six all up," Albus replied. "As far as I can guess."

"Six," Harry uttered. "Six souls tortured and ripped from their bodies."

Severus's hand gripped Harry's shoulder tightly and he covered it with his own. He released him before he pulled himself to his feet and nicked a tissue off the Headmaster's desk. The other men ignored the tears on his face and his red eyes as Harry tidied himself up.

"Severus should be able to make up a balm and potion for the hand," Harry remarked, once he'd composed himself. "I'm not sure that you will get full use of your hand again, but at least it won't kill you now."

"Thank you, my boy." Albus said with a sad smile.

"Don't fool yourself, Headmaster." Harry snapped. "That dark taint is still on your magic and soul."

"I can live with that," Albus retorted lightly. "The same way I live with all my sins."

Harry barked a shaky laugh and said, "Don't we all, us old men."

Harry and Albus shared a sad smile thinking back on their long lives.

"That we do," Albus agreed softly.

"Come on, old man." Severus said smoothly into Harry's ear, making him shiver. "Time to put this old man to bed."

Albus's laughter followed them back to the front gates of the school as they apparated out of the stone room.

xXx

Harry made his way up the steps of the London police department, his cane tapping away at the stone steps. Citizens and police officers moving around him as he walked up to the main doors and into the busy front room. He moved up to the main desk where a young woman with a, 'don't mess with me' look on her face, eyed him off through the reinforced glass.

"How can I help you?" The woman said blandly, her nametag announcing her as PC Stanhill.

"I'm here to see PC Counter in files," Harry requested as he passed over his Department of Mysteries badge to the woman.

"Oh," The woman exclaimed as she gave him another look over. "You're one of them."

"Yep," Harry agreed smiled. "That's me, one of 'them'."

"Sit over there," The woman ordered, pointing to a couple of hard plastic chairs with a metal bar running along the wall. "I'll call him up."

"Thank you," Harry said pleasantly, moving to the chairs.

He didn't have to wait long before a man with red hair and a big grin on his face appeared.

"Blake Sun?" The man questioned and held out his hand.

"Yes," Harry confirmed as he took the man's hand.

"I'm Adam Counter," The man said in the rush. "So great to meet you, the files from your Department are always so interesting to read!"

"We try," Harry retorted with a grin.

During Voldemort's first rise to power, the Department of Mysteries and the Auror Department got sick of wiping the minds of muggles and the extra work of covering up missing people and mass murders. So, they came to an agreement with the police and the muggle Prime Minister to work together if needed. That agreement continued even after Voldemort fell the first time.

"Yes, yes of course." Adam cried as he led Harry through the police station and down to the lower levels. "I was amazed when the first of your Departments files crossed my desk but couldn't talk to anyone about it unless they already knew!"

"Sorry, that's the agreement." Harry replied.

"Oh, yes!" The man cried and nodded his head so much that his red hair flew everywhere. "I can understand why too! People would panic!"

A couple of people moved away from Adam and Harry in the lift and were happy to get off it as quickly as possible, much to Harry's amusement.

"What do you need my help with today?" Adam asked, pushing his red hair back from his eyes, as they moved into the files room.

"Cold case," Harry replied, holding up the picture of the young girl he had captured from his memory. "Missing child."

"You found her?" Adam asked.

"You could say that," Harry muttered, looking down at the smiling child.

"Damn," Adam cursed, knowing what those words meant. "Do you know how far back that you have to look?"

"Early forties to the early eighties." Harry replied, running a hand over his short hair.

The other man whistled. "Oh boy, good luck."

"Yeah," Harry muttered as they moved into the files department.

"The seventies through to now are on the computer," Adam reported with a grin. "Before that and you are looking at file boxes but they are in order of age so that should help you."

Adam led Harry over to a computer and logged him in. He then disappeared down one of the aisles of files. Harry used the phone on the table and called Severus.

"Yes?" Severus asked.

"So, I might be here for a while." Harry stated as he entered the search terms into the computer. "I'll stay at my apartment here in London."

"How long do you think that you will be?"

"Maybe a couple of weeks," Harry replied as he sat back in his seat. "I hope."

"Dumbledore wanted me to ask you if you wanted to take the Defence position?"

Harry laughed and said, "No bloody way."

"We thought you might say that," Severus replied and Harry could almost hear the smirk in his voice. "If no one applies, Albus will have to get the Ministry to appoint someone."

"You don't want it?" Harry asked.

"God no," Severus replied. "I can barely stand teaching potions."

Harry gave a bark of laughter.

"Okay," Harry said with a smile. "Stay safe Severus and look after Ry for me."

"I'll need a lot of luck to keep that boy out of trouble!"

xXx

Harry placed another file on the done pile and wrote the young boy's name on a piece of paper next to him. He'd found another child that was a victim of the first war with Voldemort, but not the girl he was looking for. The older files were sorted into ages but not the child's sex and he was forced to look at every file. The age he was looking into was between twelve and fourteen, since the girl from his memory looked to be close to that age.

He had gone to the Ministry of Magic first but left empty handed after the first day after being able to do a search straight off the picture. However, with the muggles that wasn't something he could do, so was faced with an old computer and dusty file boxes. He'd been working through their files for the last week and a half and he felt like he was getting nowhere. He was just hoping he didn't have to start looking outside the UK for the girl's family.

He looked through twenty more files and added two more children to his list before he opened the next file. The girl he was looking for looked up at him from a school photo with a big smile.

"Oh god," Harry whispered, as he ran a hand over his head.

The girl looked up from the photo with blonde hair like spun gold around her head as her blue eyes sparkled with life for the camera. Harry placed his photo next to the picture to just confirm it in his mind and it was the right girl.

' _Gabriel Sheller_

 _Born: July 21, 1932_

 _Reported missing: January 5, 1944.'_

Harry read through the file, the girl had been in foster care after her father died and her mother committed suicide shortly after when she was two years old. She lived at Wool's Orphanage in London before being placed into a foster home when she was about five years old.

Harry ran his finger down the information until he came to a familiar name. Tom Riddle, Harry breathed out a sad sigh, the boy had been placed into the foster home two months earlier, just before he turned eighteen. Riddle had left the home after his birthday then a few months later the girl had disappeared, never to be seen again. Harry sat back in his chair and stretched, before running his finger over the names of the girl's foster parents.

"How are you going?" Adam asked.

He held two coffees as he walked over. He placed one on the edge of the table for Harry as he sipped on the other.

"Thanks, I found her," Harry muttered sadly and pushed the file in the other man's direction.

"Really?" Adam cried, reading through the file. "Well done. What are you going to do now?"

"See the foster parents, if they are still alive." Harry replied. "Could you make a copy of these please?"

"No problems," Adam said. "I'll do it now."

"Thank you," Harry replied.

Harry pulled the phone on the table close and dialled Severus's number.

"I'm in class," The man answered.

"Oops, sorry." Harry said tiredly, looking down at his watch. "I'll call back later."

"No," Severus said quickly. "What is it?"

"I've found her," Harry reported, looking down at the picture in front of him. "Her foster brother was Tom Riddle."

"What?" Severus uttered.

"Yes," Harry confirmed. "I'm just getting the file copied now. I'll talk to the foster parents tomorrow, if they are still alive, before heading back to the school."

"Alright," Severus agreed. "Back to your work, Mr Potter!"

Harry laughed. "Any trouble?"

"No," Severus replied. "I no longer have Mr Longbottom in my classes."

"Ha!" Harry barked with a grin. "I'll be home soon, Severus."

"I'll see you then," Severus said before hanging up.

Harry quickly looked up the foster parents' address on the computer and found they still lived at the same house that Gabriel would have grown up in. He double checked their dates of birth and groaned. He would be dealing with a witch and a wizard, no muggle lived that long. He also requested Tom Riddle's file from the police department and adoption department to be sent to the school's post box before packing up his gear.

xXx

Harry stood out the front of a small house on the outskirts of London. A concrete path led up to a white wooden door with cute little garden boxes along the width of the two windows that faced the street. Harry nervously fingered the black box in his hand before moving up the path.

Over his long years, he'd been to many funerals and he'd had to break the bad news to many people about a loss of a parent or a child and it never got easy. He stepped up onto the porch and knocked loudly on the front door.

"Yes?" An old brown-haired woman questioned as she opened the door.

"Good evening," Harry said softly. "Would you be Mrs Robin Beaker?"

"Yes," Robin confirmed as she held the door.

"My name is Blake Sun, I'm with the Department of Mysteries," Harry told her, holding out his badge for the woman to see. "I would like to talk to you about Gabriel Sheller?"

"Oh my god," Robin gasped. "Did you find her?"

"May I come in?" Harry asked, side stepping the question.

"Yes, yes come in," The woman cried and waved him in. "Andy!"

A tall grey-haired man appeared at the top of the stairs with an easy smile on his face.

"Mr Sun is here to talk about Gabriel," Robin called up to the man.

"Did you find her?" Andy asked when he reached the bottom of the steps.

"I'm afraid that I come with bad news," Harry reported softly. "Could we sit down?"

"Oh, yes." Robin cried and moved them into the sitting room.

Harry took a seat gratefully as he hung his cane off the side of the chair before he turned to couple.

"I am sorry to say that your foster daughter was murdered shortly after she went missing in 1944." Harry told them gently.

Robin gasped and Andy placed an arm round the woman's shoulders.

"I was working on an unrelated case when I came across your foster daughter," Harry went on.

He handed the photo of Gabriel over to the couple and Andy took it into his hand.

"Yes," The man confirmed. "That is our Gabriel. She was such a sweet child, we took her in when she was five. Such a sad story about her parents. She was such a gentle and beautiful child. She never stopped, always running around and keeping us on our toes."

Harry passed over the black box from his own vault in Gringotts. He'd picked up the box and the ring from his vault before making his way to the Beaker house. The black box was inlayed in silver in a beautiful design and he'd placed the ring, that the Headmaster had found, into the box with a bit of packing around it to keep it from moving before sealing it shut. Harry believed it was the best he could give the parents, since there would be no body.

Robin took the box and looked down at it, tears slowly rolling down her cheeks.

"I'm sorry but we had to cremate the body," Harry said softly.

"Thank you," Andy whispered, looking down at the box. "For bringing our girl home."

"Could I ask you a couple of questions about Tom Riddle?" Harry asked gently.

"He was a strange child," Robin recalled. "We only took him in because the Orphanage didn't have a place for him and it was only for a couple of months until he turned eighteen."

"Did he have something to do with Gabriel's murder?" Andy questioned.

"Yes," Harry replied shortly.

"I knew there was something wrong with him!" Andy swore.

"Why do you say that?"

"He would stare at you and just sneer," Andy said darkly. "He believed he was better than us and would do nothing around the house. He kept his room so clean you wouldn't believe that a teenager lived in it, but wouldn't touch anything else."

"How was he with Gabriel?" Harry questioned in interest.

"He didn't have much contact with her," Robin replied, thinking back.

"He used to watch her," Andy added quietly. "It used to give me the creeps."

"Thank you for your time and for answering my questions." Harry said before moving to his feet and snagging up his cane. "I must be off now."

Robin gave him a hug while Andy shook his hand, before walking him to the front door. Harry could almost feel the spirit of Gabriel, waving to him as he walked down the path and away from the house. She was back where she belonged and hopefully her spirit could now rest.

xXx

It was dark by the time that Harry apparated back to the school, he could see the glow of the lights from the castle calling him in. He sighed and slowly limped up the path to the front steps of the castle. He walked in and could hear the noise of the students having dinner and moved towards the Great Hall.

Harry let the noise of the students roll over him as he walked into the large room, with a sigh. A couple of students looked over at him from their seats and a few others gave him greetings as he walked up to the Head Table.

Harry patted Draco's shoulder as he passed and the boy looked up at him with a grin. He moved towards the Gryffindor table and winked at Hermione when the girl spotted him and elbowed Ry in the ribs. Ry looked up and grinned at his father.

"Dad!"

Harry clasped a hand on Ry's shoulder, much like he had done with Draco moments before.

"Hey," Harry replied with a grin.

He reached into his pocket and pulled out a gold coloured piece of glass. Harry placed it onto the table in front of Ry and his friends. The piece of glass was shaped like a griffin with its right leg raised and its wings spread up high behind it. Its head was captured in perfect detail with a sharp beak and bright red eyes.

"Wow," Ron gasped and reached out a hand.

Before anyone could move, the griffin's head darted around and nipped the boy's fingers. Ry pulled back quickly with a yelp as the small glass figure looked around.

"Oh yeah." Harry remarked with a grin. "It bites."

Harry patted Ry on the shoulder again before moving off. The students talking excitingly behind him. Harry looked up at the Head Table and caught Severus's dark eyes watching him. Harry winked at him and made his way up to the empty seat next to the man. Albus Dumbledore gave him a smile as a couple of the other teachers gave him nods of greeting. Harry placed the file of Gabriel on the table in front of the Headmaster as he moved passed him.

Harry's eyes settled on a handsome young man sitting next to McGonagall. The man was talking to the head of Gryffindor house and hadn't seen him yet. The man had brown hair cut just long enough to be fashionable with a straight nose and an easy smile. His blue eyes flicked over to him before looking back at Minerva.

' _He must be the new Defence teacher_ ,' Harry thought as he made his way towards Severus.

"Hey," Harry whispered to Severus as he took his seat.

"About time you got here," Severus snapped.

"Hey," Harry yelped with a smirk as he sat back in his seat. "You have to wait for the good things in life."

"If you say like a good wine, I may have to hit you." Severus hissed.

Harry gave him a wink.

"Now, now boys," Albus cooed. "No fighting at the Head Table."

"I have no idea what you are talking about, Albus." Harry retorted, looking over at him innocently. "I only just got here."

A squeal suddenly sounded from the Gryffindor table and the teachers all looked over. The griffin had gotten loose and had just jumped onto Lavender Brown's shoulder. Harry smirked, as the girl squealed again as she tried to brush the small griffin off.

"Is this your doing, Sun?" McGonagall said sternly.

Harry grinned over at the woman.

"Me?" Harry asked innocently.

"Yes," Minerva deadpanned as she looked down her nose at Harry.

"Hardly my fault if it got loose," Harry replied calmly as he sat back in his seat.

More squealing sounded as the griffin jumped from girl to girl while Hermione sat back with her wand drawn as the boys giggled.

"I'm sure they'll work it out soon enough," Harry remarked with a smirk.

Severus's hand found his knee under the table and squeezed. Harry looked back at him with a grin.

"You must be Blake Sun."

Harry looked up to see the new Defence teacher looking down at him with bright blue eyes and an easy smile on his red lips.

"Yes," Harry replied. "Did my reputation proceed me?"

Severus snorted beside him but didn't remove his hand.

"It has in the Ministry." The man retorted with a chuckle. "My name is Cameron Charmling."

Harry reached over and shook the man's hand.

"Nice to meet you," Harry replied with a grin. "Do you work in the Ministry?"

"Yes," Cameron confirmed with a smile. "In the Auror department for the last five years."

"I couldn't find a suitable Defence teacher in time," Albus explained, looking around Cameron. "It then falls to the Ministry to fill the position."

"I was happy to take the spot," Charmling said with a smile.

"Have you had a class with sixth year Gryffindor and Slytherin yet?" Harry asked with a smirk.

"Ah," Cameron stuttered as his smile faded.

"Just keep Longbottom away from anything sharp," Severus said icily, glaring at the other man.

"I'll keep that in mind," Cameron snapped as he stared down at Severus before moving back to his seat.

Harry frowned after the man.

"Did I miss something?" Harry asked, turning back to Severus.

The dark-haired man was glaring after Charmling.

"I remember him when he was a student," Severus remarked softly. "Smart and talented but cunning."

"Ah," Harry exclaimed with a smirk. "So, a Slytherin then?"

Severus smacked his shoulder as another squeal sounded from the Hufflepuff table. They looked over that way and Harry chuckled as the griffin ran down the table, much to the amusement of the students.

"We can always tell when you're back, Blake." The Headmaster called with a twinkle in his blue eyes.

Harry gave a laugh and turned to his dinner. The noise from the students calming him as he looked around.

xXx

Harry had barely made it through his door when Severus pushed him up against the wall and his lips were attacking him. Harry cane fell from his hand as they moved up to run into Severus's hair and pull him close. Severus's long fingers making light work of his button-down shirt and Harry shrugged out of the garment.

Severus pushed him further into the wall and started to kiss and nip down his neck. Harry leaned back and let him, hands moving under the other man's shirt and digging his nails into the man's back. Severus gasped and pulled back.

"Sorry," Harry whispered.

Severus just grinned at him before pulling him forward by the belt. Harry looked into the man's dark eyes for a second before pulling him down for another kiss. They took their time, remembering what the other tasted like as Severus moved them back towards the bedroom.

Harry paused before the bed and helped Severus strip down before letting his own pants fall to the ground. A bit of hoping around had Harry's shoes off while Severus rumbled a laugh. Harry grinned and tackled the other man to the bed.

"Hey!" Harry yelped, when Severus rolled on top of him, pinning him down with his taller frame.

Severus smirked, before attacking his body once again, making Harry groan as he hit that soft spot on his ribs and sensitive skin of the scaring. Severus slowly worked down Harry's body.

xXx

Missing scene due to rating.

xXx

Harry moved to the side of Severus and cast a cleaning charm, his leg protesting slightly but he ignored it.

"Miss me?" Harry whispered in Severus's ear, making the man shiver.

Severus grabbed Harry and pulled him until Harry was sprawled across his chest and saddling one of his legs

"Yes," Severus replied softly.

Severus ran a hand up and down Harry's back, feeling the scaring under his hand. Harry snuggled into his side and with a flick of his wrist a blanket fell over them.

xXx

Harry and Severus fell back into the swing of things as Severus had his classes and Harry had his advanced students to work with as well as the odd contract that would come through. Tom Riddle's file arrived from the police and adoption departments and Harry spent a long time working his way through them. He had also requested the man's Hogwarts file from Albus and had all the files spread out before him on the table when Severus walked in after his last class of the day.

"Are you looking through these again?" Severus asked as he made them tea.

"It scares me how much this man was like me when I was younger," Harry muttered quietly.

Severus sighed and placed a mug of tea next to Harry.

"How so?" Severus asked.

"My parents died when I was a baby," Harry recounted softly, sitting back in his seat. "I was sent to live with relatives that hated me."

Severus stayed quiet, the man before him was vary sparse with any information about himself, especially from his childhood.

"And when I say hated," Harry continued, thinking back a very long time to his childhood. "It wasn't under them to have me working in the garden all day then hose me down at night and leave me shivering and sleeping in the yard all night. If I was lucky they would have forgotten to lock the shed and I could sleep in there."

Severus placed his hand on the man's knee under the table and gave it a gentle rub.

"I lived in a cupboard under the stairs in their house," Harry said softly, remembering a childhood so long ago if felt like it happened to someone else. "When I read through Riddle files I can see a similar childhood."

"You are not him," Severus whispered.

"Yes, you are right." Harry sighed. "He was well liked at Hogwarts, made Prefect and Head Boy and everything. He had charm, charisma and a talent to draw people to him."

"Yes, he did." Severus said in agreement. Remembering the man before he knew what he was getting into. "I was one of those people."

Harry rested a hand on the man's arm, right over the Dark Mark.

"I was both feared and respected at the same time," Harry whispered. "Just like Ry, I am also a Parselmouth."

Severus started at the confession.

"You are?" Severus questioned, it was not a common talent.

"I am indeed," Harry confirmed with a smirk. "Which has no lack of irony to it when that damn snake attacked me."

Severus smirked. "That it does."

"I was seen as a Dark Wizard," Harry continued. "Which is funny since I didn't even touch that kind of magic before I picked up the Hallows."

"How did you come to have the Deathly Hallows?"

"A great man had to die," Harry whispered.

He looked down at the files spread out on the table before him. He could still see the Headmaster falling from the tower, green light flaring around him. Severus Snape, standing there holding the wand that had killed him, coldness in his eyes as he watched the man fall. There were just some memories that he could never forget.

He knew now that the Headmaster had been dying and that he wouldn't have lived out the year. He also knew that Snape had had to kill the Headmaster or die himself by breaking the Unbreakable Vow but it still haunted him. Snape had also done it to save his godson from committing murder, which were all things that he found out long after the final battle. Long after it mattered.

"Did you…?" Severus trailed off as he drew his attention back.

"No," Harry replied, leaving his memories in the past. "But it started a series of events that lead to me holding the Deathly Hallows."

Harry could tell that Severus didn't know what to say to that as he picked up his mug to make another cup of tea. Harry turned his attention back to the files on the table. He had to deal with what was in front of him.

xXx

Severus looked up from his book as Blake walked into the room with a large box in his hands and looking very unhappy.

"Look what I have," Blake exclaimed with a smirk.

He upended the box and mobile phones came tumbling out across the table with some hitting the floor making Severus cringe at the sound they made.

"Did you raid a muggle electronics store?" Severus asked with a smirk.

"Stupid Ministry," Blake snapped as he looked over the phones scattered across the table. "Whatever spell the Dark Lord's follower used to corrupt the connection in the phones needs to be fixed and guess which idiot was the one to set up the connection spell?"

Severus smirked as he looked over the hundred or more phones on the table and the few that had fallen to the floor.

"I was the idiot and they are calling on my contract to fix them!" Blake snapped. "This wouldn't have happened if the muggles could work out their bloody phone towers!"

Severus smirk widened as the other man ranted.

"You can't just buy new phones instead of fixing the connections?" Severus asked.

"Do you know how much one of these costs?" Blake snapped as he waved one the phones. "These things have so much magic in them as it is! Bloody pain in the ass. Should have asked for more when I set up that contract."

Severus watched in amusement as Blake started to sort through the phones.

"This is going to take coffee," Blake moaned then looked over the table. "Lots and lots of coffee!"

xXx

Harry leaned up against the wall outside the potion's classroom waiting for Severus to finish with his last class. From the fact that he could hear his lover's voice through the door it was not going well. It might also have to do with the fact he had heard a muffled explosion a few minutes earlier. Harry smirked as Severus's voice rang out, he couldn't hear the words but he knew the tone in the other man's voice.

"Hey, Blake."

Harry looked up to see Charmling walking towards him down the hallway.

"What are you doing here?" The man asked, when he came even with Harry.

"Waiting for Severus," Harry replied. "What are you doing down here?"

The man held up a scroll of parchment.

"I forgot to give Mr Nott back his assignment." Charmling explained with a smile. "From the amount of mistake in it, I'm not sure he will want it back."

Harry gave him a nod and an awkward silence settled between them before the potion's classroom door opened. A first year Gryffindor and Slytherin class piled out in a panic. Cameron moved out of the way of the students, almost brushing Harry's left shoulder, as the students rushed passed. One child in particular looked pale and was being helped by one of her classmates.

"He shouldn't be allowed to teach," Cameron muttered under his breath but Harry heard him since they were standing so close.

Harry stood up straighter.

"Well, I better be off." Cameron said louder and with a smile he moved off down the hall.

Harry watched him with a frown as Severus stepped out of his classroom.

"What is it?" Severus asked, his eyes following Harry's line of sight.

"Ah," Harry stuttered. "Nothing."

Harry turned to Severus with a smile.

"Is it safe to enter?" Harry asked.

Severus looked over his shoulder and into the room and grimaced. He grabbed the door handle and closed the door with a click.

"I wouldn't recommend it," Severus grumbled. "That girl is going to rival Longbottom and I just got rid of him!"

Harry laughed and they walked next door to Severus's office.

"What did Charmling want?" Severus asked.

"Said he was giving Nott back his assignment," Harry told him. "Something's not quite right with that man."

"And they call me paranoid," Severus smirked.

"Hey!" Harry yelped. "I've had an attempt on my life, remember? That proves they are out to get me!"

Severus barked a laugh, his whole face lighting up. Harry grinned back, drinking in the sight of the man. These were the things that separated his lover from the teacher that he'd known for such a short time.

"Did you want something or just my company?" Severus asked, a smile still gracing his lips.

"Can't I have both?" Harry remarked with a smirk. "And maybe a coffee too?"

"I think I can help you with that," Severus said, getting up to make the coffee.

"So Dracka contacted me," Harry stated, watching the other man.

Severus put as much effort into making coffee as he would one of his potions and it was almost an art form to watch.

"What does he want?" Severus questioned.

"He's given me a list of villages and building that he wants warded," Harry answered as he pulled out a few pages and held them up for Severus to see.

"That's a long list."

"Yeah, mostly villages with mix races and a couple of building that the Council uses." Harry replied, looking over the list. "I was thinking of asking the Headmaster if I could take a couple of students with me to the ones in the UK to teach them how to put up wards."

"Your funeral," Severus muttered, placing the coffee on the table and picking up the list. "Which students?"

"Ms Granger, Mr Malfoy and Ry." Harry replied as he savoured the taste of the coffee. "There are a few seventh years that could have a talent for wards as well. Make it a couple of field trips."

"Yes," Severus agreed with a nod. "Your funeral."

Harry just laughed as he sat back in his seat and looked Severus over as he read through the list.

"This building is near my house," Severus stated as he pointed out one of the addresses. "Spinner's end is about two hundred meters away."

"Really?" Harry questioned as he leaned over to look at the address Severus was pointing out. "I don't know it."

"I wouldn't mind clearing out the house while you work on this one," Severus drawled. "That way your real estate agent can come in to sell it."

"You really don't want it anymore?" Harry asked.

He didn't know what kind of attachment the man had with the house. Severus looked up at Harry, his dark eyes intense.

"I think I've found my home now, I don't need it anymore." Severus said smoothly.

Harry grinned and placed his hand over Severus's hand on the table.

"Yes, yes I think you have."


	10. Chapter 10

Severus stalked into Blake's rooms after his last class to find the man's bag sitting on the table and the shower running. He sighed as he looked at the bag knowing it meant that his lover would be heading off again. It must have been a last minute call; since Blake hadn't told him he would be leaving. He moved into the kitchen as the shower shut off to make them coffee.

"Where are you going?" Severus called out when the bathroom door opened.

"Germany," Blake called back as he moved into the bedroom. "The Ministry called, they have a problem with the wards. It must be bad if they are calling me. I rang Dracka and he's going to meet me at the Portkey Platform in Berlin."

Severus moved back into the main room and set the mugs of coffee on the table as Blake moved out of the bedroom. His hair still wet and only wearing pants, as he slipped a shirt over his head.

"Bit last minute I know," Blake stated as he opened his bag and moved a few things around. "Conner called in a bit of a panic, so I think they have tripped something."

"Why is Dracka going to be there?" Severus asked as he settled at the table.

"We are going to see if we can work some arrangements into the deal," Blake explained as he pulled out a couple of shirts and spread them out on the table before moving back to the bedroom. "They will probably be happier with that than my fee."

"Why did they call you?"

"Master curse breaker," Blake responded. "There are not many of us and most of them are grumpy old buggers. Plus, Conner always calls me when they find something interesting so I give him discounted rates."

Severus smirked at that as he looked over the mess on the table.

"We are always in demand," Blake said as he re-entered the room with a couple of pairs of jeans in his hand. "If they called me that means their curse breakers can't work it out."

"And you will be able to?" Severus asked in interest as the man rolled up his shirts and jeans.

"Should be able to," Blake replied. "Hopefully it won't take too long. I might stop in at Dracka's Coven and reinforce the wards on the way back. Should be gone for a week or so. I'll call you when I get there. Sorry, about the late notice."

Severus looked the other man over as Blake looked up with his pale green eyes and gave him a smile.

"I'm sure the castle will still be here when you get back," Severus remarked with a smirk. "In fact, it has a better chance with you gone."

Blake barked a laugh and gave him a smile that went straight through him as he placed the last shirt in the bag and zipped it up. He picked up his coffee and took a sip as he looked around the room.

"Dracka sounded happy on the phone when I called him, at least." Blake commented. "The Council have been trying to work with the Germans for a while now. The phone call only involved a few swear words which isn't bad for Dracka."

Severus smirked, as he looked the other man over and could see the amusement in the man's face.

"I'll grab something off the house elves before I leave," Blake continued. "I've already called Albus and informed any students I would have had lessons with and worked out other times with them. Good thing I don't plan too far ahead."

Blake finished off his coffee and looked down at Severus and opened his arms. Severus got to his feet and pulled the arm into his arms and gave him a soft kiss as his hands rested on his back.

"I'll make it up to you when I get back," Blake whispered in his ear and Severus shivered. "But I have to leave now."

"Stay safe," Severus replied and kissed him again, pulling him close.

"Always," Blake replied and pushed him back. "Look out for Ry for me."

Severus smirked in amusement and the two men shared a look before Severus released the shorter man.

xXx

It was close to eleven that night when Harry finally got to the International Portkey Platform in Germany and he wasn't happy and neither was Dracka when he saw him.

"What took you so long?" Dracka snapped.

"Got held up in London." Harry replied mildly as he shook the man's hand. "Aurors were doing spot checks on everyone. God only knows what they were looking for. I just need to call Severus before we leave."

Dracka just swore at him and stalked a few paces away. Harry smirked over at the vampire as he pulled his phone from his pocket and called the familiar number.

"Are you just getting to Germany now?" Severus asked as he answered the phone.

"Yes," Harry confirmed. "The bloody Aurors held me up with checking everyone over. Can't talk long, since Dracka's about ready to explode."

Dracka growled at him, the wizards and witches around them gave them space. Harry just smiled over at him and Dracka's eyes flashed red briefly.

"Okay, Blake." Severus said and Harry could almost hear the smirk in his voice.

"I'll call you when I can," Harry told him. "Have a good night."

"Night, Blake."

Harry hung up the phone and slipped it into his pocket as he looked over at the vampire.

"Well," Harry said with a smirk. "What are you waiting for?"

Dracka's red eyes were his only answer as they moved towards the apparation zone of the platform. Once they apparated to the entrance to the Germany Ministry of magic. Harry just looked at the site with wide eyes.

"What the fuck?" Harry cursed.

There was what looked like a dark magic barrier in place in front of the building's entrance. A swirling mist was rolling away from the doorway and curling along the ground. Harry had never seen anything like it and since he couldn't actually feel any dark magic coming from it, which just confused him.

"Hey, Blake."

Harry turned to see Conner Fritz moving towards him from the crowd of Ministry workers gathered around. Harry stepped forward to shake the man's hand while Dracka stood next to him.

"Conner," Harry greeted with a grin. "This is Rolf Dracka from the Council of Magical Creatures. Dracka this is Conner Fritz, Deputy Minister of magic. I think you two may have spoken on the phone a couple of times?"

Dracka and Conner shook hands as Harry turned back to the entrance with interest.

"Do we know what happened?" Harry questioned.

"An apprentice set something off," Conner explained. "It will let people out but not in."

"Dracka do you have that list of demands?" Harry asked with a smirk over his shoulder. "I'll get started on this, if you want to work out a deal with Conner."

Dracka flashed his fangs at him and Conner frowned.

"Don't worry Conner," Harry remarked as he looked at the man. "He's been fed."

"Sun!" Dracka snapped.

Harry gave a laugh as he left the men and moved closer to the entrance and held his hand out to feel the mists float over his fingers. It felt cold on his hand like mist from a block of dry ice and he frowned. He tuned out the voices of the men behind him as he closed his eyes and let the mist roll around him. He opened his mind to the magic, looking closer at the wards and swore. They were frayed and twisted around each other but didn't look broken. It was going to take him a while to work through the mess.

He pulled back from the wards and stepped back towards the other two men. Conner and Dracka had been joined by a woman and another man. They all looked over as he moved closer.

"Blake," Conner said and pointed out the other two men. "This is Alto Somma, from our version on the Department of Mysteries and Sam Fowler from the Charms Department. It was her apprentice that tripped the wards."

"You can tell your apprentice that it probably wasn't them that made this mess," Harry reported as he shook their hands. "They were probably just the last straw. It's going to take me at least four days maybe more to work out this mess. There's a lot here that needs to be untangled."

Harry rubbed a hand over his head as Dracka watched him with dark eyes.

"I'll need the goblin that has the base wards from Gringotts as well as a couple of curse breakers to hold a few wards while I work with the ones that are frayed and twisted." Harry ordered. "How about we meet tomorrow at eight?"

"I'll see what I can work out," Conner replied. "I'll call you if I have any problems."

"Okay," Harry agreed. "Nice meeting you Alto and Sam. Conner, I'll see you tomorrow. Come on Dracka I'll apparate us to my apartment. Good night, everyone."

Everyone said their good byes before Harry turned away with Drack at his side.

"Did you get what you wanted?" Harry asked the vampire.

"Should make life easier for us," Dracka replied with a grin.

"Perfect," Harry stated. "Might even be worth the headache I'll have by the end of the week."

Dracka barked a laugh and Harry grabbed his shoulder to apparate them to one of his apartments in Berlin.

xXx

Severus watched Blake's little gold griffin run down the Slytherin table and jump as it tried to fly. He knew from the other teachers that the thing had made its way into every place in the school which included his potion's ingredients storeroom which he wasn't happy about, but it hadn't done any damage, at least.

"What is that thing, Severus?" Minerva asked as she took a seat next to him.

"How should I know," Severus drawled. "It's Blake's creature, not mine."

"But you must have some idea?" Minerva insisted and he could see Charmling taking notice.

"None at all," Severus replied and watched as the griffin tried again to take flight. "You know do know how curiosity killed the cat, Minerva?"

The woman glared over at him in answer to that and Severus smirked back mildly.

"It made a mess in my greenhouse," Professor Sprout snapped. "Had to chase it out with a broom."

Severus smirk widened as that image came to his mind.

"Where did Blake go this time?" Minerva questioned.

"Germany," Severus replied. "They called yesterday."

"He spends more time overseas than here," Albus grumbled. "At this rate, his pay cheque won't be worth the paper it's written on."

"I don't think it will matter much to Blake," Severus retorted in amusement. "And you knew what he was like before you hired him, Albus."

"So," Charmling said as he moved a few seats down. "He doesn't stay here all year?"

"Oh, no." Albus replied with a twinkle in his eye. "He's only here under contract. So, he comes and goes as he does work for other people."

"Normally just long enough to cause a mess," Minerva muttered. "Then disappears before one of us can find him."

Severus smirked as the griffin finally dashed down the table and took flight, with a few students gasping and pointing.

"It seems to be learning," Albus commented as he watched the creature.

"He seems to get away with a lot in the Ministry," Charmling mentioned, bringing the conversation back to Blake.

"Yes," Albus replied in amusement. "His file was an interesting read. The parts that aren't censored, that is."

"No doubt, he is on a couple of watch lists there as well." Minerva muttered and Severus snorted into his coffee.

"Minerva!" Severus snapped.

"Oh, Severus." Minerva cried with a grin as she waved her hand. "You know better than anyone what he's like."

Severus smirked then snorted as the gold griffin dived for Potter. The boy ducked with a yelp as Granger sent a spell towards it and missed. The griffin winged off as it looked for its next target.

"Yes," Charmling commented with a grin. "I had a quick look at his file in the Auror Department, once I got the position here."

Severus started and looked over at the man and from the look in his eyes, Blake's file wasn't the only one he'd looked up. Severus gave him a cold smirk and Charmling looked away as he turned to the Headmaster.

"He's been here two years?" Charmling asked

"Off and on," Albus agreed.

"And the castle is still standing," Minerva pointed out with a smirk as she shared a look with Albus. "That bet is still standing, Albus."

Severus snorted as he looked at the other two in amusement.

"What bet?" Charmling asked in interest.

"We have a pool going," Flitwick explained from further down the table. "Which part of the castle that he's going to destroy first. Albus do you have the list?"

The Headmaster pulled the piece of paper out of his pocket and laid it out on the table with a smile. He slid it towards the younger man with a twinkle in his eyes. Severus could see his own writing on the paper as well as others.

"All in good fun, of course." Albus added with a smile.

Charmling looked the list over in interest then glanced over at Severus. Who just gave him a smirk in return as he leaned back in his seat. He watched as one of the Ravenclaw fifth years had cast a small ball of light in the air. The golden griffin winged after it to the amusement of the students as the other teachers chattered around him. Even when Blake wasn't here, he still kept them amused as the griffin suddenly crash landed on the Hufflepuff table, scatting plates of food as the students squealed.

The little animal got back up and gave itself a shake before stalking down the middle of the table as students watched it. How the thing didn't break he had no idea as it picked up a roll of bread in its beak and tried to run off with it but just tripped over as students giggled.

"It's kind of cute," Albus commented as he watched the creature.

"It has a taste for fingers," Severus grumbled with a smirk. "It doesn't seem to like Potter much."

Albus gave a chuckle as the griffin jumped over to the Slytherin table and made its way towards Draco.

"It seems to like your godson though," Albus said with a smile as the animal stopped near Draco and curled up next to his plate as the boy ran a finger down its back.

"That it does," Severus agreed softly. "Mr Nott was in my office complaining that it bit him in the middle of the night. I did bring it up with Blake but the man just laughed."

Minerva snorted.

"Do you think it's made with dark magic?" Albus asked. "He did make it when he wasn't here."

"Anything is possible with Blake," Severus replied, seeing Charmling take an interest again. "I've given up asking him."

Minerva snorted.

"Mainly because I don't want a lecture," Severus added mildly.

Albus huffed a laugh, all the teachers knowing how Blake could get once he got going on a subject.

xXx

Harry sighed as he smoothed over the last ward and took them all back from the goblin and the other two curse breakers he was working with. He gently twisted the wards together, making sure they were all sitting right before passing them to either the goblin or the ground and released them. It had taken him a week to work through all the wards and the strands of magic and he was very happy to let them go for the last time.

He opened his eyes to see the entrance to the Ministry clear again and he nodded over to Conner.

"All done," Harry announced as the man moved over. "Please don't call me for at least six months."

Conner gave him a grin and clapped him on the shoulder.

"I'm sure Mr Dracka would disagree," Conner pointed out with a smile.

Harry barked a laugh before thanking the other two curse breakers and the goblin.

"I'll be off then," Harry said. "I have students to torment. Good afternoon, everyone."

"Thanks, Blake." Conner offered.

Harry gave him a nod and apparated back to his apartment in Berlin. The headache wasn't as bad as he thought it would be as he stepped through the door and took the lift to the third floor. He heard the music before he arrived and groaned.

He followed the music to his apartment and opened the door to the blaring sound. He found Dracka sprawled out in one of the armchairs with his eyes closed. The vampire tapped the beat along on his knee as the music blared from the speakers. Harry left him to it as he moved through to his bedroom and closed the door before heading to the shower.

"Did you finish them?" Dracka yelled over the music.

Harry ignored him as he stripped off and stepped into the shower.

"Blake!"

The music cut off and Harry heard the bathroom door open.

"Did you finish them?" Dracka asked again.

"Yes, all done." Harry called as he washed his hair. "We can leave once the sun sets. I'll reinforce the wards around your Coven before heading back to Hogwarts."

Silence greeted him and Harry looked around the shower curtain to see Dracka standing in the doorway.

"What?" Harry asked. "They could do with being reinforced. Did you want me to reinforce the wards around your mansion as well while I'm there?"

"If you don't mind," Dracka said with an odd look in his eyes.

"Okay," Harry replied as he finished up his shower. "In that case I'll stay in town for a day or so."

Harry grabbed the towel near the shower and towelled off before wrapping the towel around his waist.

"Why do you need a couple of days?" Dracka questioned from the doorway. "You normally don't take that long."

"Really, Dracka?" Harry drawled in amusement as he stepped out of the shower in just a towel. "I have been working on wards for the past week and you ask me that?"

Dracka flashed his fangs at him and followed him into the bedroom. Harry moved to the bed and pulled out a shirt and pants from his bag. Harry could feel eyes on his back and he looked over at the other man.

"What?" Harry asked as he held the clothing.

"The scars," Dracka remarked as his eyes looked over the marks.

"Yes?" Harry said, drawing out the word as he slipped his shirt over his head. "What about them?"

"You were tortured," Dracka stated.

"I was," Harry agreed as he pulled the pants on under the towel. "A very long time ago."

Dracka nodded sharply but Harry could still see the strange look in the other man's eyes. Harry ignored it for now, it could mean anything from the vampire.

"Now," Harry said into the silence. "Did you want to continue the rock concert you had going out there and hope the neighbours have gone deaf or head back to France?"

Dracka just smirked at him with red eyes as Harry ran the towel over his head.

xXx

Harry collapsed on his bed back at Hogwarts, totally exhausted. A whole week and a half of working with wards had done his head in. Not to mention the fact of dealing with the vampire. He still had the man's music running through his head. He sprawled out still in his clothes, not that his taste in music was bad, it was just bloody loud.

He'd been held up at the British International Portkey Platform on the way back as well. He could only guess that it had something to do with the Ministry recognising that Voldemort was back.

Harry started when he felt a hand on his shoulder since he hadn't realised that he'd fallen asleep. He looked up at Severus sitting on the bed next to him.

"Hey," Harry muttered sleepily. "Did I sleep through dinner?"

"Not yet," Severus replied. "Starts in about half an hour."

Harry rolled over onto his back as he rubbed a hand over his face.

"Perfect," Harry replied with a yawn. "Have just enough time for a shower."

"Do you want company?" Severus asked with a smirk.

Harry shivered at the words and placed his hand on Severus's knee.

"Will that take longer than half an hour?" Harry replied with a smirk.

Severus's eyes darkened as he looked down at him and Harry could feel himself taking an interest.

"Because I could really do with a coffee and food," Harry smirked as he sat up and took Severus into a kiss.

Severus moved further onto the bed and pushed the other man back onto it as he deepened the kiss. He slipped his hands under his shirt and Harry groaned.

"I remember someone saying they would make it up to me," Severus purred and Harry shivered at the words.

"Hey, I was thinking of dinner in Hogsmeade." Harry grinned as he flicked the man's belt open. "I don't know what you had in mind."

Severus chuckled and it went straight through him as Severus shrugged out of his robes before slipping out of his shirt. Severus slowly unbuttoned his shirt as Harry worked on him before leaning forward and running his hand over Harry's chest and ribs and he shivered.

Harry moved his legs up on either side of Severus as the man kissed down his neck and his hand grabbed his hip. Harry moved his head to the side as he shifted slightly.

xXx

Missing scene.

xXx

Harry silently cast the cleaning charm and rolled to face the other man. Harry cupped the man's face and pulled him close as Severus's hand slipped lower and rubbed him through his pants. Harry grabbed Severus's hand, stilling it.

"Come on," Harry purred in the man's ear. "We don't want to be late for dinner."

"Blake?" Severus questioned, slightly confused.

"Food, coffee and sleep, Severus." Harry said with a smirk and a wink. "I'm sure after those three, I can make up what I owe you."

Harry pulled the man forward for another kiss before heading towards the bathroom for a quick shower.

"How did everything go?" Severus called after him as he dressed.

"It was a mess," Harry called back. "Dracka was very pleased. Might want to avoid my apartment in Berlin for a while. Dracka likes his music loud."

"I thought with their heightened hearing…" Severus let the sentence hang and Harry laughed.

"For all I know," Harry muttered as he stepped out of the shower. "He did it because the apartment is surrounded by muggles."

Severus snorted and held out his clothes with dark eyes. Harry gave him a smile as Severus's eyes roamed over him as he towelled down. He dressed quickly as Severus leaned back against the wall.

"How's it been here?" Harry asked as they moved into the main room and Harry picked up his cane.

"Quiet, which isn't surprising." Severus replied with a smirk.

"Ah," Harry uttered. "Have they been missing me yet?"

Severus snorted but didn't answer and Harry gave him a wink as they entered the Great Hall. The noise from the children washed over him as he looked around.

"Dad!"

Harry gave a big grin as his son crashed into him. He had to brace himself while Severus snorted beside them before moving towards the Head Table. Harry pushed the boy back and looked him over.

"I haven't been gone that long," Harry remarked with a smile as he patted the boy's shoulder. "Unless you are getting in early before I talk to your other teachers?"

"Um," Ry said and gave him an innocent smile that Harry knew well. "Got to go!"

Harry looked after the boy as he dashed off and he was sure he would find out soon enough what he had done. He looked up at the Head Table to see Minerva glaring down at him. He gave the woman a disarming smile and her glare picked up a notch.

' _Right then_ ,' Harry thought as he moved towards the Head Table. ' _Time to break out the cat nip again.'_

"Blake," Albus greeted with a smile. "Welcome back, my boy."

"Thank you Albus," Harry replied and pulled the coffee mug towards him the moment he sat next to Severus.

"You don't look so well," Albus asked in concern.

"Coffee will work wonders, Albus." Harry stated in reply as he filled up his cup. "I'm back for the month unless something else comes up."

"I have a new student for you, Blake." Charmling called from a couple of seats down. "Did you want me to bring the file down?"

"Sure," Harry replied mildly. "Just give it to me tomorrow morning and I'll look it over, what year?"

"Second year, Hufflepuff." Charmling replied with a grin.

"Where are you off to next month?" Severus asked quietly and Harry turned away from Charmling.

"Russia," Harry answered as he refilled his coffee. "But it's only for a couple of days, it's for Gringotts. Then it's the field trip for the warding at the start of the holidays then-"

Suddenly something gold pelted towards him and his hand shot out to grab the gold griffin.

"Nice catch," Albus laughed as McGonagall gasped.

"You know, Blake." Minerva said with a smirk. "We do have a teachers verses students Quidditch match every year."

Harry laughed as he placed the griffin on the table and it jumped around on the surface in excitement before jumping off the edge and was flying away again. Harry looked after it as it winged around the room.

"Then what?" Severus whispered, drawing his attention back to him.

Harry looked back at him with a soft smile and placed his hand over the Dark Mark on his amr and Severus's eyes widened.

"Have you spoken to any of the Malfoy's lately?" Harry asked with a smirk.

xXx

"Why do I have to carry my own bag!? We should have brought a house elf for this!"

Harry gritted his teeth and kept limping forward without looking over his shoulder at the blonde haired Slytherin. He could hear Hermione hissing at the other boy and was happy that Ry wasn't joining in, yet, as they moved towards the first building of the village.

"What's it to you mudblood!"

"One more word, Mr Malfoy!" Harry hissed. His eyes flashing as he turned on the boy. "And you go straight back to Hogwarts and your mother will get a letter from me! Understand?"

Malfoy reared back in shock.

"Sorry," Malfoy muttered to Hermione to the shock of the girl and Ry.

"Better," Harry snapped. "Now, we'll lay the first wards here and work back towards the forest behind us, where we first arrived. Just put your bags near that tree."

Harry pulled out the black and silver trunk as the students placed their bags where he had indicated. He resized the trunk and took out two bags of chalk powder and placed them on the ground before closing the lid and shrinking the trunk again.

"Okay Ry and Mr Malfoy," Harry announced as he stood. "Pick up a bag of chalk and hold it in your right hands. Yes, like that."

Harry stepped forward and cast a spell over the bags so that the white power slowly leaked out onto the ground.

"Ry go to the left and Draco to the right," Harry ordered. "I want you to walk all the way around the village, when you meet each other on the other side I want you to cross the lines of chalk and come back to me. You don't need the chalk to completely cover the other line but it does help. Now, off you go."

"Okay, dad."

"Yes, sir."

Harry watched the two boys move off as an older man made his way towards them. Harry could see the man's dark curse as he got closer and guessed that he was probably a werewolf.

"You must be Blake Sun," The man greeted when he got closer. "I'm Sam Halter"

"Nice to meet you," Harry replied, shaking the man's hand. "Did Dracka contact you?"

The man smiled, his blue eyes standing out against his greying hair.

"He did," Sam confirmed as he looked him over. "Thank you for coming."

"No problems at all," Harry replied. "Do you have any buildings that need special attention?"

"Ah, yes." Sam stated. "The community hall, it's where we gather in case of an emergency."

"Very well," Harry agreed with a smile. "This is Hermione Granger and when they get back, Draco Malfoy is the blonde and the dark-haired boy is Harry Potter. Mr Malfoy would be very happy if someone could collect his bag and take it back to the motel."

Sam gave a laugh and said, "I can have that worked out for you. Did you say Harry Potter?"

"The one and only," Harry remarked with a chuckle. "He likes to be called Ry."

"I'll have someone come out to collect the bags," Sam offered. "Do we need to do anything while you are working?"

"Nothing at all," Harry replied. "Though a lunch and some coffee wouldn't go amiss."

"I'll see what I can do."

They shook hands again and Sam walked back to the village as Malfoy and Ry came running back with their bags of chalk.

"Sir?" Hermione said quietly.

"Yes?" Harry questioned turning to Hermione.

Ry beat Malfoy getting back to the start of the chalk line and was giving the other boy crap about it.

"Why does the Ministry not place these wards?" Hermione asked as Ry and Malfoy sat close to them on the grass getting their breathing under control.

"Because this village is not a wizard only village," Harry replied sadly.

"Wait," Ry gasped. "The Ministry won't place wards here because other people live here?"

"Correct," Harry confirmed. "You can only apply for wards with the Ministry if you can prove that over 90 percent of people living there are wizards or witches, otherwise you have to pay Gringotts to set them up and they are not cheap."

"That's sick," Ry said in disgust.

"That is why we are here," Harry said with a smile. "Did you have fun with your race?"

"I won!" Ry cried.

"He cheated!" Malfoy yelped at the same time.

"You are a Slytherin, Mr Malfoy." Harry drawled with a smirk. "Where is you cunning?"

Malfoy grumbled but didn't seem too unhappy about losing. Harry handed over a couple of bottles of water to the kids before stepping up to the chalk line. He pulled out his cherry wand.

"Okay," Harry stated. "We start with a protection circle. _Praesidio_."

The chalk line flared to life with Harry only put a little of his magic into the spell.

"Can you feel that?" Harry asked.

"Yes, Sir."

"Yes, Dad."

"Now you want to tie the charm to the ground," Harry intoned. "This is very important."

He grabbed the charm he had placed and sent it into the ground. The soil rippled slightly as the ward spread along the chalk line and moved towards the centre of town running up the buildings and under people as they lived their lives. If he wanted to he could have taken a count of how many men, woman and children that lived within the village. That however didn't matter to the wards and he couldn't be bothered as he held the spell.

"Okay," Harry said, once the ground was covered. "Can you feel the ward?"

"Yes, sir."

"Yes, dad."

"Perfect." Harry continued. "Now let it settle into the ground, let it soak in slowly. This village has stood here for a long time so the roots run deep. You have to let your magic do the same."

Harry held the ward for a few minutes, letting the magic leak down like water into the earth. The children wouldn't be able to see it the way Harry did but they didn't need to. They could still work with the magic even if they could 'see' the magic like Harry could. They just had to feel out the magic and to be able to pick it up.

"Now that we have covered the area we want. We need to add in the wards and charms." Harry said smoothly. "The first one is magic with ill intent…"

Harry slowly layered in the wards and charms he wanted, calling them out as he worked through them. Protection, anti-violence, spells against harm, illegal spells and the list went on. He could see the students taking notes as he worked through each ward, each spell lighting up the chalk line briefly with its own colour. The chalk line looked like oil on water to Harry's sight when he was done with the last ward.

"Now, we need to tie it down." Harry ordered softly as he held the magic easily. "Grab all the strands of magic and bind it to the earth. This is the tricky part, you should be able to feel out the different strands since we have layered them on top of the protection charm. Can you feel them?"

"Yes, sir."

"Yes, Dad."

"Perfect," Harry muttered.

Harry held all the strands together and twisted them. Each one a different colour, so that it looked like a brightly coloured braid to Harry's sight. He knew it wouldn't look that way to the children as he worked them all in together so that anyone wanting to bring down the wards would have to pick through them to get the right one. This was work that needed to be done with someone that could tap into the magic sight, like Harry could.

" _Alligant autem praesidio,"_ Harry intoned.

He pulled the strands, then pushing them down into the earth at his feet. Spinning colours ran over the ground before sinking into the earth and disappearing, taking the chalk line with it. Harry quickly double checked the wards to make sure they had settled in correctly and that they were sitting smoothly under the earth. He gently gave a slight nudge to the ones that were being stubborn until they all sat under the surface of the ground.

"Okay," Harry announced as he turned to the three students. "Got that?"

"Um," Ry muttered in answer.

Harry laughed and ruffled the boy's hair.

"I'll show you a few more times before you can try," Harry told him.

"Wow," Malfoy gasped then shut his mouth quickly and blushed.

Even Hermione was looking shocked, making Harry frown. He looked at each student as they looked back at him with large eyes.

"Have you not seen warding before?" Harry asked.

"No, sir"

"No, Dad."

"Oh," Harry said stupidly. "Really?"

The children shook their heads as a few villagers came towards them carrying baskets and bags of food. Harry thought he might have cast wards with Ry in tow but then he thought he probably would have been too young or at his muggle boarding school while he'd done the work.

"Oh well," Harry replied calmly. "I'll have you casting them in no time. Now lunch time."

xXx

After lunch with the villagers, Harry led the children back towards the forest where the portkey had landed them.

"This ward is to complete the protection." Harry explained. "This is why Sam is here."

Sam smiled at the children.

"This will be the first line of protection," Harry explained. "Anyone trying to attack this village will have to get through this ward before getting to the second part of the warding. This gives people in the village time to get to safety. The Ministry normally only does one line of warding, I don't find that's enough. This makes an attacking force have to push through two lots of warding instead of one."

"Do we need to run the chalk line again?" Ry asked.

"No," Harry replied. "We pick up the ward that has already been laid and work out from there."

Harry passed Sam a steel knife, which the man took in his hand. He then put five small crystals onto the ground in front of him.

"Okay kids." Harry said, straightening up. "Can you feel the wards I already placed?"

"Yes, sir."

"Yes, Dad."

"Perfect." Harry remarked with a smile. "Just pick up the edge of the ward to get the protection circle then just pull it back to where we are standing. It will spread out evenly from that point to here all the way around the circle."

Harry held his wand down as he worked with the magic, stretching the ward out gently. It covered the ground between where he had laid the first wards to just before him. Like a second circle around the first. He made sure that the crystals at his feet were within the wards before working in an anti-apparation charm and other protection charms, calling them out for the children as he worked them in.

"Now these wards we are grounding to Sam and the crystals as well as the ground itself." Harry explained. "Sam could you cut your hand and let a couple of drops of your blood fall?"

Sam sliced along his palm and opened his hand to let a few drops of blood fall onto the ground. It hissed as it hit the wards and Harry tied the blood and crystals into the wards.

"Perfect." Harry commented. _"Alligant autem praesidio."_

The ward flashed silver then disappeared completely. The crystals lit up before turning gold in colour. Harry wasn't sure why it turned that shade of gold, every person that laid wards, the crystals would turn a different colour. It did make it easy to know who had done the ward work, though.

Harry pulled out a plastic snap lock bag from his pocket and placed four of the crystals into it. He held out the last crystal to Sam and the man took it in his hand with a nod.

"Thank you," The man said quietly as he stared at the crystal.

"No problems," Harry replied with a grin.

"What do the crystals do?" Malfoy asked.

"They will alert the person that someone is trying to get through the wards." Harry informed him as they made their way to the motel they would be staying in. "Now kids, I'll leave you at the motel and you can get settled in for the night, while I work on the last building."

xXx

"Your Dad is brilliant," Hermione whispered to Ry when they got to their rooms.

Each student had their own room but Hermione had decided to talk to Ry in his room.

"He is," Ry said with a big grin. "You should have seen him fighting against the Dark Lord!"

"I've never seen someone work with magic so naturally," Hermione said in awe. "He thinks we can do that?"

A soft knock came at their door and Ry got up to find Malfoy on the other side.

"What do you want?" Ry asked.

"Can I come in?" Malfoy requested.

Ry stood to the side and let Draco into the room.

"I think I missed one of the spells that Blake used," Draco said softly, holding out his notes to Hermione. "Could you look...please?"

Hermione looked at him for a few seconds and Draco shifted on his feet slightly.

"Of course," Hermione replied, taking the paper. "We were just talking about how Mr Sun works with magic."

"It's amazing," Malfoy exclaimed, excitedly. "And I've been around wizards and witches all my life! He must come from an old pure blood family!"

"Nope," Ry said with a grin, he forgot sometimes that people didn't know as much about his father as he did. "He's the same as me, half blood."

"What?" Malfoy asked shocked.

"Yep," Ry replied smugly. "His grandmother on his father's side was a Potter but his mother was a muggleborn."

"Really?" Hermione asked in surprise. "His mother was like me?"

"Yep," Ry said. "Just like my mum."

"But the way he uses magic," Malfoy stuttered in shock.

"What? Do you think that half bloods can't use magic the same as pure bloods?" Hermione snapped.

"Umm," Malfoy stuttered, looking between Ry and Hermione. "That's what I was taught as a child."

Malfoy was starting to believe that what he'd been taught as a young child at his father's knee was flawed. When his mother had bundled him up that night about six months ago and told him that they were leaving, his whole life had suddenly changed. His nightmares of being forced into service for Voldemort had suddenly disappeared and he couldn't be more thankful to his mother for taking him away.

"Well it's wrong!" Hermione snapped.

Malfoy looked away from the girl.

"I can see that now." The blonde muttered.

"Did you want to play a game of chess?" Ry asked suddenly, breaking through the tension.

"Um, sure." Malfoy answered as he gave the other boy a small smile.

xXx

Harry kept a close eye on Hermione as the girl worked with the wards of one of the villages on the list. They had been working through the UK list for the last week and Harry was happy to see Hermione working the wards like a pro. The girl had a natural talent for warding magic, and many other kinds of magic. She was going to go far with whatever she put her mind to.

"Very good," Harry muttered, lending his magic to the spells as he gently held some of the girl's wards as she worked.

The girl grinned, her eyes unfocused, as she held the magic. Harry guided her gently and carefully through the magic. Keeping it all under control just in case it slipped from her. Hermione looked beautiful as her wild brown hair had escaped her hair band and curled around her face. Harry smiled softly as he kept an eye on everything. Her tongue slightly peeking out the side of her month as she worked with the magic.

"That's it," Harry encouraged. "Now pick up the strands I'm holding. Yep that's right. Now you are holding all the magic. Now the spell _Alligant autem praesidio."_

" _Alligant autem praesidio."_ Hermione intoned as she pushed the wards down into the ground as Harry smoothed it all out.

"Perfect!" Harry cried, clapping the girl on the shoulder.

She turned to him with a big grin and her brown eyes alight.

"Well done, Hermione!" Ry cried, hugging the girl.

"Yes, well done Granger," Malfoy muttered.

Harry looked over at the boy and could see the changes that the week had made on him. He was a bit more laid back than he'd been when they had first started and had stopped fighting as much with Ry and Hermione. If only he could get Ry and Severus working together as well but he was sure that pigs would start flying before then.

"Okay Draco," Harry announced as he turned to the boy. "Your turn."

xXx

Harry was happy to get back to Hogwarts once the last of the warding was done. The castle was quiet since the students were still on holidays.

"Bye, Dad!"

"Bye, Mr Sun!"

Hermione and Ry called as they walked off towards the Gryffindor common room. Harry fell into step with Draco as they walked down to the dungeons together.

"You did very well, Draco." Harry said softly as he rested a hand on the boy's shoulder.

Draco smiled up at him. "Thanks, sir."

"Don't forgot that your mother is coming here next week," Harry reminded him.

"Oh yeah." Draco said brightly. "I forgot."

Harry ruffled the boy's hair. "Of you go."

Draco patted down his hair with a glare and moved off down the hall as Harry stopped outside Severus's rooms. He peeked in but the man wasn't there or in his office. Harry frowned and made his way to his own rooms. Severus wasn't there either but a note was on his table with a box of Chocolate frogs sitting on top of it.

' _Blake,_

 _Went out to pick up some potion ingredients, will be back in time for dinner. How does dinner in Hogsmeade sound?_

 _Severus.'_

Harry smiled and picked up a chocolate frog. His rooms feeling a little empty without the other man before he moved into his office to continue his work until dinner.

xXx

Harry looked around the fancy restaurant in surprise. The waiter showed them to a small table near the back of the room that sat away from the other people in the restaurant. Harry gave the waiter a small grin as he took a seat and hung his cane off the side of the table.

"Are you breaking up with me?" Harry asked Severus, once the man was seated.

"What?" Severus stuttered.

Severus's hand was frozen as he reached for the water on the table. Harry gave him a grin and a wink and Severus kicked his leg gently under the table. Harry gave a laugh as he picked up the menu.

"Ha, ha." Severus drawled.

"So, what is this all about?" Harry asked as he looked over the menu at the other man.

"Can't I do something nice?" Severus questioned with a raised eyebrow.

Harry laughed and Severus gave him a smirk with a glint in his dark eyes.

"I won't tell anyone," Harry said softly with a wink. "They wouldn't believe me anyway! Especially Minerva."

They shared a look before focusing on their menus. They ordered their meals while they caught up on events over the last couple of weeks, while Harry had been gone. Harry eyed off the chocolate cake that the waiter placed on the table. He looked Severus over as he started in on the cake. He could pick up the slight signs of nervousness and he frowned. Something was bothering the other man.

"What is it, Severus?" Harry questioned.

"I have something for you," Severus said smoothly.

Severus placed a silver ring on the table between them nervously. Harry picked it up in his hand and could feel the man's magic on it. The silver was shaped like a snake consuming its own tail. The scales were etched with skill and the black eyes of the snake glinted as the light hit them.

"It's beautiful, Severus." Harry said in awe.

"It was in my vault from my mother's family," Severus explained. "The bracelet that you gave Potter gave me the idea. I've cast the spells on it myself, so you might want to check them over."

Severus looked away as Harry just stared at the ring in his hand.

"What kind of charms would I be looking at?" Harry asked, looking up at his lover.

"Tracking charm and charms to let me know if you are in danger." Severus replied softly.

Harry looked the spell work over quickly before slipping the ring onto his finger and it shrunk to fit perfectly. He looked up at Severus and the man gave him a soft smile.

"Thank you, Severus." Harry said. "The charm work is perfect."

Severus grinned, dropping ten years off his face with such a simple act. Harry grabbed his hand, the ring shinning as Severus linked his fingers with his own. Harry could feel his heart clench at the look in Severus's eyes as he gently ran his thumb over his hand. Severus was always tense with such acts in public and Harry could understand why but also only cared about the man before him and no one else's opinion.

"Narcissa Malfoy will be here at ten on Tuesday." Severus broke into the moment and Harry let his hand go. "We can see Spinner's end tomorrow, if that suits?"

They turned back to their desserts as they moved onto business. Harry smiled as Severus spoke, his smooth voice rolling over him. His eyes were drawn back to the ring as they finished off their dinner and moved out of the restaurant.

Once they were away from the village, Harry grabbed the other man's hand and linked their fingers together. Severus looking down at him with a soft smile as they made their way back to the castle in a comfortable silence. Words not being needed between them.

xXx

Harry looked around the neighbourhood as Severus led them towards Spinner's end.

"Hey," Harry said into the stillness of the night. "Why do wizards name their houses?"

Severus started at the question and looked confused.

"You don't know?" Severus asked.

"Nope," Harry replied with a grin. "The Weasleys call their house 'the Burrow' and Ry's parents called their house 'Godric Hollow' and well there are a lot of other examples."

"Your parents…" Severus let it hang in question.

"I was brought up by muggles," Harry replied. "In a very muggle house on a very muggle street."

Severus started in surprise at the admission.

"Your parents?" Severus questioned.

"Died when I was young," Harry reminded him. "I was brought up by relatives."

"What were your parents…?" Severus let the question hang.

It took Harry a second to realise what Severus was asking and he stopped walking and turned to the man. For some people blood ties could be a very tricky subject to bring up but Harry didn't much care.

"Same as Ry," Harry answered. "Pureblood on my father's side and muggleborn on my mother's side."

Harry looked over to see surprise on the other man's face and he frowned.

"What?" Harry questioned.

"Your magic…" Severus started to say, looking uncomfortable.

"Yes?" Harry asked, drawing out the word.

"Is very strong," Severus finished. "Maybe even stronger than Albus."

"It's not," Harry replied with a lopsided grin. "And what does that have to do with my parents?"

"You are a half blood," Severus stated slowly.

"Ah," Harry muttered as he looked at him. "I think we covered that."

"Right," Severus agreed then tried to change the subject. "Wizards name their houses so that they can be connected to the floo network easier."

"Don't think you can get away that easy, Mr Snape." Harry snapped. "What does my magic levels have to do with being a half blood?"

Severus sighed and looked down at him.

"You don't normally find people with dark or light magic outside of pureblood families," Severus explained softly. "Or if they have some creature blood in their veins."

"And I am neither," Harry stated. "Even if my father was a pureblood?"

"Yes," Severus confirmed.

Harry started walking again as he thought it through. Understanding how flawed the way people of this time thought. He understood concepts of magic that wouldn't be fully realised or accepted for hundreds of years. Concepts that would rock the whole magical world as they struggled to understand. That what they had been led to believe and the way magic worked, wasn't as black and white as they first thought. Severus's words reminding him of the time differences from where he came from to now.

He looked out at the landscape before him and thought about how much Severus's life was going to change. He could almost feel the burden on his shoulders at the thought. It was jolting to know what direction that the magical communities were going to take and the changes that would be happening in the future. There was always a price for knowledge and Harry had paid it many times before. Just the feeling of the dark power of the Hallows flowing in his veins, reminded him of that fact.

Magic always had a price and he knew it very well as his hand tightened around the cane in his hand. He could almost feel the scars on his back as he walked beside Severus. Yes, the price for knowledge could be a high one. Paid in blood, pain or a life.

"You know," Harry said carefully a few minutes later. "It always confused me about the way wizards and witches would go on about how pure their blood is. Are you telling me it's because of dark or light magic? I always thought it had something to do with the elite and all that."

"There is some of that," Severus answered, uncomfortable with the subject.

"Your mother was a witch?" Harry asked instead.

"Yes," Severus said shortly.

"Your father?"

"Muggle," Severus admitted.

"Gee," Harry replied. "You must have copped hell in Slytherin."

Severus whacked his shoulder as Harry grinned.

"I had a talent for potions," Severus remarked. "Not all purebloods end up in Slytherin."

Harry grinned at him as they walked up to a rundown townhouse attached on each side by another house making a block of three. The neighbourhood wasn't too bad even with the train line running close by. Harry looked around and could tell that the block that Severus's house stood on would be very large. The other two houses didn't look lived in as they moved closer since they couldn't see any lights on. They were a part of a small estate and Harry looked around in interest, most of the houses around them were dark and looked unlived in.

"Yours is the middle one?" Harry asked as he moved towards the front door.

"How can you tell?" Severus questioned in interest.

"The wards," Harry replied. "Very good ones too. You'll have to ask me into the house."

Harry moved closer and held his hand up to the wards. He could feel the barrier before him as the wards brushed against him and Severus waited.

"Finished talking to the wards?" Severus purred in his ear as he wrapped his arms around his waist.

"Um," Harry started. "Yeah, sorry. I just can't resist."

Severus snorted and reached forward and opened the door.

"You don't lock it?" Harry questioned.

Severus chuckled. "We are wizards, Sun."

"I've talked to the wards, Snape." Harry retorted with his nose up in the air. "They wouldn't stop a muggle from walking in."

"What?" Severus started as he pulled back.

"We are wizards," Harry said with a wink. "But we forget about muggles. Anti-muggles wards are just a joke really. Like leaving a light on when you go away on holidays."

Harry stepped to the side as Severus moved into the house.

"Oi!" Harry called. "You have to let me in."

Severus stepped back and looked down his nose at him on the front doorstep.

"Do I also need to carry you over the threshold?" Severus smirked.

"Only if you want to, love." Harry said with a leer and a wink.

"Come in, Blake Sun." Severus said with a laugh.

Harry stepped through the wards and shivered as they raced down his back as the magic recognised him. He walked into the hall and looked around.

"Is there coffee?" Harry asked casually.

Severus rolled his eyes and walked off down the hallway without answering. The house was small with two stories, a small living area to his right and a door, probably to a bedroom to his left. A staircase and the hallway was in front of him as Harry moved after Severus to a dining area and a small kitchen at the back of the house. The walls were bare and the house was kept clean with only a thin layer of dust around them.

"When was the last time you were here?" Harry asked as he took a seat at the dining table.

"A couple of years ago," Severus replied as he placed two cups of coffee on the table. "I used to come here when I wasn't at school. I had a lot of stuff packed up and moved to Gringotts last year. The house has mostly been empty since then. I wasn't sure what to do with it."

Severus waved his hand as he looked around, his eyes unreadable.

"This place never felt like home," Severus admitted as he looked down at the cup of coffee. "My mother died here…"

Harry sat back in his seat and waited the other man out. Severus wouldn't look up as him and was absentmindedly rubbing his left arm.

"My father killed her here," Severus uttered into the silence.

Harry's heart clenched for him. He could see how much this one act had changed the man in front of him. He placed his hand on the table within Severus's reach but no more. Offering support if Severus wanted to take it.

"You know what happened from there," Severus whispered.

"I know you turned to Albus," Harry stated softly. "You turned your back on a powerful wizard."

"And walked to another one," Severus said hollowly.

"You think that?" Harry said roughly. "You think that you walked away from one master to another."

Severus's head shot up at Harry's words in shock.

"If you think that, Severus." Harry snapped, his eyes intense. "You are as much of an idiot as I am."

The two men stared at each over the table for a few minutes.

"In that moment of blood and marking," Harry said into the silence. "You saw what your life was going to become and became repulsed by it. Disgusted in what you did and what others did around you."

Severus's eyes widened.

"You felt the Dark Lord's magic touching your soul as he marked your skin." Harry whispered. "He branded you in blood, Severus."

"How do you…" Severus trailed off.

Harry smiled grimly.

"Because, Severus." Harry stated softly. "I have seen the memories of a marking."

Severus gasped, his dark eyes wide, as he looked at the man before him.

"How?"

Harry rubbed a hand over his head and covered his face for a minute as he gathered his thoughts together.

"Blake?" Severus asked softly and grabbed his hand on the table.

"You are linked to the Dark Lord and it is not a simple link, Severus. It's a complex spell that binds the two of you together." Harry continued, ignoring Severus's question. "You had the will power and strength to turn your back on that and walk a dangerous line. If you think it's as easy as walking away from one master to another, you are wrong. Very wrong."

Harry looked up at the man across from him. His expression closed but his eyes gave him away to Harry. He knew this man well and he could see the pain.

"There is a reason that the Dark Lord marks his Death Eaters." Harry explained calmly. "To tie them to him. To make them loyal to just him and to him alone. Why do you think I was so surprised when you were able to sway Narcissa Malfoy to help us?"

"She wants to save her son," Severus reasoned.

"The love of a mother," Harry uttered. "It's a powerful magic. Just remember Severus that once a connection is made. It can be broken but there is always a price to pay."

Severus shivered and looked away as he wrapped both hands around Harry's on the table. The two men sat there in silence for a few minutes.

"Now," Harry said into the silence. "I'll have my lawyer find out who owns the townhouses on either side of this one and find out more about the estate."

"Why?" Severus asked with a frown.

"This is a good block of land," Harry said. "It will sell better if we sell the whole block instead of just one house."

"So, they would knock it down?"

"Most likely," Harry replied. "Will that be a problem?"

"I would prefer it," Severus remarked with a sad smile. "This was not a happy home."

Harry tightened his hold on Severus's hand before glancing at his watch.

"Are we staying here tonight?" Harry asked.

"If you don't mind?" Severus replied.

"Do I get to see photos of you as a child?" Harry counted with a smirk. "I'm sure I can find some around here somewhere. I do have some of you and Lily when you were at school which Ry has by the way."

Harry gave him a wink as Severus groaned. His black eyes locked onto Harry's pale green ones. An understanding that couldn't be expressed in words passing between them. Severus tightened his hold on Harry's hand between his own and Harry gave him a soft smile.


	11. Chapter 11

Tuesday morning dawned wet and cold as the rain poured down around the castle and grounds. It was a week before Christmas and the castle was almost empty of students, which just felt strange to Harry as he walked back from the Great Hall after breakfast with Ry at his side.

"Ron wants me to come around to the Burrow for Christmas," Ry said excitedly. "Mrs Weasley has invited you and Snape as well."

"That's very nice of her," Harry replied.

"Yeah," Ry exclaimed, bouncing on his toes. "Can I go?"

"Sure," Harry agreed, his cane tapping away on the floor as they walked to his classroom. "I'll ask Severus later to see if he wants to come. I'm not sure a house full of Weasleys is his idea of Christmas."

"Hermione is coming to," Ry pointed out.

"Ah," Harry said with a grin. "At least there will be another person to break up the red heads then."

"Dad!" Ry cried, smacking his arm.

The boy was a good head taller than he was now. He wouldn't get as tall as Severus but he was about the same height as Ron. Severus and him had a secret bet on which boy would be taller. Harry had his money riding on Ron. Ry had also filled out, no longer looking like a gangly teenager.

The differences between the two were more noticeable now. They still had the same dark hair but Harry had his cut short while Ry's was a shaggy mess that always seemed to get in his eyes. Harry wasn't sure how the boy could stand it. They both had the same green eyes but Harry's seemed to look paler since he didn't wear glasses like his son did, even if they were stylish wire rimmed ones.

When Harry opened his classroom door he found Severus and Narcissa waiting for him.

"Mrs Malfoy," Harry greeted with a smile. "Thank you for coming."

"Thank you for the invitation, Mr Sun" The slim blonde woman intoned, holding out a hand.

Harry took the hand and kissed her fingers.

"Well worth it to see your beauty in person," Harry purred with a grin.

He could hear Ry gagging behind him and swiped his cane out, clipping the boy.

"Hey!" Ry yelped.

"Please forgive the boy," Harry apologised as he stepped back. "Let me introduce my son, Harry Potter."

Ry stepped forward, still rubbing his leg as Narcissa looked down her nose at him.

"Nice to meet you, Mr Potter." Narcissa said sweetly, her lips curling up in the smirk.

"Hello," Ry said politely.

"Okay," Harry announced as he tapped his cane against the floor. "Let's get down to business. May I call you Narcissa? Everyone calls me Blake, unless they are being impolite."

"You may," The blonde replied, giving him a small smile.

"Okay, perfect." Harry said as he moved into the bronze circle in the floor. "Everyone please step into the circle. Severus and Narcissa, please pull up your left sleeves."

Severus pulled up his sleeve showing off the Dark Mark on his arm, Ry stared at the mark. The boy had known it was there but had never seen it before. Narcissa pulled up her sleeve to show just pale skin. Harry reached forward and ran his fingers down her arm in interest. He could feel the mark on her skin but couldn't see it.

"Please drop the spell," Harry requested.

The mark appeared on the woman's pale skin under Harry's fingertips and he could feel the very slight magic as it appeared.

"That's a neat bit of magic," Harry muttered. "How come you don't hide your mark Severus?"

"I like to remind myself of my stupidity." Severus replied dryly.

Ry snorted while Narcissa smiled over at Severus.

"Right then," Harry continued with a grin. "Please hold your arm over Narcissa's arm Severus, so that the marks line up."

Severus moved closer to the woman and did as ordered. Harry pulled his cherry wood wand and with a muttered spell a line of painless fire twisted around their arms before absorbing into their skin holding the marks lined up together.

"Ry please stand next to Severus and place your hand over the mark," Harry ordered.

The boy placed his hand on the Dark Mark, touching shoulders with the taller man. Harry rolled his shoulders as he looked down at the marks covered by his son's hand.

"This might hurt," Harry said to them all. "Try not to move your arms please. I've bound them together."

Harry's eyes locked with Severus and the man's dark eyes looked at him intensely. Harry was slightly nervous as he was unsure about how this was going to go. He'd never done this before but he was very good at making and destroying connections and links. That's what made him such a good curse breaker and his expert skills at working with wards.

"Feel free to curse me if needed," Harry told him calmly. "Even if you need to knock me out but give me time to work. I don't know if he will have a trap ready for me or not. Ry you have the more direct connection to the Dark Lord. I'll be using that connection first to get a feeling of what I am working with. Okay, everyone ready?"

"Dad, are you sure?" Ry asked, looking at his father in concern.

"If Severus and Narcissa want their connection to the Dark Lord severed then yes," Harry replied, meeting Severus and then Narcissa's eyes evenly.

"Yes," Narcissa said softly.

"Do it, Blake." Severus conceded smoothly, concern in his eyes but also steel.

"Okay," Harry whispered. "Let's hope for the best then."

Harry threw his cane to the side before he pulled the elder wand and held it in his right hand while the cherry wand sat in his left. He placed both wand tips to Ry's hand and carefully opened his mind as he calmed his breathing and centred himself. The dark magic of the Dark Mark pulsing around him and he gently pushed it to the side with the elder wand. He closed his eyes to better see the stain of the mark and the spells and connections within it.

He first took a look at the link Ry had with Voldemort to see what it looked like, since his son had the stronger and more direct connection. He could see the way Ry had blocked Voldemort with a closed door in the back of his mind. It wasn't perfect but would work for now.

"Well done with the block, Ry." Harry said softly.

Harry studied the link he had with Voldemort and could feel the presence of the man on the other side.

"Okay, take your hand away, Ry." Harry muttered.

Harry watched as that link moved away and he focused back on the Dark Marks before him. His spell from before pulling the two marks together making the link to the Dark Lord stronger, than if he had just one mark to work with. He worked on the magic around the them as he sliced through the charms that he could that wouldn't alert the Dark Lord. He then focused on the direct link to Voldemort.

"Ah shit," Harry swore. "He knows I'm doing something."

Harry moved his cherry wand to his right hand. He held both wands in the same hand as he gripped Severus's arm with the other. He placed his thumb on the mark as he focused.

"Hold still," Harry ordered.

His head started to pound as Voldemort took notice of what he was doing. He quickly sliced through Narcissa's link in the mark first. He cut cleanly straight through Voldemort's connection to the woman and his own spell holding the two Death Eaters together. He would have rather cut through both connections at the same time but couldn't. He focused on Severus's link next as he took a deep breath.

"Oh god," Harry whispered as he gained Voldemort's full attention.

"Blake?" Severus asked quietly.

"You can move back Narcissa, but don't step outside the circle." Harry whispered. "I've sliced through your Dark Mark."

Harry groaned as the pain in his head increased as Voldemort picked up the link with Severus and Harry quickly grabbed a hold of it from his end. It felt like he was holding one end of a rope and Voldemort the other. Like a game of tug of war as pain spiked across his head.

"Blake!"

"Dad!"

"Sh," Harry hissed, eyes still closed. "Take these, Ry."

He felt his son take his wands and Harry wrapped both of his hands around Severus's forearm. He pressed both of his thumbs into the Dark Mark. The pain increased and he took a couple of deep breaths before he opened his mind to the full link with Voldemort. He dropped to his knees suddenly and felt Severus kneel with him.

' _He is mine!'_ Voldemort hissed along the link.

Harry grabbed hold of the magic and suddenly he was standing in a room facing Voldemort. The man sat in a throne like chair, his red eyes completely focused on Harry.

' _He's mine now,'_ Harry thought, stepping forward.

His spirit body standing tall before the Dark Lord. He could feel the link to his own body spread out behind him and he kept a tight hold on it. Voldemort sneered and pulled his wand from his robes and Harry braced himself.

' _Crucio_ ,' Voldemort hissed and Harry flinched.

He couldn't feel the pain but knew his body was screaming. He didn't have much time.

' _That won't work!'_ Harry hissed.

' _Maybe I should torture your pet instead,'_ Voldemort hissed as he raised his wand.

Harry quickly grabbed a hold of the link between Severus and Voldemort and pulled, breaking it harshly. He felt Severus cry out in pain but he couldn't help it as pain surged into his body. He gritted his teeth but held the link, like a live wire in his hands.

' _He's mine now!'_ Harry snarled.

Voldemort stood in anger, holding his wand tightly. Increasing the pain in Harry's body to the point that Harry could feel it in his spirit form, racing up and down his spine like fire.

' _You forget, old man,'_ Harry hissed. _'Once a connection is made, it can be broken_!'

Harry bared his teeth and broke the link harshly. Slicing straight through the curse. The Dark Lord howled as the broken link smashed into him and Harry was sent tumbling back to his body.

He smashed into his body and cried out in pain, releasing Severus's arm as he collapsed to the floor panting and shivering from the pain curse. His protection circle breaking, as he lost his concentration.

"Not…doing…that…again!" Harry panted, not even trying to move.

"Blake?" Severus asked softly, hand on his shoulder.

"Dad?"

"Cruciatus," Harry stuttered. "Severus?"

A potion appeared in front of Harry and he tried to take it but his hand was shaking too much.

"Potter get behind him, Narcissa help him." Severus ordered.

Harry felt two people moving him and he bit his lip tasting blood as pain coursed through his body setting it on fire. Suddenly a potion was at his lips and Harry gulped it down and the next one that followed it. Harry frowned as the second potion settled in his stomach and everything suddenly spun around him as his world went dark.

xXx

Severus watched closely as Blake went limp after the second potion. The calming and sleeping potion taking hold quickly. He placed the empty vials into his pocket and looked into Ry's large green eyes.

"What did you do?" Potter gasped, taking his father's weight as Narcissa knelt next to them.

She couldn't take her eyes off the faded Dark Mark on her arm. The snake had stopped moving and the black had faded to a dark grey. It was the lightest that the two Death Eaters had ever seen it. Severus however had a greater concern then the Dark Mark.

"It was a sleeping potion," Severus replied. He could still see Blake shaking from the pain curse. "He was held under the Cruciatus curse."

"Was it Voldemort?" Ry asked.

Severus sighed, the boy was never going to learn about saying the man's name.

"Yes," Severus replied. "I don't know how, but yes."

"He severed the link Severus," Narcissa said in disbelief.

"Yes," Severus snapped, checking his lover's pulse.

Ignoring the pounding in his own head as he checked Blake over. The other man was still having problems breathing, his pulse was racing and he was pale, sweaty and shaking. All signs of prolonged exposure to the pain curse.

"How did he…" Narcissa tried to say then trailed off.

"I don't know," Severus hissed. "I don't know how he does half the things he does!"

"He was in my head," Ry added.

Severus started and looked at the boy.

"He was in your head?" Severus repeated slowly.

"I could feel him," Ry replied, tapping his scar. "Here."

Severus didn't want to think on that too hard, for the simple fact that Blake had had his eyes closed the whole time. For Legilimency to work there needed to be eye contact.

"Alright, Potter." Severus said sharply. "Let's get him up and back to his rooms. Narcissa why don't you go see your son? Albus has set up a room in the guest wing. Do you know where that is?"

"Yes, Severus." Narcissa answered, still looking shocked. "Thank you and please thank him. I owe him a debt"

Severus nodded to the woman, more concerned with his lover than the Dark Mark.

"Okay Potter on three," Severus ordered.

Ry got under Blake's left arm as Severus got under his right.

"One, two, three," Severus hissed, pulling Blake to his feet.

They lifted the smaller man easily as his head lulled limply, completely out of it. Narcissa held the door open for the men and they made it to Blake's rooms easily. Narcissa opened that door as well before moving off down the hall.

Severus and Ry moved Blake into the bedroom and carefully laid him down on the bed. The man was still shaking and twitching, deepening Severus's concern.

"Potter run up and get Madam Pomfrey," Severus ordered.

Potter nodded before bolting from the room. Severus turned back to Blake, the man was still shivering with small tremors working their way down his body. His short black hair was plastered to his head as his eyes flickered under his closed lids. The sleeping potion had sent him under but not far enough as Severus gently brushed his hair back.

"Oh my god."

Severus looked up at Poppy in the doorway as she held her hand in front of her mouth.

"What happened, Severus?" Poppy asked, stepping forward.

"He was held under the Cruciatus curse," Severus reported, moving out of the woman's way. "I've given him the nerve, a sleeping potion."

"Oh god," Poppy gasped, running her wand up and down the man's body. "For how long?"

"Twenty minutes," Severus replied, looking over at Potter and he nodded in agreement.

"Mr Potter run up and get the Headmaster," Poppy requested softly. "We might need to transfer him to St Mungo's hospital."

Severus and Ry paled at the words. Potter looked at Severus with large green eyes.

"Go, Ry." Severus said softly.

"Okay," Ry muttered before running out of the room again.

"He won't go," Severus stated, remembering the way the man was last time the hospital was mentioned.

"He has nerve damage, Severus." Poppy told him. "His magic reserves are very low as well. What happened?"

Severus paled at the woman's words looking down at his lover. He took the man's hand in his own as the ring he had giving him glinting up at him in the low light.

"I can't say," Severus replied.

Poppy nodded, understanding the need for secrecy in these kinds of times. Blake groaned suddenly, tightening his hand around Severus's hand.

"Blake?" Severus asked, kneeling next to the bed.

Pale green eyes blinked open, sightly unfocused. He shouldn't even be awake so soon after the potion Severus had given him.

"Mr Sun," Poppy said, stepping forward. "Does you head hurt?"

Blake's eyes flicked to the mediwitch for a second and he nodded. Severus could tell that he was struggling, those green eyes glazed.

"Can you feel your toes and fingers?"

Another nod if a little slower this time.

"Are you in pain?"

"Yes," Blake whispered.

Severus tightened his grip on his hand, since it was unlike him to admit to being in pain.

"Can you give him a pain potion, Severus?" Poppy said, running her wand down the man's body.

Severus pulled the potion out of his pocket and raised the man's body slightly, ignoring the hiss of pain the man gave as he helped him with the potion. Blake drank it down and relaxed back into Severus's grip as it took effect. The shaking easing off as Blake lay boneless in his arms.

"Don't go back to sleep, Mr Sun!" Poppy snapped.

Blake's eyes blinked open again at the command. Poppy used a small torch to test his eyes as Blake blinked up at her.

"Bloody nurses," Blake cursed.

Severus chuckled as Poppy glared down him.

"How is he?" Albus asked as he stepped into the room with Ry on his heels. "Mr Potter explained everything on the way. I could feel the dark magic from my office."

"He needs to go to St Mungo's," Poppy said sharply.

"God no," Blake slurred as Severus held him.

"Dad!" Ry cried, jumping forward.

Blake flinched at the loud noise and Severus quickly grabbed the boy's shoulder.

"Sh!" Severus hissed.

"Sorry," Ry muttered.

"Are you sure Poppy?" Albus asked.

"Yes," The mediwitch confirmed, standing up straight. "He has nerve damage and very low magic reserves."

"Wha'?" Blake muttered, squinting up to the group.

"You were under the Cruciatus for at least twenty minutes, Blake." Severus explained softly.

"Really?" Blake asked, looking confused. "Didn't think it was that long."

"Thank you for your help, Poppy." The Headmaster said to the mediwitch.

Madam Pomfrey nodded stiffly before leaving the room. The Headmaster closed the door after her before turning back to the others in the room.

"Was it Voldemort?" Albus asked.

"Yes," Blake said quietly. "He knew I was trying to cut through the Dark Marks. He was waiting."

Blake leaned back further in the bed and Severus moved slightly to let him lay down completely. Blake's eyes starting to slip shut as he fought against the potions in his system.

"No hospital," Blake hissed.

"We will see," Severus replied.

"No…" Blake hissed then went limp as he lost his battle with the potions.

"Dad?" Ry asked softly.

Severus land a hand on the boy's shoulder.

"It's okay, Ry." Severus said kindly. "It's just the potions sending him back to sleep."

The boy looked close to tears but nodded at Severus, taking the comfort the man was offering.

"We'll let him sleep," Albus suggested. "And make a decision tomorrow about whether he goes to St Mungo's or not. Do you have the nerve potion Severus?"

"Yes," Severus replied. "I have them in my supplies that were ready to go to St Mungo's next week."

"Very well," Albus said softly. "We'll talk tomorrow."

The Headmaster clasped a hand on both of Severus and Potter's shoulders before leaving the room.

"Why don't you head up to your common room, Potter?" Severus said. "I'll call you if his condition changes."

Potter looked down at his father and Severus could see the argument building before the boy turned to Severus and all the fight went out of him.

"Okay Professor," Ry agreed.

Severus reached out and grabbed the boy's shoulder and those green eyes focused on him.

"He will be okay," Severus said softly.

Ry nodded before leaving the room, closing the door behind him softly. Leaving Severus alone in the room with his hand still wrapped around Blake's.

"God, you will be the death of me," Severus muttered to the sleeping man.

xXx

Harry woke slowly, feeling Severus curled along his back with an arm resting on his side and stomach and his legs tangled with his own. Slight tremors still ran down his body and the pain in Harry's head had him moaning softly. Severus's arm tightened around his waist.

"Blake?" Severus asked softly.

Harry silently cursed the fact that Severus was such a light sleeper.

"Yea'," Harry whispered back.

He felt Severus move behind him and soft light lit up the room. Harry blinked his eyes a few times before focusing on Severus looking down at him, concern in his dark eyes.

"Hey," Harry whispered, throat feeling raw.

Severus reached over and grabbed a glass of water off the bedside table. He tipped a pain and nerve potion into the cup before passing it to him. Harry's hand trembled slightly as he took the glass in both hands. He took a couple of sips as he tried not to spill the contents.

"How are you feeling?" Severus asked, his voice soft.

"Did someone get the licence plate of the car that hit me?" Harry joked softly with a crooked grin but the pain in his eyes gave him away.

Severus smiled down at him, his face pale and eyes intense. Harry then noticed the Dark Mark on the man's arm. It was so pale on the man's skin he could barely see it in the darkened room. Harry reached out a shaking hand and placed it over the mark. He couldn't even feel the raised skin of the edges of the tattoo.

"It worked." Severus said softly, placing his own hand over Harry's trembling one.

Harry smiled tiredly, the potions starting to pull him back down. He finished the cup and Severus took it from his hand as sleep over took him once again.

xXx

"Potter!" Severus yelled up at the boy from the bottom of the stairs in the Gryffindor Common room. "Hurry up!"

Hermione moved nervously from foot to foot as they waited.

"Go get him," Severus demanded of the girl.

"Yes, sir." Hermione gushed before bolting up the stairs.

If someone had told Severus that he would be standing in the Gryffindor tower yelling at the son of the man that had tormented him as a child, so that he could take him to the Weasley's house for Christmas. He would have laughed in their faces. However, this is what his life had become and strangely Severus wouldn't change any part of it. Well, maybe the waiting for Potter part.

"Sorry, sir." Potter huffed as he ran down the stairs, Hermione on his heels.

Severus grabbed the boy's shoulder and pushed him towards the portrait hole with Hermione hurrying along behind them.

"Come on," Severus snapped. "The quicker I drop you off at the Weasleys the better!"

"Will you and Dad come over on Christmas?" Ry asked softly.

"We will see," Severus replied with a sigh.

"How is Mr Sun, sir?" Hermione asked politely.

"Getting better slowly," Severus replied.

Blake was still sleeping a lot and the trembling in his hands and body were still concerning Severus and Poppy. However, Blake didn't seem as concerned and still refused to go to the hospital. Severus was not happy with the man but what more could he do except stunning him and dragging him there.

With Christmas only two days away it was making Severus feel as guilty as hell for what the man had gone through to break through the Dark Marks and yet. He would catch Blake's eyes catching on the faint tattoo on his arm and the satisfied look on his face made him feel less guilty.

"It would be great if he could make it," Ry remarked softly.

Severus gently laid his hand on the boy's shoulder in comfort. Blake had given them both a scare.

"It's okay, Ry." Hermione whispered, taking the boy's hand.

They made it out of the castle and Severus apparated the three of them to the Burrow. He looked up at the Weasley's house, surprised all over again that the house was still standing. They walked up to the front door and he knocked loudly. Molly opened the door with a big smile.

"Oh Severus!" Molly cried, hugging the stunned man. "Welcome, welcome. Come in!"

Molly pulled them into the house with a happy grin as she quickly hugged Hermione and Ry.

"Ron's upstairs." Molly told the children. "Ry you are bunking with Ron and Hermione you are with Ginny. Now off you go!"

Ry and Hermione hurried out of the room and disappeared up the stairs.

"Come this way, Severus." Molly offered with a smile.

She led him into the living room where Arthur and Bill were sitting on the lounge talking quietly. They both looked up at him as Severus entered.

"Severus," Arthur greeted with a smile. "Welcome. You remember my boy, Bill?"

"I do," Severus replied, shaking the boy's hand.

"Nice to see you again, sir." Bill said politely. "Blake's not with you?"

"He's a bit sick at the moment," Severus replied evenly. "He might be well enough for Christmas dinner?"

"We would welcome him," Molly gushed as she came back into the room with a tray with cups of tea on it. "Take a seat Severus."

"Yes," Bill agreed with a smile. "Haven't seen him for a while."

"You have worked with him before, correct?" Severus asked.

"Oh, yeah." Bill said excitedly. "Mostly work with Gringotts. He's a pro when working with the goblins and the way he works with wards! Never seen anything like it."

"Hey, Professor!"

Severus looked up as Fred and George piled into the room with matching grins. He reached into his robe and the twins paused but he just pulled out a few pieces of paper and held them out.

"Blake wanted me to give you these," Severus offered.

He had refused to read them, if they involved the Weasley twins, he did not want to know. Fred picked the papers out of Severus's fingers with care. Seven years of teaching them potions had been enough for Severus.

"Thanks, sir."

The two boys huddled around the papers, whispering between each other before floating back out of the room.

"You might want to check up on that later," Severus said casually to the other Weasleys. "If it involves Blake it could be anything."

Bill barked a laugh while Arthur grinned and Molly looked after her boys in disapproval.

"He wouldn't give them anything dangerous, would he?" Molly asked softly in concern.

Severus grinned.

"Not if he still wants to come to Christmas dinner," Severus drawled with a straight face but his black eyes glinted in amusement.

"Ha!" Bill laughed. "He's changed you."

Severus just smiled as he sat back in his chair.

"Well," Severus announced as he stood up. "I better get going. Thank you for the tea."

"You are more than welcome, dear." Molly said as she bustled over and gave him another hug. "I'll see you for Christmas dinner?"

"Thank you for the offer." Severus replied with a nod.

As he moved out of the house he couldn't help but feel like a part of the family. Blake had given him more than a relationship. He'd given him a life, family and friends. He felt more complete now than he ever had in his life and that was due to just one man.

xXx

Harry limped his way to the table in his rooms, feeling better now than he had in days. His hands still shook slightly but he could feel his magic reserves were working their way up to where they should be as they worked on repairing the nerves in his body. He knew that he had scared Severus badly but he couldn't have helped it and he wouldn't go back and change it for the world.

"Hey," Severus greeted as he came into his room.

Harry looked up, his face rough and still pale but his eyes were brighter as they looked at Severus.

"Hey, how'd you go with the Weasleys?" Harry asked, sitting back in his chair.

Severus's eyes roamed over Harry's bare chest before he moved to the kitchen to make a coffee.

"They expect to see you for Christmas dinner," Severus stated.

"We'll be there," Harry said with conviction in his voice. "Ry would never forgive me if I wasn't there."

"I'm sure he would, if you don't feel up to it Blake." Severus replied.

Severus placed the cup of coffee on the table. His sharp eyes picking out the tremble still in Harry's hand.

"Dracka is coming by tomorrow night," Harry said, changing the topic. "To pick up the ward stones. I rang the Headmaster before to give him the heads up."

"Do you feel up for that?" Severus questioned, taking a seat at the table and placing a nerve and pain potion on the table next to Harry's cup.

"Haven't got much choice," Harry said with a sigh. "I was supposed to give him the ward stones over a week ago."

He took the nerve potion but only half of the pain potion. He placed the half empty potion back onto the table and Severus picked up the empty vial and slipped it away in his pocket.

"Did you inform him that you are unwell?" Severus questioned.

"Yes," Harry confirmed. "He picked it up in my voice. Not sure how he's going to react."

Severus tensed and asked, "Should I be concerned?"

"Nah," Harry said with a small smile. "He'll probably just be more of an ass than normal."

Severus smiled. "You do seem to bring that out in people."

Harry barked a laugh then grabbed his ribs.

"Still giving you trouble?" Severus remarked in concern.

Harry nodded and said, "It's getting better, just really slowly."

xXx

Severus stood at the gates of Hogwarts, bundled up in a warm coat as soft snow fell around him on Christmas Eve. The last of the light touched the horizon and Severus dug his hands further into the pockets of his overcoat as he waited.

"Severus Snape."

Severus looked up to see Rolf Dracka standing before him with his black hair well-groomed and stylish as he stared at him with dark eyes. The other man stood about an inch or so shorter than him with sharp features. He was a man that would get a second glance and had a presence around him that put you slightly on edge. Even before he showed off his slightly pointed canine teeth and the red glaze that would come into his eyes.

"Welcome to Hogwarts," Severus drawled. "You have safe passage."

Dracka gave him a grin and stepped onto the grounds of Hogwarts.

"I'm surprised that Sun didn't come down to meet me?" Dracka asked.

"He is unwell," Severus said simply.

"He mentioned he felt under the weather and couldn't make the trip to France." Dracka sneered.

"Correct," Severus confirmed.

Dracka grabbed Severus's arm, pulling him to a stop and he raised an eyebrow in question. The vampire released him but his dark eyes looked him over.

"Is he okay?" Dracka questioned.

"He's getting better," Severus replied shortly.

"You know that I have known him for over ten years," Dracka remarked. "In that time, I have never seen him unwell."

"Well," Severus sneered. "You will see him unwell tonight."

"Very well," Dracka conceded and they started moving again.

"What was he like when you met him?" Severus blurted out, unsure where the question had come from.

"Bitter," Dracka replied after a couple of seconds of thought. "Like a dark cloud was following him around. His magic was so dark you could almost taste it on the air. It was intoxicating, making it hard to keep the demon back."

Severus almost missed a step, unsure what to make of that.

"My brother was never good at keeping his demon at bay," Dracka continued.

"Is that what happened between Blake and your brother?" Severus asked.

"Yes," Dracka said sadly. "He was part of a team that we had hired from Gringotts to ward the village and mansion."

"What happened?"

"It was his dark magic," Dracka admitted. "It rolled over the village while he was working on the wards. I don't think he was even aware of it. It drove my brother mad."

"And Blake killed him?"

"Yes," Dracka confirmed. "My brother torn through his team while he was distracted by the wards. I tried to hold him back but he broke through my grip and jumped on Blake. I thought for sure the man was dead then suddenly my brother was bleeding out on the ground and this slip of a man was holding a sword. A pure silver sword right through my brother's chest."

"What happened then?"

"I lunged at him seeing red," Dracka replied. "His dark magic rolling over me one second then it was just gone. He bashed me in the head with the hilt of his sword and I fell back in shock. The dark magic was just gone. He stood over me holding the silver sword out, the point of it at my throat. He could have killed me at that moment.

"He didn't. He was covered in my brother's blood, holding a silver sword to my throat with those green eyes of his slightly glowing and he apologised." Dracka recalled with a shiver. "He said if he'd known there were vampires around he would have been more careful. He said it without any feeling in his voice as if it was an everyday thing that three members of his team and an elder vampire lay dead around him with my brother's blood on his hands."

Severus shivered at the image the other man's words brought to his mind.

"I thought for sure he was going to walk away," Dracka continued softly. "But he just turned back and finished the wards with his sword still pointed in my direction. He used pure light magic to finish it."

"Oh god," Severus cursed as they stood there as the snow fell around them.

"He's changed a lot since then," Dracka added softly and laid his hand on Severus's arm. "We would never have considered making a Treaty with that man. Harry Potter and you have been good for him."

Severus didn't know what to say to that as he just stood there. He knew that Blake had made a big difference in his life but he hadn't realised how much he had also helped him. The man that Dracka described was nothing like the man he knew now.

"Can you feel that dark magic around him now?" Severus asked softly, moving back towards the school.

"It's still there," Dracka replied. "But he holds it tightly under his control but every now and again it just feels like a light touch against you."

Severus nodded and the two moved down the hall towards Blake's room in silence. Severus knocked twice then opened the door for Dracka. The man stepped through the door and stopped suddenly.

"You look like shit," Dracka stated as he looked Blake over.

"Thanks," Blake deadpanned.

He still looked pale and there were dark circles under his eyes. His facial hair was out of control and his short black hair was longer than normal and a mess. He sat in dark jeans and a loose shirt since he had lost a fair amount of weight over the last few days. His cane hung from the table where an array of snap lock bags of different coloured stones were spread out. Dracka eyed the man over before picking up one of the bags.

"Each bag has four ward stones in it for each village or building," Blake explained. "The gold ones are the ones that I cast and the other coloured stones are ones that my students cast. I've written location, date and time on each one."

"Blake made it into a field trip," Severus explained.

Severus placed a coffee down in front of Blake and two other cups in front of the other empty seats with milk and sugar. Severus took a seat as Dracka looked over each group of stones. Reading Blake's neat script on each plastic bag and working them into different piles on the table.

"Do you have a box I can put these in?" Dracka asked.

"Yes," Severus said. "I'll just get you one."

Severus got up and moved into the kitchen to grab one of the plastic containers that Blake kept in there.

"What happened to you?" He heard Dracka ask Blake.

"A brush with the Cruciatus curse," Blake replied.

"That's why you smell of dark magic?"

"Sorry. I can't pull it back any more, is it a problem?"

"Is that why you didn't want to come to France?"

"In part, yes."

Severus moved back into the other room to see Dracka standing very close to Blake but he moved away when Severus walked back into the room. Severus passed over the container and noticed that Blake's hand was trembling more than it had been before as he picked up his coffee. He raised an eyebrow in question but Blake just shook his head slightly and he let it pass.

Dracka smiled in thanks and packed away the stones in groups. Once the last bag of stones was packed away Dracka nodded in Blake's direction.

"Thank you," Dracka said softly, holding out a hand.

"No problems," Blake replied.

The two men grasped hands over the table before Dracka turned to Severus.

"Will you see me out, Severus?" Dracka inquired.

"Of course," Severus said.

Blake's green eyes followed the two men and Severus gave the man a wink as he closed the door behind them. The two moved to the entrance hall before Dracka turned on him.

"You didn't say he was that bad," Dracka hissed, his eyes flashing red briefly.

Severus just raised an eyebrow in question.

"What was he doing?" Dracka demanded.

Severus pulled up his left sleeve of his robe, where the Dark Mark could just be seen. It had been fading slowly since Blake had cut the link but could still be seen.

"Death Eater," Dracka whispered as he stepped forward, his eyes locked on the mark. "What did he do?"

"He broke the connection," Severus responded.

"Well, fuck me," Dracka swore with a savage grin. "No wonder he stinks of dark magic."

Severus stiffened, making Dracka look up.

"He'll be fine," Dracka said.

"I hope you're right," Severus replied, letting the sleeve of his robe slip back down.

"Good bye, Severus." Dracka offered with a grin before he walked out into the snow.

Severus just leaned back against the school wall and watched the vampire before turning and walking back to Blake's rooms.

"He told you what happened the night I killed his brother, didn't he?" Blake stated when Severus walked through the door.

Severus looked down at Blake seeing the man he loves looking back at him with tired green eyes.

"He did," Severus confirmed.

Blake sighed and looked away from Severus. The normally strong man, looking venerable. Severus moved until he stood next to him and kneeled down. Blake looked at him in surprise before Severus leaned forward and cupped the man's cheeks before pulling him into a soft kiss. Blake kissed him back, snaking his hand behind Severus's head and pulled him closer as he deepened the kiss.

"Back to bed I think," Severus whispered, when they pulled apart. "We have a big night at the Weasleys tomorrow."

Blake groaned as he let his forehead rest against Severus's as he looked deep into the other man's eyes.

"You just had to remind me."

xXx

Severus woke Harry about an hour before they had to be at the Weasleys but at least he had a coffee in his hand, which he placed on the side table.

"Merry Christmas," Severus whispered giving the other man a long kiss.

Harry reached up and pulled the other man on top of him, hissing slightly as the man's weight put pressure on his ribs. Severus went to pull back but Harry held him in place.

"Oh no, you don't." Harry hissed, pulling him back down for another kiss.

Harry released Severus when the need to breathe became more important. Harry gave him a soft grin as Severus leaned on his elbow beside him on the bed.

"Come on," Severus said softly. "We have to be at the Weasleys in about an hour for dinner."

"Did I sleep all day?" Harry asked in surprise but felt a lot better for it.

"Your morning coffee may or may not have had a sleeping potion in it." Severus remarked with a smirk.

"Bastard," Harry cursed, but without any heat to his words. "What's in this coffee then?"

Severus looked at the coffee on the side table.

"Nerve potion and a half pain potion," Severus commented lightly with a wink.

Harry huffed a laugh and took a sip as Severus laid out on the bed beside him, fully clothed waiting for the show.

"Tastes like drugs," Harry muttered with a grin.

Severus barked a laugh as Harry sat on the edge of the bed, fully naked. Severus eyes ran over the scars on the man's back and the way he could see every one of his ribs.

"We need to put some good food in that stomach of yours," Severus muttered, running a hand down Harry's back.

Harry shivered at the feeling and grinned over his shoulder at him. Severus just placed his hands behind his head as his dark eyes watched his lover.

"Tease," Harry muttered as he used his cane to get to his feet.

Severus's laughter filled the room and warming Harry's heart as he limped to the bathroom. Harry glanced into the mirror, his face was pale under the dusting of dark hair on his face and his short hair was a little longer than normal. He didn't look as tried as he had been the last few days. He quickly shaved off the hair on his face but left his dark hair the way it was, it grew too bloody quickly. He had a quick shower and limped back to the bedroom. Severus was where he'd left him but had his own cup of coffee in his hands.

"Are you just going to watch me?" Harry asked as he went through his drawers.

"Yes," Severus purred, making Harry shiver.

Harry refused to turn around as he pulled on his blue jeans and a black shirt. He ran his hands through his hair, messing it up.

"Your hair is as bad as Potter's," Severus said smoothly.

"Why do you think I cut it so short?" Harry asked as he turned back. "Curse of the Potters it is."

Severus smirked. "I don't mind it."

Harry grinned and purred, "What? Do you want me to look more like a Potter?"

A shiver ran down Severus's length making Harry grin as he finished off his coffee.

"I'll take that as a no?" Harry asked with a smirk.

Severus stood in one fluid movement and stalked towards him with a glint in his dark eyes. Harry stood up straight and tilted his head back as the taller man captured his lips in a soft kiss. Harry wrapped his arms around the taller man just taking in the feel and scent of the man.

"I can only live with one Potter in my life," Severus whispered in his ear and Harry shivered. "And one distant one."

Harry barked a laugh and grabbed Severus's bum before stepping back with a smirk.

"Come on," Harry said with a grin. "We don't want to keep the Weasleys waiting."

xXx

They landed in the field near the Burrow with Severus steadying Harry when he stumbled. Harry grinned at him before planting his cane on the ground and limping towards the house with Severus at his side. They could see the lights of the house from where they were and the floating tent out the back that the Weasleys had set up.

"How many people are they expecting?" Severus questioned in dismay.

"Well," Harry said with a smirk. "There are a lot of them. Having second thoughts, Severus?"

Severus just groaned even louder as a large black dog came running towards them.

"Not Black too," Severus hissed.

Harry laughed as the dog pranced around them before running back to the house, barking loudly.

"For fuck sake," Severus hissed. "I should have stayed at home."

"And let me face this alone?" Harry said softly, taking the man's hand in his.

Severus looked down at Harry with a soft look in his eyes as Harry smiled up at him.

"Get a room!"

Severus and Harry turned towards Black and Severus gave him the finger. Harry laughed then gasped holding his ribs with a hiss.

"Did you want the rest of the pain potion?" Severus inquired, turning to the shorter man.

"Nah," Harry gasped. "All good."

"Come on you two!" Black yelled out. "We've been waiting for you!"

"Ready to face the music?" Harry muttered to Severus.

"They are your family," Severus replied.

"Hey! I'm not claiming Black!" Harry muttered, then grinned. "And they are your family as well."

Severus tightened his grip on Harry's hand as they turned back to the house.

"You look like shit, Sun." Black said in greeting.

"So nice of you to notice, Black," Harry drawled dryly, shaking the man's hand.

Sirius gave him a grin before leading them into the house.

"Blake and Snape are here!" Sirius yelled out. "We can eat now!"

Harry groaned and shook his head.

' _What the hell have I gotten into?'_ Harry thought.

Severus tightened his grip on Harry's hand so at least he knew he wasn't alone.

xXx

Harry sat sprawled out in an armchair that Severus had floated out to the lawn for him after dinner that night. He was watching as the kids ran around trying to catch Black in his dog form as Remus cast spells to trip them up. He'd eaten way too much and was starting to feel sleepy again but was fighting it back. Suddenly a mug of coffee appeared in front of him and he followed the arm up to a smirking Severus Snape.

"Thank you." Harry said gratefully.

"That man will never grow up," Severus muttered as he settled in the seat next to Harry.

"It's good to see him moving passed Azkaban at least," Harry commented.

Suddenly Ry smashed into Black sending the dog sprawling with a yelp as the kids giggled around them.

"Merry Christmas, my boys."

Harry looked up at Albus Dumbledore looking down at the two of them. Harry grinned up at the man, happy to see that his hand was looking a lot better and the dark magic only a thin coating around him.

"Merry Christmas, Albus." Harry greeted. "What brings you here?"

"Molly invited me, however I couldn't make it until now." Albus told them as he took a seat across from the two men.

"Albus, would you like some tea or coffee?" Molly asked as she bustled over.

"Tea would be lovely, my dear." Albus replied with a smile.

"Of course," Molly said kindly. "I'll be back in a minute."

Albus turned back to Harry and looked him over.

"You are looking better?" Albus asked.

"Yeah," Harry agreed. "Getting stronger every day."

Albus sat forward in his seat and whispered, "I've found another one."

Harry sat up straight as he felt Severus stiffen next to him. He focused completely on the man before him.

"Do we have time to get to it?" Harry asked.

"Yes, my boy." Albus said brightly as he patted Harry's knee.

"You do realise that I'm older than you are Headmaster," Harry pointed out with a smirk.

Albus laughed and gave him a wink. "That I do, my boy."

Severus barked a laugh and placed his hand on Harry's leg as Molly came back out with the tea. She blushed slightly when she noticed where Severus's hand was resting. The men ignored the blush as she held out the tea out to Albus.

"Thank you, my dear." Albus said, taking the tea from the woman.

Suddenly Molly looked up and gasped. Harry found himself on his feet without realising he was moving and swayed slightly when the blood rushed to his head. Severus grabbed his shoulder to steady him.

"What is it?" Severus hissed.

"It's Percy!" Molly squealed and rushed over to her son and the man beside him.

"Is that the new Minster of Magic?" Severus asked.

"Yes, yes, it is." Albus replied. "I wonder what he's doing here."

"Hey dad, what's going on?" Ry asked.

The other children, Sirius and Remus had come over when they heard Molly squeal.

"It's the Minister of Magic," Harry replied, eyeing off the man.

Black moved closer to Harry and Ry even if he had been acquitted, he still didn't feel comfortable being around anyone from the Ministry. The Minister looked up at them, his golden eyes roaming over the group before settling on Ry. Harry placed his hand on his son's shoulder and the man's eyes flicked to Harry, whom stared him down. The man looked away and said something to Mrs Weasley and Percy.

The man limped towards them and Harry stood up straighter, his own cane planted on the ground beside him. The man had shoulder length brown hair and a face that stuck in your memory. His body still full of strength even though was no longer an Auror. Between his gold eyes and shaggy mane of hair he looked more like an old lion than a Minister of Magic, but Harry knew the man's history from his file and he was not a man to take lightly or dismiss easily. As the Minister's eyes settled on him, Harry was sure that the man was thinking the same about him.

"Merry Christmas, everyone." The man greeted as he made eye contact with each person gathered.

"How can we help you tonight, Minister?" Albus asked with a smile.

"I was hoping to have a quick word with Harry Potter," Minister Rufus Scrimgeour intoned softly to the group.

"No," Harry said shortly, with steel in his voice.

"Ah, Mr Blake Sun." Scrimgeour exclaimed with a smile. "I've heard all sorts of rumours about you."

"Some of them are even true," Harry remarked dryly.

The man reeled back in surprise as Sirius and Severus snorted.

"I'm happy to have a word with you, Minister." Albus announced brightly, his blue eyes twinkling in amusement.

The man turned his head towards the Headmaster.

"No need," The Minister said. "I'm only here so that Mr Weasley could see his family on Christmas. If you will excuse me, I'll be going."

"Good night, Minister." The Headmaster called after him with a smile.

Harry watched the man walk away calmly. Fudge had been easy to work with but Harry knew that he would have more trouble with Scrimgeour. Being a former Auror he knew that Scrimgeour would have a natural mistrust of Dark Wizards.

"Dad?"

Harry looked up at Ry and realised he'd been holding the boy's shoulder tightly.

"Sorry, Ry." Harry apologised as he released him. "Remus, why don't you take the kids inside?"

"Sure, Blake." The werewolf agreed. "Come on kids, I think Molly has some ice cream in the freezer."

"Blake, are you okay?" Severus asked, once the kids were out of sight.

Harry hadn't noticed that his hands had started shaking again and he sat back down in his chair carefully.

"Yeah, yeah." Harry said, waving off the concern.

"I don't know, Blake." Sirius remarked as he looked down at him. "You're looking pretty pale."

Harry glared up at the man.

"Ah," Black muttered, looking around. "I think I'll join the kids for ice cream."

Then the man bolted, proving that he did show sense sometimes.

"Ha!" Severus barked. "And I thought my glares could kill."

"You want it turned in your direction, Severus?" Harry asked softly.

"I'll talk to you in a couple of weeks about what we were discussing before, Blake." Albus commented with a twinkle in his eyes. "Merry Christmas, boys."

"Merry Christmas, Albus."

Severus and Harry watched the man walk away before Severus held his hand out to him. Harry smiled up at him before taking his hand and letting the taller man pull him to his feet.

"God, I hate feeling weak," Harry muttered into the other man's shoulder before he placed his cane on the ground and stood straighter.

Harry titled his head back as Severus looked down at him with dark eyes. Severus cupped his face and gave him a soft kiss.

"Get a room!"

Harry huffed a laugh against Severus's lips.

"I think we've been told," Harry commented lightly. "Should we find a room?"

Severus rumbled a laugh as the men turned away from the Weasleys' house.

xXx

A few weeks later found Harry sitting at the Ravenclaw table with a book in front of him. He was trying to explain a complex spell to a group of third years when Professor McGonagall walked up to him with a familiar gold glass figurine. She held the glass by the scruff of the neck while it twisted around trying to bite her.

"I believe, Mr Sun." She said dryly, holding out the figurine. "That this beast is yours."

"Why yes, Professor." Harry cried, holding out his hand. "I must have misplaced it."

McGonagall dropped the griffin onto Harry's palm to the giggles of the Ravenclaw students around them. She gave him a 'professor' stare over her glasses with tight lips and disapproval rolling off her.

"Make sure it doesn't get misplaced with my lions again, Mr Sun." McGonagall said sternly as she glared down at Harry before sliding her glasses up her nose and striding away.

"Poor little guy," Harry cooed at the griffin as it started preening its golden glass feathers. "What did the nasty woman do to you?"

The kids around him dissolved into laughter as the griffin shook itself before sitting down on his palm and looking up at him. It cocked its head to the side as its red eyes glinted in the light of the Great Hall. Harry gave it a soft smile as the small animal looked around.


	12. Chapter 12

Author's rambling: Finally, some questions answered…and some more questions raised.

xXx

Harry placed the goat's liver in the silver cauldron when a knock sounded on the door behind him.

"Come in," Harry called as he stirred the potion three times clockwise with a glass rod.

"Am I interrupting?"

Harry turned around to see Cameron Charmling standing in the doorway.

"Sorry, I thought you were a student." Harry said placing a status charm on the potion before turning to the other man. "What can I do for you Mr Charmling?"

"Please call me Cameron," The man said moving into the room looking around. "The Headmaster mentioned that you teach advance classes in Charms?"

"And other things, yes." Harry confirmed, leaning back on the bench behind him. "Is there something I can help you with?"

Cameron moved closer until he stood in front of Harry.

"I've heard that you make a remarkable protection circle?" Cameron asked with a charming smile.

"And?" Harry asked.

"I would like to learn it," Cameron said softly.

"You don't know how to make a protection circle?" Harry asked raising an eyebrow.

"Well," Cameron said. "I know how to make a protection charm but not a circle."

"I have some new students," Harry said carefully. "I would be happy to run them through protection circles if you would like to watch?"

Cameron's smile dimmed a little before it came back in full force.

"Sounds great." The man said.

"Okay, I'll send you a note when I run the class." Harry said calmly. "Now I've got to get back to my potion."

"You don't get Snape to make your potions?" Cameron asked, his eyes darkening at Severus's name.

"Not when I can make them myself." Harry replied. "Good afternoon Mr Charmling."

"See you later, Blake."

The man gave him one more grin before leaving the room closing the door behind him. Harry looked at the door as he ran through the conversation in his mind before turning back to his potion.

xXx

"Charmling came to see me today," Harry said to Severus as they laid in bed together that night.

Harry was sprawled out on his back with Severus curled into his side. Harry's hand running up and down the man's side as he thought about the encounter with Charmling that evening.

"What did he want?" Severus rumbled.

"Said he wanted to learn a protection circle," Harry said frowning. "But he would have learned that in the Auror program."

"How do you know that?" Severus asked.

"Because at one point in my life I did the training," Harry smirked.

"Okay," Severus muttered. "I'm not going to ask why that was."

Harry chuckled. "There's something not right about that man."

Severus rumbled a laugh and kissed his side as he slowly moved up Harry's body and kissed him on the lips as he rolled on top of him.

"You have mentioned that before," Severus purred.

Harry grinned and pulled the other man's head down to his and kissed him deeper all thoughts of the Defence teacher leaving his head.

xXx

Severus stalked down the busy hallways of Hogwarts, students parting before him like Moses parting the sea. He sneered down at a first year that yelped and jumped out of his way as he worked his way down from the Headmaster's office. He was still unsure what the man had even called him up there for and he had a feeling that the old man just wanted some company and to catch up.

Severus slowed his steps as he realised that he had walked passed his rooms and with a slight grin moved down the hall to Blake's rooms. He found himself in his rooms more than his own now and he was surprised that the Headmaster hadn't just suggested that they move into the same one but he supposed since Severus was a Professor and Blake still taught students that it wouldn't be proper. Severus smirked and knocked softly on Blake's door before entering.

The man sat at his dining table with papers scattered from one end to the other with a pad of paper and a pen in his hand while he held his phone to his ear.

" _Oui_ ," Blake said into the phone and waved Severus in and nodded his head to the kitchen with a smile.

Severus moved to the kitchen with a smirk as the man spoke on the phone. Blake's French rolling off his tongue like he had been born to the language. It made Severus shiver as he watched the man at the table as he tapped the pen on the paper and wrote something down every now and again. His body relaxed as he picked up a file off the table and made a note in it.

Severus looked over at the man while he waited for the water to boil. You could pass the man on the street and not give him a second glance. His slim frame, short stature and short black hair made him bend in without trying. You wouldn't even think the man was a wizard and with his cane and limp it made you think he wasn't a threat. It wasn't until the man glanced up and that pale green stare and easy smile graced his face that you could see the power in him.

Severus moved back to the table with the coffee and placed it within the man's reach. Blake nodded then wrote something on the piece of paper and pushed it towards Severus.

' _Thanks, pain potion_?' Was written on the paper in Blake's neat script.

Severus frowned and dug into his robes and pulled out the potion and placed it next to the coffee, Blake gave him a nod of thanks still talking on the phone and poured the whole potion into his coffee, making Severus raise an eyebrow in surprise, before taking a sip and sliding the empty vial back to Severus.

Severus sat at the table with his own coffee and looked over the files. They were written in English, French, German and what looked like some kind of Asian script. Blake tapped the table to get his attention and pushed a file in Severus's direction. Severus raised an eyebrow at the man when he saw it was written in French.

Blake gave him a smile and tapped the file with his pen and the words shimmered and twisted into English. It was moments like this that left Severus in awe of the man beside him. That he could do magic so casually while still holding a conversation and without voicing the spell or even holding a wand.

Severus looked the file over; it seemed to be about a village in France. Blake's neat writing covered the page as he had written down details about the town, the wards and charms that he had placed around it. Nothing really jumped out at Severus until he read the word werewolf.

" _Oui_ ," Blake said sitting back in his seat. " _Je vais revenir a vous ministre, Je vous remercie."_

Blake hung up the phone and glanced over at Severus.

"That was the assistant for the Minister of Magic in France," Blake said calmly.

Severus just stared at him.

"What?" Blake asked.

"Nothing, go on." Severus purred.

"Ah, okay." Blake stuttered. "He wanted a few things but top item on his list was new wards on the Ministry now that the Dark Lord has returned and the British Ministry have ungraded their security, we have come to an agreement with him backing some new rights for vampires and werewolves which Dracka should be happy with, but I will run them passed the man later."

Blake looked down at the files around him and moved a few around, uncovering a piece of paper that he picked up.

"Dracka did call this morning about something," Blake said looking at the piece of paper.

"Something?" Severus asked with an eyebrow raised.

"Well I couldn't work out what he was going on about," Blake said running a hand over his head. "He then dissolved into Dutch and I think he was swearing at me. I wrote the words down to look up later."

"You don't speak Dutch?" Severus asked with a smirk.

"Ah no," Blake replied. "But after looking up this list I may have some good swear words for the next time Dracka calls."

Severus barked a laugh as Blake took another sip of his coffee.

"That file I gave you," Blake continued. "Is a settlement in France, they have a community of werewolves that live there. They want me to teach a group of potion students how to make the new Wolfsbane potion. Do you feel like a road trip?"

Severus sat back in his seat and watched the other man sipping on his coffee calmly looking over at him. Laying the offer out there, but not pressuring him either way.

"What was the pain potion for?" Severus asked instead.

"Ah," Blake said looking uncomfortable. "Headache. Phone hasn't stopped since this morning."

"Is that why I can't see the table top?" Severus smirked.

"Ah yeah," Blake said rubbing his head again. "Some of these files just arrived and I was looking them over."

"From who?" Severus asked.

"Ah," Blake glanced around the table. "Once I gather them all up I could tell you each pile, they all kind of came together. The Headmaster was happy to dump them here. Does your head in skipping from English, to German, then to French, and so on."

"And Chinese?" Severus asked holding up the file.

"Japanese," Blake corrected. "That was a contract I had over there about a Temple and a curse…yeah too long to explain that one. So, werewolves and Wolfsbane?"

"When would this be?"

"They would prefer before the next full moon," Harry replied. "So, within the next couple of weeks. Could make it a weekend trip, we could leave after your last class on a Friday."

"Sounds romantic," Severus deadpanned.

"Ha!" Blake barked. "So, is that a yes?"

"Sounds like a date," Severus smirked, as his tipped his cup of coffee in the man's direction.

xXx

Severus looked around the busy street in interest as he followed Blake. The man seemed to create a gap around him as he walked, people subconsciously giving him space as they walked along and it still amazed him as they made their way out of the Paris International Portkey Platform. Blake leading the way to a Taxi Rank where he greeted the driver with a smile and held out a piece of paper for the man to take.

"Jump in Severus," Blake said over his shoulder, before turning back to the driver and speaking to him in French.

Severus slid in and moved to the other side as Blake gave a laugh and got in beside him. The driver and Blake spoke quietly as the man pulled out into the busy traffic.

"He says it might take us a while," Blake said leaning back in his seat. "Peak hour traffic and all that."

They were heading to one of Blake's houses just outside of Paris.

"And we can't apparate why?" Severus asked silkily.

"Oh, sorry." Blake replied. "I like to see the city, we can apparate if you like?"

Severus smirked at the other man.

"It's fine," Severus replied and Blake gave him a grin.

Severus turned to look out the window as Blake went back to talking to the driver. The man was being very animated as he spoke and Blake watched him in interest, adding in a few words now and again.

Severus watched him through the glass of the window as the town passed by outside the window. Blake seemed interested in what the driver was saying and was leaning forward in his seat as the man spoke. Severus smiled, Blake really loved to talk to people and he had skills in finding out information without someone realising they were giving it away.

Severus could see the skills of a good spy in the man and he wondered if anyone else could see it. He was sure the man would even be able to get information out of death eaters without them knowing and he smiled softly. Blake glanced over at him and gave him a wink in the reflection of the glass, well aware that Severus was watching him, as he said something to the driver and the man laughed.

The driver dropped them off at a large apartment building and Blake handed over some cash with a smile and a laugh as they got out of the taxi. The driver gave them a wave as he pulled away and Blake moved up to the front door of the building and holding the door open for Severus before moving through the large foyer to the lift at the back of the room.

"You were a spy," Severus purred in the man's ear once they were in the lift and moving up to the third floor.

"What makes you say that?" Blake said with a grin.

"You almost had the driver inviting you to dinner at his house," Severus smirked.

Blake barked a laugh.

"Didn't realise you speak French, Mr Snape?" Blake said in amusement.

"Don't need to," Severus replied, as they stepped out of the lift and into the hallway.

"From one spy to another, hey?" Blake said with a wink and stopped in front of door number twenty-four and placed a key in the lock and pushed the door open for him.

"Something like that," Severus purred as he stepped into the room and looked around.

It was only small, but well maintained and furnished with simple rental furniture as they moved into the small living area. Blake moved to one of the doors and threw his bag into the room before heading towards the kitchen. Severus moved to the large glass doors and stepped out onto the balcony that ran the length of the apartment. It was a beautiful view of the city spread out before him.

"Brought it for the view," Blake said softly next to him. "It pays for itself in rental income."

Severus rested his arm over the man's shoulders, pulling him closer, as they looked out at the view as the sun started to set and the lights came on around them.

"Gert Filler will be sending someone by tomorrow morning to take us to the village," Blake said softly. "There is a really nice restaurant down the road and we could catch a movie or something if you want?"

Severus looked down at the shorter man and felt his heart beat that little bit faster as Blake turned his head and looked up at him. He leaned down and gave the man a kiss before they looked back out at the view of the city just enjoying each other's company away from any commitments of the school.

"How is it that you know so many languages?" Severus asked softly.

Blake gave him a grin.

"By product of being a parseltongue," Blake said softly. "Took me a while to work it out when a friend said that I pick up languages too easily."

"How does that work?"

"Parseltongue or picking up languages?" Blake asked as he turned in his arms to look up at him, putting his back to the view.

"Both," Severus asked in interest.

"Well," Blake said softly. "I can understand and talk to snakes, which is a talent you are born with. They really aren't that interesting to talk to, by the way. I'm not sure why it helps with learning other languages. It's just a theory really, the more I am in a country and surrounded with the language the easier it is. Still have to learn it, but it's just quicker."

"That's a useful talent," Severus rumbled as he leaned closer and kissed him.

Blake gave him a grin as he pulled back and Severus looked down into the man's green eyes as the day moved into night.

"What's the bedroom like?" Severus whispered and smirked when he saw a shiver go down the man's back.

"Not sure," Blake replied. "Want to find out?"

xXx

Harry sat at the back of the classroom as Severus showed the two women and three men how to make the new Wolfsbane. He leaned back in his chair as Severus showed the others how to cut and mix the potion his black eye alight as he ran through the steps as the students took notes.

The man really did like teaching, but the students had to want to learn, he didn't like teaching people that didn't want to put themselves into making the potion. Blake could see the men and women around Severus wanted to learn everything he wanted to share as Severus worked in his element.

"How's it going?" A voice said from his right and Harry turned to see an old man with white hair and intense brown eyes. His name was Alex Shouver and he looked after the village.

"Nothing has blown up yet," Harry said with a smile. "That's always a good sign."

The man gave a soft chuckle and eased himself into a chair next to Harry. The man was old for a werewolf at about eighty to ninety years and Harry could almost see the wolf coating the man's skin as he sat next to him.

"Your new Wolfsbane has given us more hope, Mr Sun." The man said softly.

"It's as more Severus's work than mine," Harry replied. "He worked hard on the first Wolfsbane."

"He is a very talented potion master," Alex agreed.

"Yes, he is." Harry said softly, watching the man.

"Your apprentice?" Alex asked and Harry looked at him sharply. "You can't hide what you are from me, Mr Sun."

"Blake is fine," Harry said as he looked back at Severus. "He is not my apprentice."

"Maybe in time then," Alex said softly.

Harry watched Severus working for a moment, as he really got into talking to one of the woman and was showing her something in the notes on the table, making Harry smile.

"We never know what the future will hold for us," Harry said softly as Severus laughed at something that one of the students said.

"Yes," Alex said and got to his feet. "That would just be cheating, now wouldn't it?"

Harry looked up at the old man and took the hand he held it out to him, surprised with a strength in the man's grip, as the magic of his dark curse brushed against his arm.

"Thank you," Alex said, his brown eyes intense as he looked down at Harry.

"You are most welcome, Mr Shouver." Harry said and he was sure that the man was talking about more than just the lessons they were giving.

The old man released his hand and gave him a nod before leaving the room.

"Are you just going to seat there and do nothing?" Severus called out to him silkily. "Or are you going to give us a hand, Mr Sun."

Harry grinned up at Severus and pulled himself to his feet.

"Sure," Harry smirked. "I suppose I could help blow up a cauldron or two."

xXx

Severus walked into Blake's room to see the man looking over a file in interest. He moved towards him and placed his hands on the man's shoulders as he looked at the file in front of him and then snorted.

"You have Charmling's file?" Severus smirked as he looked at the smiling photo of the man. "You know he pulled your file."

Blake barked a laugh and looked up at him as Severus worked on his shoulders.

"He would have had fun with that one," Blake said with a grin.

"He said a lot of it was censored," Severus remarked as he read the file in front of him. "That looks all pretty standard. I don't see death eater written on it in big red letters."

"I see plenty of Dark Wizards that have fallen to his wand," Blake said softly.

Severus's hands tightened on his shoulders as he looked over the file.

"I knew this man," Blake said softly. "Part Veela so a Light Wizard. Charmling killed him. Everything else looks normal. Three years in training and about five as a full Auror. Kingsley had nothing but good things to say about him and I spoke to his old partner. He is a bit of a workaholic but would go to social events. No girlfriends or boyfriends, seems to swing towards the girls according to his last partner."

"Sounds like someone else I know," Severus muttered and kissed his neck.

"The workaholic part or the swinging towards girls, Mr Snape?" Blake asked in amusement.

Severus snorted as he ran his hands under the man's shirt, feeling the scars under his hands as he worked on his back and shoulders.

"Did you happen to pick up your file?" Severus purred in his ear as he kissed his neck.

"Is this your version of interrogation?" Blake muttered as he moved his head to the side.

Severus huffed a laugh and his eyes darked as a shiver ran down Blake's back and goose bumps came up on his arms. Blake twisted around and Severus took him in a soft kiss as he slipped his hands under the man's shirt and pulled it over his head.

"How am I supposed to get any work done?" Blake muttered as Severus pulled his chair back and settled on his lap.

"File is right there, Mr Sun." Severus drawled as he ran his hands up his sides.

Blake laughed and peered around him as Severus shrugged out of his robes.

"Someone seems to be in my way," Blake said with dark eyes as Severus pulled his shirt off. "Maybe you can do something about that?"

Severus huffed then gasped as Blake ran his nails down his sides and he shivered. Blake settled his hands on his hips as Severus flicked his belt open and slipped his hands lower.

"Did you just have Sixth year Slytherin and Gryffindor class?" Blake asked mildly as he sat back in his seat and rubbed a hand against Severus's pants.

Severus snorted as he looked down at the smaller man and he gave him a soft smile with his green eyes shining. He ran his fingers along one of the scars on the man's chest and the couple that curled around his sides from his back in interest.

"Whip marks," Blake said softly, confirming what Severus had thought. "The man had a bit of a fetish for muggle torture."

Severus shivered at the thought as he looked down at his lover. Blake didn't look away and his voice held no emotion as he spoke. Severus gently ran his hands down the man's sides and Blake shivered under his hands. He tilted the man's head back and kissed him softly as he savoured the taste of him as his rough hands rested on his sides.

Severus got to his feet and looked down at the seated man with dark eyes, Blake just looked back as he leaned back in his chair.

"Yes?" Blake purred and Severus felt it run right through him and by the smirk on other man's lips he knew it.

Severus reached out a hand and Blake grinned as he took it and he pulled the shorter man to his feet, his pants slipping down as he did. Blake just grinned and slipped out of his underwear to stand naked in front of him and Severus's eyes darkened as he took in the sight.

xXx

Missing scene due to rating.

xXx

Blake looked up at him his eyes still dark and gave him a small smile.

"A lot better than work," Blake purred and Severus shivered at the tone.

xXx

Harry startled awake when a knock sounded on his bedroom door. Severus stirred next to him and Harry muttered at him as he rolled out of bed and limped to the door. He glanced at the alarm clock, which was flashing 3am as he pulled the door open to find Albus standing on the other side.

"Albus," Harry asked. "What is it?"

Albus focused on Harry's face instead of the rest of him on show as he stood in the doorway.

"Ah, sorry to wake you Blake." Albus muttered quietly. "But we have to move on this Horcrux. I just got word that Voldemort may be thinking of moving it."

"Okay, just give me a minute." Harry closed the door and moved back to Severus.

A single black eye looked at him from under the covers.

"It's the Headmaster," Harry said softly. "We have to move on this Horcrux."

Severus groaned. "What time is it?"

"Just after three in the morning." Harry replied. "You stay here. You have class in the morning. The Headmaster and I will work on this one."

"Are you sure Blake?" Severus asked sitting up.

Harry gave him a kiss and said, "We'll be back soon."

"Blake?"

"Yes?"

"Stay safe."

Harry grinned at Severus and dressed quickly before giving the man one last kiss and heading out into the living room.

"Ready, my boy?" Albus asked.

"As I'll ever be." Harry replied and stepped up to the Headmaster.

The Headmaster grinned and took his arm and disapparated them straight from his rooms. Harry stumbled slightly as he landed and Albus kept a tight hold on his arm as he found his feet.

"You've been talking to Severus," Harry accused.

Albus just smiled, his blue eyes twinkling.

"How did he react with being left behind?" Albus asked the shorter man.

"He was still half asleep," Harry replied. "When he wakes up he is going to be pissed but I'm going to play the 'Headmaster made me do it' card. Just so you know."

Albus's laughter rolled through the cave that they had found themselves in. Harry could hear the surf crashing loudly and was sure that they weren't far from the sea.

"Where are we?" Harry asked.

"South Wales," Albus answered. "Come on."

Albus lit his wand lighting up the small cave that they were in. Harry looked around the cave but didn't see anything out of the ordinary. That was until Albus moved to the back and slipped between two rocks.

"How did you find this place?" Harry asked as he slipped between the two rocks after the other man.

"Remus," The Headmaster replied. "He was teaching some werewolf children in the town close to here and they told him that they could feel dark magic coming from this cave."

Harry stopped in the rough stone tunnel and closed his eyes. If he focused carefully he could feel the slight taint of dark magic on the air but it felt like it was bleeding through from somewhere else.

"Blake?"

Harry opened his eyes to see Albus watching him with curious blue eyes.

"I can feel it if I'm looking for it," Harry said. "But I've been keeping my darker magic under tight control since the Dark Lord's attack."

He may have physically recovered from the Dark Lord's attack when he broke the connection between the dark marks and Voldemort but his dark magic was a different story. It felt more fluid and flexible under his touch and he seem to have a larger reserve than he had before which he had no idea could even be possible so he had kept a tight hold over it just in case.

Albus laid a hand on Harry's shoulder briefly before they walked deeper into the tunnel. They walked in silence for a while until they came out into an underground cavern. Harry stopped and could feel the dark magic now as it rolled over him and he looked out over the large space. Albus threw an orb of light up into the air to light up the cavern for them.

Large didn't cover the size of the place they were in as Harry looked around. He could only just see the other side in the shadows cast from the light orb and he frowned as he heard the slow sound of dripping water and yet the water was completely still and looked like a light brown mirror. There should have been some kind of ripple or movement but everything was still.

He looked out further to see a small island in the middle of the underground lake and felt a forbidding in his stomach. The scene looking familiar and yet different than what he remembered as dark magic tainted his sight and pushed on his own dark magic and he pulled it tighter around him.

"I can feel the dark magic now, it's strong. The stones of the cavern must have been keeping it contained." Harry said, as he looked over at a small wooden boat on the shore near them. "Looks like someone has been here."

Albus looked at him carefully and Harry gave him a small smile.

"Give me a minute," Harry said as he looked out.

He carefully opened his mind slightly and could feel the dark magic pulsing around him. A lot of dark magic had been used down here and over a long period of time. It had built up layers on the surface of the lake and the shore and he could see the mists swirling around his feet and across the lake.

He looked out at the small island but had to pull back from his sight as the darkness started to overwhelm him. He rubbed his eyes and the lake and shore came back into focus. Looking into the magic in this place wasn't going to help him, there was just too much of it to sort through.

"They have done dark magic here for a long time. Probably over hundreds of years." Harry said as he turned to the Headmaster. "It has seeped into the stones and water."

"Can you feel out the Horcrux?" Albus asked.

Harry shook his head and said, "There's too much around."

Albus moved down to the water's edge and looked into the murky depths. The sound of dripping water, somewhere in the distance echoing off the walls of the cave. Harry moved up to the taller man and looked out across the still water to the small island in the middle of the cave with a stand on it. Could it be that this time was different that the Horcrux had never been moved? Harry just felt frustrated that he couldn't know for certain.

"I suppose it's over there," Harry remarked. "Well it's a nice morning for a boat ride. Shall we?"

"Do you take anything seriously?" Albus asked suddenly.

Harry just grinned, clapping the man on the shoulder.

"I could say the same to you, Albus." Harry said. "We have both lived long enough, that if you don't find humour in life it's really not worth it."

Albus gave a chuckle and helped Harry push the small boat into the water. The splash as the boat entered the water sounded loud in such a quiet place. Harry left his cane behind on the shore as he struggled into the boat. Albus just calmly stepped in.

"Show off," Harry muttered. "I kind of miss the day when I would have just jumped in here without a care."

"And probably fallen," Albus remarked remembering his apparation landings.

"Hey!" Harry yelped. "I used to be as sure footed as a mountain goat when I was younger…well except using a floo. Can't trust those bloody things."

Albus chuckled and cast a spell to get the boat moving across the water towards the island while Harry glared down at his wet shoes and pants.

"Can you feel anything else?" Albus asked.

"There is something in the water." Harry replied. "But it seems to be sleeping. Everything else is just drowned out by that dark magic. You can't feel it?"

"I don't see magic like you do, Blake." Albus said with a small smile. "But I can feel the dark magic."

"What about light magic?" Harry asked in interest.

"That I can pick up easily," Albus said as he turned to Harry.

"See," Harry replied. "I can't pick up on that as much."

"Even with your light magic?" Albus asked in interest.

"Yes," Harry confirmed. "I don't use light magic that much. I have to push the dark power all the way down to call on the light magic."

"Yes," Albus agreed. "You have been giving the wards at the school a work out."

"Oops," Harry said with a grin. "I have adjusted those wards as much as I can. I just forget sometimes."

Albus gave a laugh as the boat buttered up against the shore of the small island. Albus hopped out of the boat easily as Harry tripped landing in a tangle of limbs on the shore.

"Bloody leg." Harry cursed, righting himself.

"Limber as a mountain goat." Albus muttered.

"Oh, quiet you." Harry hissed.

"You keep us entertained, Blake." Albus said with a grin.

"I aim to please," Harry deadpanned.

The two men moved up the small island, which was only a few meters across, to the stone pedestal, which held a glass bowl. Harry and Albus looked into the bowl to see a gold necklace sunk to the bottom and covered in crystal clear water. Harry looked into the bowl with a sinking feeling, feeling the dark magic within it, but unable to look any closer.

" _Aucio_ Necklace," Albus muttered the spell, nothing happened.

"It's never that easy," Harry said quietly.

A glass cup stood next to the bowl, which Albus picked up. They both turned at a noise behind them, as the boat suddenly sunk into the water and shortly after appeared back where it had been before.

"Can you spell trap?" Harry muttered under his breath.

The Headmaster nodded grimly. "Tom Riddle always had a flare for drama."

"Oh yeah," Harry exclaimed. "You taught the boy, didn't you?"

"I did," Albus confirmed. "As you would have read in his student file when you requested it off me."

Harry laughed and gave the man a wink.

Albus smacked him on the shoulder before they turned back to the bowl. Albus dipped the cup into the water and filled it up but when he went to empty it to the side nothing fell out and the bowl refilled. Harry reached forward and placed his hand above the water, feeling the dark magic curling around his fingers. He gently touched on that magic but it was just sitting idle so he reached forward into the water feeling both the water itself and the dark magic flowing around his hand. He reached all the way up to his elbow but couldn't feel the bottom.

"Well," Harry remarked, pulling his hand back.

The Headmaster and Harry shared a look before Albus refilled the cup then slowly brought it up to his lips. Harry's hand darted out and grabbed the man's wrist.

"You have a death wish, you know!" Harry hissed.

"If it's the only way," Albus said sadly.

"Put the cup down Albus," Harry said glaring at the man. "I have something else to try before you try to kill yourself…again."

Albus sighed and placed the cup back on the stone pedestal and turned to Harry.

"Wow me, Mr Sun." Albus said casually.

Harry's jaw dropped. "Did you just say that!?"

Albus grinned and waved his hand at the bowl in a hurry up gesture.

Harry turned back to the bowl and held his right hand out to his side, with a flick of his wrist a completely silver sword appeared in his hand. Albus gave him a startled look and Harry gave him a grin as he pulled a containment jar from his pocket and held it out to the Headmaster.

"This time, Headmaster." Harry said softly. "Don't touch it."

Albus just gave him a nod in answer and took the jar in his hand and unscrewed the top. Harry dipped the tip of the sword into the water, making it boil and hiss as the tip sliced through the water and magic within it. Harry could see the sword cutting through the enchantments but couldn't be sure if he could pick up the chain of the necklace.

He dipped the sword further into the bowl until he felt it hit the bottom. The sword was now sunk halfway to the hilt in a bowl that only looked five inches deep. Harry gently ran the tip of the sword up the side of the bowl, hoping he had hooked onto the chain, the water boiling around the sword making it impossible to see anything. It wasn't until the tip of the sword came free of the water that they could see the gold necklace with a locket hanging from the sword's blade.

"Well done, my boy." Albus cried and placed the jar under the necklace and Harry tilted the sword so it ran off the blade and into the jar.

xXx

Albus screwed on the lid of the jar and held it up to have a look, the gold glinted off the item from his light spell and he could see the snake etched into the gold.

"Very impressive," Albus cried as he looked over at Blake.

Blake just stood there with an easy grin on his face and using the sword like his cane. The other man looked quite comfortable with the sword in his hand and the Headmaster wondered, not for the first time, what this man had been like when he was young and in his prime. Blake cocked his head slightly to the side and Albus realised that he had been staring for a little too long and turned back to the locket.

"I'll have a better look at it once we get back to the school." Blake said. "I can use the bronze circle in my classroom-shit!"

Albus quickly turned back to the man and jumped forward. A strange pale humanoid figure of a man had crawled up the bank while they hadn't been looking and grabbed Blake around the left leg and was dragging him towards the water.

Blake was swinging his sword at the creature but couldn't seem to get the right angle.

"Blake! _Stupefy_!" Albus cried.

The spell hit the figure and was just absorbed into the thing's pale skin making Albus pause.

"Fire or silver!" Blake yelled as he kicked the thing but it didn't seem to be able to feel pain as it just took the hits without pausing or letting go.

The figure had made it to the water now and was half submerged as it pulled Blake after it as the man tried to stab his sword down towards it but the figure kept twisting out of the way of the blade.

"Blake!"

Albus cast a fire tongue spell and a lash of fire sprouted from his wand, he swirled it around before sending it towards Blake and the figure. Hoping that he wouldn't hit the thrashing man as Blake tried to use his sword to get the figure off. He heard a hiss and Blake yell out before his vision cleared.

Two of the figures now had a hold of Blake and he was half submerged in the water.

"Blake!"

Blake looked up at him his green eyes too wide before the humanoid figures pulled him under the water with a splash.

"Blake!" Albus yelled.

Silence greeted him as the water lapped against the side of the island. He dashed down to the edge but couldn't see the man or the pale figures under the surface. His heart pounded and he felt fear like he hadn't felt in a very long time.

"Blake!" Albus yelled again, his voice echoing off the walls of the cave.

Suddenly the man broke the surface of the water gasping, he was halfway between Albus and the shore on the other side. Albus quickly conjured a floating raft and jumped onto it as the man gasped and struggle to stay afloat.

"BLAKE!"

The man looked over at Albus and he could see red lines running along the side of his face like bloody scratches and could see the blood turning the water red around him. The man tried to swim in his direction when suddenly he was pulled back under the surface of the water with a gasp.

"Blake!"

Albus moved the raft over towards where the man had gone under, the ripples spreading out from the spot. He looked down into the murky water but couldn't see anything as the water went still again.

"Oh God," Albus whispered. "Come on Blake!"

He had no idea whether the deathly hollows would be able to save the man from this kind of death. As he cast his eyes around the still water, feeling helpless.

Suddenly the man broke the surface gasping and looking weaker than before and Albus quickly grabbed the man's wrist. Blake looked up at him with wide green eyes, blood running down his face as he tried to catch his breath. Albus pulled on his hand and he came easily until his chest was resting on the raft as he gasped for air.

Suddenly something grabbed the man and started pulling him down again. Albus grabbed him with two hands as Blake cried out and kicked out with his left leg, as something held his right.

"Let go!" Blake hissed.

"No!" Albus said stubbornly. "Severus would kill me."

Blake laughed bitterly kicking out at something in the water.

"Stubborn old man!" Blake yelped as he was pulled slowly towards the water again.

Albus held on tightly to the man's shoulders as the lower half of his body still lay in the water.

"Ah shit!" Blake hissed in pain. "Let go!"

"No!" Albus hissed back.

Suddenly whatever was pulling the man under let go and Blake came tumbling onto the raft, gasping and bleeding. Albus could see the blood and torn clothes as the man lay panting.

"Move, Albus!" Blake hissed painfully.

Albus jolted into action and was speeding across the underground lake back towards the shore. Blake's painful panting in his ears as pale hands and arms tried to grab the edges of the raft. When they reached the shore Albus ran the raft up onto it. They tumbled off and onto the dry ground. The other man lay groaning on the rocks, as Albus collected himself. The pale humanoid creatures started to climb out of the lake. Crouching down on all fours as the crept silently closer, their eyes completely black in their white skulls, with limbs too long for their bodies.

"Fire!" Blake hissed at him.

Albus cast a fire lash and sent it at the creatures the orange glow of the whip lighting up the cavern around them. When Albus vision cleared the figures were gone and he stood alone with the crumpled form of Blake behind him.

"Blake?" Albus asked, landing next to the man as he kept an eye on the lake.

Blake hissed a laugh. "Severus is so going to kill us."

Albus sighed in relief and patted the man's shoulder gently, he could see the red lines of scratches and bite marks down the man's arms.

"Just a heads up," Blake coughed. "I'm going to blame you."

"I think I can live with that," Albus replied just happy the man was alive. "Come on let's get you up."

Blake hissed as Albus helped him up, limping more heavily than normal but at least the man was on his feet. Blake raised a hand to wipe the blood out of his eyes.

"Do you still have the locket?" Blake asked as they paused to pick up his cane.

"Yes," Albus muttered, feeling the weight of the containment jar in his pocket.

"Well that's one thing," Blake said softly. "Stupid Dark Lords."

Albus slipped under the man's arm when he stumbled suddenly.

"Who wants to live forever anyway?" Blake slurred.

Albus grip on the man tightened, as Blake leaned into him.

"It's shit," Blake muttered. "You live long enough to see everyone die!"

"Blake?" Albus asked softly

"They all die!" Blake continued and Albus was sure that the other man wasn't aware that he was talking. "Worse to see them die twice."

Albus's grip on the man almost slipped and Blake grunted as he stumbled into him.

"Who is going to die Blake?" Albus asked, feeling slightly guilty taking advantage of the man in his state.

"You won't this time, Albus." Blake slurred, making Albus's blood turn cold. "It's changed! Won't happen again! And Severus…"

"What about Severus?" Albus said softly.

Albus stopped and tilted Blake's face up to his. The man's eyes were unfocused and glassy as if he had been drugged. Those creatures must have had poison in their bites.

"He died," Blake whispered. "They all died. So much blood and chaos. Blood and bodies. So many! Just names in the end."

Albus froze and let the man's head fall back down as he tightened his hold on him. It was easy to forgot how old this man was and the fact that he had already lived this time. It had taken him a long time to believe Blake when he'd said that he was from the future and he had still had his doubts. Looking at him now he couldn't deny it anymore. The words he spoke had truth to them.

"I can't live through that again," Blake muttered. "Not again!"

Blake started to slip further down and Albus was having trouble holding him up.

"Albus! Blake!"

Albus startled at Severus's call.

"Severus! We're here!" Albus called back.

Severus skittered around the corner and gasped, his face pale in the soft light from Albus's light orb.

"Give me a hand!" Albus called. "He's slipping."

Severus rushed forward and he got under Blake's other side. The man didn't even react as his lover's arrival chilling Albus.

"Blake?" Severus hissed at the man.

"Ghosts, all just ghosts." Blake muttered. "Can't help them."

"Albus?" Severus asked the older man.

"He's been poisoned, I think." Albus replied. "He's been talking nonsense."

"He does most of the time," Severus whispered back.

"How did you find us?" Albus asked.

"I gave Blake a ring to alert me if he is in danger," Severus explained. "It has a tracking spell in it. The magic around here made it hard to pin point where you were."

"Snape!" Blake hissed between them suddenly. "Watch the snake!"

"It's okay Blake," Severus said softly to the man. "I'm here."

"No!" Blake tried to get his feet under him and pushed against Severus his eyes wild. "It's the snake! Stay away from the snake! He knows!"

Blake dropped into hissing suddenly.

"He's a Parselmouth?" Albus asked with a raised eyebrow.

"He did mention it." Severus replied. "Never heard him speak it. Well, until now."

Blake hissed a couple more words until he fell into silence. The three men made it out of the cave and up onto the rolling hills of the cliff line, the waves below the cliff crashing loudly. They slowly lowered Blake to the ground against a tree and Albus got his first good look at him.

He was very pale and the three scratch marks across his face stood out bright red but at least they had stopped bleeding. The man's eyes were glazed over and Albus was now positive that he had been poisoned. His clothes were torn and there were scratches and bite marks down his arms. His left leg was also bloody around the lower part of his calf and ankle.

"Here," Severus said passing a potion to Albus. "Should help with the poison."

"Blake drink this," Albus said softly holding the potion to the man's lips.

Blake looked at him with unfocused eyes before drinking the potion.

Blake suddenly grabbed the Headmaster's wrist in a steel grip, his green eyes locking onto Albus's and the Headmaster shivered at the look in them.

"Don't go to the tower!" Blake cried. "Ignore the Dark Mark! Don't go to the tower! Draco can't do it but Snape will! He has too!"

"Sh," Albus said softly wincing at the pain in his wrist. The strength this man had was surprising. "When Blake?"

"Soon. Promise me!" Blake said, looking around wildly. "All come crashing down. Too many!"

"Settle down Blake," Severus said moving closer to the man and grabbing the sides of his head gently.

"Snape?" Blake asked, green eyes trying to focus on him.

Blake released Albus's wrist and the old man rubbed it knowing he would have bruises there tomorrow.

"That's right Mr Sun." Severus said strongly but Albus could see the pain in his eyes. "Just calm down."

"Mr Sun?" Blake questioned, trying to look around but Severus held him still. "So many names, can't remember them all. Just the dead! So many. All gone."

"Should we give him a sleeping potion Severus?" Albus asked.

"I don't know," Severus said painfully. "He is so out of it. I'm not sure he is seeing us. The potion takes about fifteen minutes to work into his system."

"Blake?" Albus asked softly, the man's green eye flicked to him. "What happens at the tower?"

"Albus," Severus warned.

"You die," Blake said wildly. "Don't go to the tower! Green light and falling. He couldn't do it but Narcissa knew that! Unbreakable Vow!"

Severus gasped. "What is he talking about Albus?"

"He told me he is from the future, Severus" Albus said quietly.

Severus stared at Albus as pieces of the puzzle fell into place in his mind.

"Time gap," Severus gasped.

Albus nodded. "He didn't tell you?"

"No," Severus said softly, looking down at his lover. His green eyes unfocused as they flicked around as he saw something that they couldn't. "But I had my suspicions after he explained time rips and gaps. Does that mean he saw you die?"

Albus nodded sadly. "And you."

"What!" Severus yelped. "He said that?"

"He mentioned it," Albus said softly.

"God," Severus muttered, looking down at his lover with new eyes.

"Severus?" Blake asked softly as he squinted up at him.

"Hey," Severus said softly, cupping the man's cheek. "Are you feeling better?"

Blake groaned, and said, "Those damn things were poisonous, weren't they?"

"Yes," Severus said with a grin. "You were a bit out of it."

"Oh god," Blake groaned. "Did I say anything stupid?"

Albus clapped a hand to the man's shoulder and Blake looked up at him then groaned.

"I'll take that look as a yes," Blake answered himself. "Help me up, I want to get back to the school and a shower."

Albus and Severus got under the shorter man's arms and pulled him to his feet. He managed to get his feet under him and his cane onto the ground and stand on his own two feet as he looked around, but he looked unsteady. Severus kept close to his side just in case.

"So, how much trouble am I in?" Blake asked softly.

"A fair amount," Severus replied.

"I blame Albus!" Blake deadpanned.

Albus chuckled and disapparated the three of them to the school gates.

xXx

Harry woke to the feeling of Severus working a balm into the scratches on his chest. His memories from the moment he was pulled into the water were still fragmented and hard to grasp a hold off. He looked up at Severus and knew he had said something that had shaken the other man.

"Hey," Harry whispered.

"Hey," Severus replied as he worked.

Harry reached up and stopped Severus's hand as he worked on the cuts.

"If I said something that hurt you," Harry said softly. "I didn't mean to cause you pain."

Severus said nothing as his fingers ran over the cuts on Harry's chest working the balm into each one carefully. Harry watched him with guarded eyes, his lover was hurting and he had caused it.

"Severus," Harry said softly. "Please talk to me."

"You neglected to mention you are from the future," Severus said softly.

"Ah shit," Harry cursed. "I said that?"

"No, the Headmaster told me." Severus said. "You started talking about people dying."

"Really?' Harry asked in surprise. "I don't remember."

"Why did you not tell me?" Severus demanded.

"Because this life now is real," Harry said pulling himself into a sitting position so he could face the man. "What happened before in this time just feels like a dream! Like it happened to someone else."

"Did you know me?" Severus asked softly.

"Not very well," Harry replied.

"I died?" Severus asked.

"Yes," Harry replied shortly. "You were attacked by the Dark Lord's snake in the greenhouse. I came across your body after the last battle of the war."

Harry closed his eyes as the memory of the man's body came into his mind. The empty black eyes and blood colouring the image. Snape had died alone, no one to watch over him as the last breath left his chest. Harry started as a hand curled around his bringing him back to the here and now. He smiled sadly at the man.

"To me that was a very long time ago," Harry said softly. "To you it's still to come."

"No." Severus said harshly, tightening his grip on Harry's hand.

Harry smiled sadly.

"Sorry, you are right." Harry continued. "Everything is so different in this time. Some things have stayed the same but many things are different. It was hard when I came here to work it all out, I had forgotten so much of it."

"How could you forget?" Severus asked softly.

"I am old, Severus." Harry said sadly. "I was only young when I lived this time. I moved on from the last battle and the Dark Lord we fight now wasn't the only Dark Lord I fought. I went on to become an Auror, husband, father, Curse breaker, worked in the Ministry, different branches of Gringotts and other banks and so much more. There was so much time between the events now and where I came from. This time now was just a moment amongst so many others that I have lived."

Severus sat back in shock as Harry ran a hand over his head as he tried to gather his thoughts.

"I've lived many life times and had many names." Harry said softly into the silence. "The deathly hollows cursing me with a life that doesn't end, Severus. It all kind of blended together. I just wanted to live my life, to bring up my son the best I could. I was an idiot to think I could stay away from this war."

"How did you end up in this time?" Severus asked.

"Time gap," Harry said simply. "I was not in a great state of mind when I came across it. I was bitter and lost. My mind was so dark and twisted, I was not in a good place."

Severus reached forward and grabbed the man's hand. Harry looked up at him the pain clear in his eyes.

"I'm sure," Harry said softly. "If I could have died, I would have."

Severus moved to the bed and pulled the smaller man into his arms pulling him into a tight hug.

"I stepped into the time rip," Harry said hoarsely. "With no idea what was on the other side and I didn't much care either. It could have taken me anywhere or even to my death, it wouldn't have mattered to me at that moment."

"Where did it take you?" Severus asked softly as he ran his hands through the man's short hair.

"To the night Lily and James Potter died." Harry said blankly. "A goblin appeared in front of me and said since I am a Potter by blood. I was entitled to take guardianship of Harry Potter. I was in shock as the goblin gave me the adoption papers and told me where the baby was. I just felt numb and it wasn't until I picked him up that my mind cleared. He looked just like my son…a son I had already buried…only a month before."

Harry looked down at his hands and could almost feel the rough feeling of the small wooden casket in his hands as the memory of the funeral assaulted his mind. Of looking at the overturned earth of his lover's grave next to the two small holes waiting for his children to be laid to rest.

He was jolted from the memory as Severus took his hands in his and he looked over at the man.

"I was a coward, Severus." Harry said softly. "I took Harry Potter and I fled England. I couldn't deal with anything. I could barely deal with having the child."

"Where?" Severus asked just as softly.

"Germany," Harry replied. "The Potter's have a house there, it was so hard to look at him. His green eyes the same as my son's eyes, he was close to the same age as when my son died."

Harry fell into silence as memories he just hadn't dealt with coming back to him. Seeing the smiling face of his lover and two children overlapping with the image of their murdered bodies as the Aurors tried to talk to him. He hadn't heard a word they had said, nothing sinking into his mind as he looked down at the blood. He had just broken down.

"You came back?" Severus whispered, snapping him back to the now.

"Yes," Harry replied, tonelessly. "Lily and James put it in their will that they wanted Ry to go to Hogwarts. I thought it was only right that he did his whole schooling here in England, instead of abroad, and enrolled him in a muggle boarding school. He wasn't happy about that. It was one of our first fights, he wanted to stay with me."

"He couldn't?"

"No," Harry whispered. "By then the goblins had me working and the different Ministries were calling on me, including the Department of Mysteries here. I fell into the work and I couldn't look after him all the time. Whenever I was in England I would see him, but the memories were hard to deal with."

"You knew what was going to happen?"

"Yes, back then yes." Harry said softly. "The Dark Lord was always going to rise, Severus."

Harry locked eyes with the other man.

"He was always going to come back to power," Harry whispered. "He had safe guards in place. The best I could do was be there when it happened. To try and stop the worse of it. I was hoping to change the ritual to back lash on him. I failed…I made it worse."

Harry looked away and Severus pulled him closer.

"Seeing the castle was a shock," Harry continued. "Seeing people that had already died…"

"Sh," Severus cooed as Harry broke down into tears as the memories rolled over him.

"I couldn't run anymore," Harry said softly a few minutes later. "When Albus offered me a place here…I just couldn't run anymore. I had to face the mess that I had allowed to happen."

"Who are-"

"Blake Sun," Harry harshly cut across Severus then softened his tone. "I am Blake Sun. To think or say any different at this time could be a death sentence to both of us, Severus."

Severus nodded understanding the price of information in the wrong hands as the image of Lily Potter's dead body came into his mind from his own stupid mistake.

"I have held the name Blake Sun longer than I have held any other name, Severus." Harry said softly. "It is who I am. I do not pretend to be anyone else. I can say that truthfully under any truth serum or spell."

Harry fell silent again as Severus rubbed his back.

"To see friends, I had already buried…" Harry trailed off as words failed him and he blinked the tears out of his eyes. "To see family…oh, god."

"Sh," Severus muttered, as he held him.

Severus ran his hands up and down his back as Harry let out the hurt he had felt and the memories that he just hadn't dealt with even after all these years came back to him. He was thankful when his body decided that he needed sleep and blackness closed in around him.

xXx

Severus ran his hand up and down the other man's back as his breathing evened out. Tears on his own cheeks at the story Blake had told him. He had been so angry that the man had kept the secret of being from the future from him but now he could understand why. The memories had just been too painful for the man to talk about.

He carefully laid him back on the bed and continued rubbing the balm into the cuts, bite marks and the scaring on the man's back and arms. The marks overlapped each other and Severus could even see other scars under the thinner marks. He just couldn't imagine the pain that this man had been through in his long life, only just now realising that it could be even longer than they had first believed.

"How is he?"

Severus looked up to see Albus standing in the doorway.

"Come in Albus," Severus said softly. "I don't know. The cuts and bruises will heal but I'm not sure about his mental state."

"He is strong Severus." Albus said sadly. "Did he talk to you?"

"Yes," Severus replied.

"Then he will heal." Albus said looking down at the man. "I didn't quite believe him, when he told me he was from the future."

Albus took a seat on the end of the bed and Severus looked up at him as he finished his work and covered the other man up as he slept.

"He told me when he came to me about the Treaty," Albus explained. "With everything about that, then with Voldemort. I just put it to the side, to deal with later."

"Something you and him have in common," Severus whispered as he leaned back in the bed.

"Yes," Albus said softly. "He must have fought against Voldemort before."

"Yes," Severus agreed. "He knew us. He also said that our lives could be in danger if we knew who he is…was."

"I think we both know who he is Severus," Albus said softly.

Severus ran a hand over the man's head and sighed, not voicing his thoughts on the matter. As long as his identity wasn't confirmed he could say truthfully, under spell or potion, that the man was anyone else but Blake Sun.

"He has led a hard life," Severus said softly. "A very long and hard life."

Severus ran his hand over the scars he could see on the other man's shoulder, testament to his words.

"He'll recover, Severus." Albus said softly.

"I hope you are right." Severus muttered as he looked down at his lover.

"Take it from another old man, Severus." Albus smiled with a twinkle in his eyes as he got to his feet. "You can only move forward from your memories. He is strong."

"Good night, Albus," Severus said softly.

"Good night, Severus."

Albus clapped a hand on his shoulder before leaving Severus and Blake alone in the room. Severus quickly removed his clothing and curled up along Blake's back with an arm around his chest. Sleep did not come easy for the man that night and by how restless Blake was in his sleep, he wasn't alone.


	13. Chapter 13

Harry stood in front of the cauldron and watched the dragon's blood swirl into the mix like oil on water as his thoughts drifted. The cuts and bites from the creature's attack were all healed and thanks to Severus's balm, not even scars remained. He was thankful to the man for that, he had enough scaring already on his body.

Harry stepped back as the cauldron bubbled away and felt arms wrap around him from behind and a soft kiss on his neck. He looked up at his lover with a soft smile.

"Another muscle restoration potion?" Severus asked.

"Maybe number thirty-two will be the magic number," Harry said with a grin. "I'm getting closer."

"If not,' Severus smirked. "I hear number thirty-three is a lucky number."

Harry elbowed him softly and Severus stepped back.

"The Headmaster wants to know if you are up to breaking the Horcrux?" Severus asked the shorter man.

"Ah," Harry said, looking into the potion. "Yeah sure, this needs to simmer for twenty-four hours so we have time. Does he want to do it now?"

Severus snorted. "You think he would give me such a straight answer?"

"Ha!" Harry laughed. "Come on, I could do with a nice walk to the gates of Hogwarts."

Severus snorted and fell into step with the shorter man. Harry locked his classroom door, which was something he didn't normally do but he didn't want anyone getting into the room while his potion was brewing.

"I think that portkey is one of the most used portkeys around," Severus said with a grin.

"Oh well," Harry replied. "Better used than just gathering dust."

The two men weaved through the students in the hallways and grounds. It was a busy Saturday afternoon in the castle and Harry could see students down at the Quidditch pitch training.

"Slytherins." Severus remarked, following Harry's eyes.

"Still trying for that cup?" Harry asked.

"Yes," Severus agreed. "We will win this year!"

"How much this time?" Harry asked with a smirk.

"Two hundred."

Harry whistled.

"No Potter this year," Severus said with a smirk.

"I don't know. Ginny Weasley is pretty good."

"Don't start," Severus snapped. "That old cat won't win this year!"

Harry laughed at Severus's description of Professor McGonagall. He pulled out the glass mouse and Severus grabbed his arm before the man could portkey without him. Harry smirked up at him as if reading his thoughts. The two arrived in the stone room next to Dumbledore's office.

"Severus, Blake. Welcome." Albus greeted with a smile. Waving the men into the office. "Thank you for coming. How are you feeling Blake?"

"I'm well Albus," Harry said with a soft grin. "Where is this Horcrux?"

Albus pulled open a drawer and placed the locket on the table encased in a containment jar. Harry picked up the jar and peered in at it frowning. He opened the lid carefully but even thou it had very dark magic clinging to it. It wasn't the right type of dark magic as he looked at it closely.

"I'm not sure this is a Horcrux," Harry said softly. "It is dark but not the right type."

"Are you sure, my boy?" Albus asked sitting forward in his chair while Severus cursed.

"Sure," Harry replied. "Will still give you a bit of a bite. I would say that someone made sure that the Dark Lord would believe that this is a Horcrux. The magic is very similar."

"Are you telling me," Severus started to say slowly. "That two powerful wizards picked up a locket that isn't a Horcrux?"

"Looks like it," Harry said with a grin as he screwed the top back onto the jar and placed it away in the bag linked to his Gringotts vault. "But I have an idea about where the real locket might be."

"You knew it wasn't real?" Albus questioned softly.

"When we went to the cave?" Harry asked.

"Yes," Severus said through gritted teeth.

"I had no idea," Harry said. "There was so much dark magic layered up in that cave and it does have the feel of a Horcrux about it but not quite. There aren't two souls tied up in it, but someone still had to die to make it. Someone went to a lot of trouble to make it look like a Horcrux…however I do have an idea about where the real one could be."

"So last time it wasn't real?" Severus asked.

"Yep," Harry replied. "But I had no way of knowing if it was going to be the same this time. Albus you even said that the Dark lord was looking at moving it."

"That is true," Albus said. "So, it could be in the same place you found the Horcrux in your time?"

"Possibly," Harry said. "Things are different and I've learnt that just because something was a certain way in my time doesn't mean it's the same this time."

"Where was it last time?" Severus asked instead.

"Grimmauld place." Harry remarked calmly.

"Ha!" Severus laughed. "Right under our noses!"

"That's not to say it's there now," Harry reminded them. "That locket we found would have fooled most people that haven't been close to that kind of magic. Even someone that has handled dark magic before, it's that similar."

"You have been to Grimmauld Place, my boy." Albus said into the silence. "Could you feel it?"

"What." Harry said flatly. "With all the other dark magic in that house? You want me to pick out just one item?"

"Ah, yes." Albus said with a grimace. "Point taken."

"I'll check it out this weekend," Harry said. "I'll take Ry, he'll want to see Black. Ah, you might want to contact Black, Headmaster. I'm not sure he will take kindly to me riffling through his house. Want to come Severus?"

Snape glared at him in answer, which just made Harry grin.

"What about the other Horcruxes?" Albus asked.

"You can't rely on my memories of this time, Albus." Harry reminded the other man.

"But they could be the same," Severus said softly.

"Or they could be completely different." Harry countered. "This is not something we want to get wrong."

"Good point, my boy." Albus agreed.

"Like the ring," Harry said suddenly. "The ring in my time was made with the murder of Tom Riddle's father and not Gabriel Sheller and yet Tom Riddle's diary was the same."

"Tom Riddle's diary?" Severus questioned dryly.

"Oh," Harry looked over at Severus. "Oops, I'll tell you later."

Severus glared at him while Harry smiled at him innocently.

xXx

Harry sipped on his coffee as the students started to float in for breakfast as he sat at the Head Table with Severus beside him. He wasn't normally up so early but a phone call from Germany had woken him and he thought he might as well get up when Severus did.

Albus dropped a letter beside him on the table and Harry looked at the Ministry of Magic crest on the front of it.

"Came just before," Albus said as he took the empty seat next to Harry. "With a letter from the Minister of Magic stating he was displeased with the fact that his owl couldn't find you."

Harry snorted as he picked up the letter and opened it.

"Why is it that owls have trouble finding you, Blake?" Severus asked in interest.

"No idea," Harry replied as he looked through the letter. "I just tell everyone to contact me by phone or mail. Some of the owls find me, just not all of them. Bit annoying really but it also makes it more difficult for people to track me I suppose. A bit hit and miss with tracking spells as well. I suppose one day I'll work it out."

"May I ask what the Minister wants?" Albus asked in interest.

"Ah," Harry replied and passed the letter to Albus. "He wants to meet tomorrow at ten. ' _To discuss matters_.' He also asks if Ry can come as well, which won't be happening."

"He has potions in the morning," Severus replied as he took a slip of his coffee. "You wouldn't reconsider?"

Harry barked a laugh and took the letter back from Albus and placed it on the table. Severus snagged it up with a smirk as Harry sat back in his seat.

"He seems very determined to speak to Mr Potter," Albus replied.

"He does, doesn't he?" Harry said softly. "A little too determined?"

Severus placed the letter back on the table and Harry slipped it into his pocket.

"I know he is Harry Potter," Harry said as he thought it through. "But he is a child, so I'm not sure what he hopes to gain from speaking to him."

"Maybe that's just it," Albus said with a smile. "The fact he is Harry Potter."

Severus snorted then looked at Harry innocently when he looked over at him.

"Oh well," Harry said as he piled up his plate. "I'll find out soon enough what the man wants."

xXx

Harry looked around the Minister's office in interest as Percy Weasley showed him in. There was a large table with files piled up along one edge to his right in the large office and the Minister sat at a smaller table on the phone to someone with a silencing charm around him to his left. The rough man gave him a nod as Weasley showed him in.

"Just take a seat at the table, Mr Sun." Percy said with a smile. "The Minister is just finishing up a phone call. I've left coffee and tea on the table for you."

"Thanks, Mr Weasley." Harry said with a smile for the boy as he moved over to the large table he had been directed to and quickly made a coffee, as he looked the files over in interest. He had a feeling he knew what this meeting was going to be about.

"So, Mr Sun." Minster Rufus Scrimgeour began as Harry sat down on one side of the large table, all the files on the other. "You are a very interesting man."

Harry snorted as he looked over the piles of files and could recognise the Ministry of Magic crest, for the British, French and German Ministries, on the front of the files as well as other crests for different departments within the British Ministry of magic. The Gringotts crest caught his attention the most since it was very familiar to him, and was goblin sealed, and also had his name on the front of it.

"I aim to please," Harry said in amusement.

"Yes," The other man growled. "I had your file pulled from the Department of Mysteries as well as other Departments within this Ministry."

"I can see that," Harry remarked as he looked over the piles of files. "Didn't realise I was that interesting, Minister."

The man gave him a golden eye stare in answer and Harry gave the man an innocent grin in return. He knew how this game was played.

"So, you first appeared in the UK just after you-know-who was killed and took over guardianship of Harry Potter," Scrimgeour said as he flipped open one of the files. "All the paperwork was filled out correctly and have the Gringotts seal on them from the goblins to prove you are related to the boy via the Potter family."

"That's correct," Harry said calmly before sipping his coffee.

"The head of the Department of Mysteries gave me this file," Scrimgeour growled and held up the goblin sealed file and flicked it to Harry. "Which I can't open and the man can't tell me what is in it and when I questioned him he just laughed."

Harry placed his hand on the file but didn't open it.

"Which I must admit, piped my interest," Scrimgeour growled. "So, I proceeded to pull any file connected to you."

Scrimgeour placed his hand on the thick stack of files and Harry smirked in amusement.

"All under contract," Scrimgeour said with a sneer. "I should have that badge of yours revoked, since you don't work directly under the Department and only by contract."

"Feel free," Harry replied mildly.

Both men knew he wouldn't do that, he couldn't afford to lose any of the contracts that he had with Harry or his skills with magic. Especially after the mess with Voldemort locking down the Ministry.

"I then found a link with you and the Council of Magical Creatures," Scrimgeour growled. "Which has been making itself more known over the last year. Imagine my surprise when your name came up."

"Hardly a surprise there," Harry muttered.

"Ah, yes." Scrimgeour rumbled. "Not with the noise you have been making."

"Someone has to give them a voice, Minister." Harry said with a smirk.

The man glared at him from across the table his golden eyes flashing.

"Which lead me to France," Scrimgeour said and placed a hand on another stack of files. "It's good to know you have been annoying them just as much as us."

Harry snorted as he sat back in his seat.

"That then lead me to Germany," Scrimgeour said and moved his hand to another pile. "Your name just keeps popping up, Mr Sun."

"What can I say," Harry said softly. "I'm a man in demand. Master curse breakers always are."

"And yet," The other man said sitting forward in his seat. "I can't find your birth certificate or what you were doing before the end of the last war. There is nothing before that date."

Harry just took a sip of coffee while the other man looked over the files scattered in piles across his table in frustration.

"I was an Auror for a long time, Mr Sun." Scrimgeour said softly. "If there was something to find I would have found it."

"If you say so, Minister." Harry replied mildly.

"I believe the information I want is in that file under your hand," Scrimgeour said, pointing at the file. "And the goblins have refused to open it for me."

"They can be stubborn that way," Harry said calmly with a smirk.

"You are a dangerous man," Scrimgeour spat. "A wild card in this war-"

"Or your best friend," Harry cut in. "You have read what I am capable of Minister as you have pointed out, the files are right here on this table. All the information that you need to know about me and my skills spread out in black and white before you."

"Yes," Scrimgeour replied. "You have skills that do not reflect your age and from these files it is clear you have military training and yet I can not find any evidence of it."

"It may be that you are looking in the wrong place, Minister." Harry replied, as he looked at the man steadily.

"Which raises more questions of your alliances," Scrimgeour said calmly. "You are a member of this Ministry Mr Sun, that is clear by the badge you hold from the Department."

"Yes," Harry agreed. "And I had a nice working relationship with your predecessor, Minister Fudge as well."

Scrimgeour lips curled up in a sneer at the man's name and Harry couldn't agree more.

"Yes," Scrimgeour agreed. "I have read your contract between this Ministry and Hogwarts as well as your contract with Albus Dumbledore. You have a talented lawyer since they are air tight."

"Then what can I help you with today then, Minister?" Harry asked, as he looked the man over.

"You are a Dark Wizard, Mr Sun." Scrimgeour calmly stated, without any heat to his words. "And I have spent a life time hunting down Dark Wizards and we have a Dark Lord on the run."

Harry looked the man over as Rufus Scrimgeour stared back. His golden eyes hard as Harry calmly stared back at him.

"On my magic," Harry said softly. "I do not follow any Dark Lord nor have I ever followed a Dark Lord."

Scrimgeour shivered as the magic settled around them and the man looked at him with large golden eyes in surprise.

"Nor do I mean harm to this Ministry," Harry continued. "I stand with the Council of Magical Creatures to improve the lives of all people with magical cores regardless of blood or magic."

Scrimgeour sat back in shock as he looked at Harry and he gave the man a smirk as he calmly took a sip of his coffee, looking for the world, unconcerned with the words he had just spoken.

"Would you like me to go on?" Harry asked. "Just a warning though, that I normally get told to stop talking once I get going."

"Mr Rolf Dracka," Scrimgeour said softly.

"Vampire," Harry replied. "And a good man."

"And leader of the Council of Magical Creatures," Scrimgeour continued.

"He would be happy to talk to you if you contact him," Harry said calmly.

Harry took out a pen from his pocket and wrote Dracka's numbers on the file in front of him before placing his hand on the top of it and slid it across the table.

"The thing I've found with Dark Lords, Minister." Harry said softly. "You either work with them or you work against them and keeping people ignorant of the fact is working with them."

The Minister held Harry's eyes as he placed his hand on the file in front of him, pulling it closer and opened it. Harry sat back in his seat and watched the Minister's face pale as he read the file before looking up at him with shocked eyes.

"You…" Scrimgeour trailed off.

"Looks can be deceiving, Minister." Harry said softly. "You also know that the goblins cannot lie in a file like that one and that is why the Head of the Department gave me a badge and is also why you will not be taking it off me. It doesn't matter who you are, the goblins know every job you have held no matter the country."

"Who are you?" Scrimgeour asked as he stared at Harry.

"Blake Sun," Harry replied with a smile. "Says it right there in that file. You would have no doubt noticed the enchantments on that file, that will stop you from telling anyone except the Head of the Department of Mysteries about what is in that file and will also stop anyone else from reading it."

Scrimgeour looked back down at the file and Harry just watched the man as he carefully read it through.

"Do you have anything else to discuss?" Harry asked. "Because I have students to attend to."

"Don't think this is over, Mr Sun." Scrimgeour rumbled as he looked up at him.

"Wouldn't dream of it," Harry replied as he got to his feet.

Harry looked over the files on the table in front of the Minster as the other man watched him with guarded eyes.

"Just one last thing, Minister." Harry said calmly. "Harry Potter is under my protection, please stop asking him to meet you. Good day, Minster Scrimgeour."

The Minster nodded his head sharply as he looked up at Harry then glanced over the files on his table. Harry could tell that the man was a little overwhelmed by the amount of files around him.

"Oh," Harry said turning back from walking towards the door. "Those files on the table Minister, they are only about fifteen years worth."

Harry gave the man a wink and left the office leaving the man looking at the piles in disbelief as he held the goblin file tightly in his hand.

xXx

"How did your meeting go, my boy?" Albus asked as Harry stepped into the man's office with a few files in his hand.

"Poor man," Harry said with a smirk, as he placed the files on the Headmaster's desk before taking a seat across from him. "He had no idea what was coming."

Albus looked at him in confusion as he picked up the top file and flicked it open.

"Tom Riddle's files," Harry said as he took a seat. "Not sure if you had his police and adoption records, plus returning the files I got off you."

"You don't need them?" Albus asked.

"Not any more," Harry replied. "Thought you might have some use for them."

Albus looked over at Harry with intense blue eyes and Harry frowned.

"What?" Harry asked after a couple of minutes.

"Why did you ask for these files?" Albus asked carefully.

"Curiosity," Harry replied mildly.

"You won't join the Order," Albus stated. "But you are happy to work with us."

"Correct," Harry replied again.

"Have you fought Voldemort before?" Albus said and Harry stilled.

Albus sat back in his seat as he looked at Harry.

"Yes," Harry replied shortly. "But you can't rely on my memories, Albus. If you are hoping I will have the answers for you, you are mistaken. I never knew as much as I should have back then."

"Blake," Albus said softly. "If you have any information that could help us…"

"Then I would say as much," Harry replied. "But in doing so, does that mean I run the chance that something worse might happen instead? I can't know. I can only work with what I have now, Headmaster. But that does remind me; there is a vanishing cabinet in this school. I have already tried looking for it but I can't find it, you might have better luck with your connection to the school."

"I'll look into it," Albus replied.

The room fell into silence and Harry went to get up from his seat but Albus's voice stopped him.

"Harry Potter," Albus said softly and Harry looked over at him. "Did he kill Voldemort?"

Harry looked at the man in front of him and the intense look in his blue eyes as he stared at him.

"Was the Dark Lord defeated in my time," Harry answered softly. "Yes. Do I think he will be defeated again? Yes."

Albus sat back in his seat and gave Harry a small smile.

"Do I think that another Dark Lord will take his place?" Harry whispered and Albus paled. "Yes. Do I think that this Dark Lord will be the most powerful Dark Lord we face? No, not even close."

Albus paled even more at Harry's words and he sat forward in his seat as he looked at the man.

"He pales in comparison," Harry whispered. "Dark Lord Voldemort is on the middle to low end of the scale, Albus. So much more powerful than I am, but I'm not a Dark Lord."

Harry saw the shiver pass down the man's spine at the words.

"You yourself have fought two Dark Lords," Harry pointed out.

"How many?" Albus asked softly.

Harry sat back in his seat and looked at the man but wouldn't answer.

"Blake?" Albus said softly.

"Good night, Headmaster." Harry replied as he used his cane to get to his feet.

"Blake?" Albus called after him but Harry kept limping towards the stone room and the Headmaster didn't call after him again.

xXx

Harry sat at his table in his dining room with a bottle of beer in front of him and his thoughts to keep him company as the conversation with Albus run through his head as he thought over his long life and where it was going.

"That son of yours," Severus snapped as he came into the room.

Harry sat back in his seat and looked over at the other man as he turned his dark eyes on to him. Severus paused as he saw the bottle on the table and it wasn't the only one.

"Are you drunk?" Severus asked.

"What did Ry do this time?" Harry asked instead of answering the man's question.

"What happened?" Severus asked as he took a seat at the table.

"There are a couple more in the fridge," Harry said, ignoring the question.

Harry sat back in his seat and took a sip of the beer as he looked at Severus.

"How did you even get these into the school?" Severus asked as he grabbed the two from the small fridge.

"You ask a curse breaker," Harry said with a smirk. "How he got beer passed school wards? Even the Weasley twins could do that."

"Ah," Severus stalled. "Good point."

Harry gave the other man a grin as he finished off the beer and opened the one Severus had brought over for him.

"The Minister pulled my files," Harry said softly after a couple of minutes. "From the German, French and British Ministries of magic. There's nothing like seeing your life spread out before you on a table to put things in order."

Severus snorted as Harry gave him a grin.

"He was frustrated that he could only go back about fifteen years," Harry said with a smirk, which Severus mirrored. "Albus also wasn't happy I didn't give him the answers he wanted."

"He will never learn," Severus muttered.

Harry looked at the other man as he remembered that the man had been a spy for years so would have had to be just as careful with information as Harry himself had to be.

"No," Harry said softly. "I don't think he will."

Harry looked at the beer in his hand, feeling the years on his shoulders as he thought of his words to Albus. Severus gently took the beer from his hand and placed it on the table and Harry looked up at him. Severus crouched down in front of him and looked up at the other man.

Severus gently placed his hands on man's thighs and Harry gave him a small smile.

"Hey," Harry said softly, with a smile.

Severus snorted as he looked into the other man's pale green eyes. He got to his feet and grabbed his hands and pulled him to his feet. Harry stumbled slightly as he put weight on his right leg and Severus chuckled as Harry folded into his arms.

"How many of those have you had?" Severus asked as he counted up the bottles on the table.

Harry snorted as he looked up at the taller man. Severus bent down and gave him a slow kiss as he tightened his hold around him.

"Did you bring any of those files home?" Severus muttered in his ear and Harry shivered at the sound.

"Nah," Harry replied with a smirk. "Nothing worth reading about in them, just work really."

Harry gave the man a wink as Severus backed him up towards the bedroom.

"I doubt that," Severus muttered as he shrugged out of his robes and let them fall.

Harry grinned and slipped out of his shirt and unbuckled his belt and let his pants drop as Severus slipped out of his shirt.

"Just office work mainly," Harry replied blandly as Severus kicked his shoes off.

Harry stepped through the bedroom door as Severus unbuckled his belt. Harry grabbed his belt and turned them until Severus was walking back towards the bed. The taller man raised an eyebrow in amusement.

"Your history, Blake." Severus said softly, stopping Harry. "Is yours to tell me when you feel comfortable."

Harry moved his hands onto Severus's hips as he held his belt, stopping his pants from sliding down.

"My own history is not a pleasant story," Severus whispered as he looked down at the other man.

Harry looked away but Severus cupped his cheeks and turned his head back.

"I have a lot of blood on my hands, Severus." Harry said softly.

"As do I," Severus replied mildly.

Severus wrapped his arms around the smaller man bringing him closer. Harry let himself rest against the other man's chest feeling the man's soft skin under his hands as Severus's hands wandered down his back. Harry grinned up at the other man before breaking his grip around him and giving him a shove. Severus fell back onto the bed with a yelp of surprise.

Harry looked down at the man before him feeling the alcohol in his system as he moved forward and saddled the man's waist with a grin.

"Sneaky," Severus purred.

Harry reached up and wrapped each of his hands around the other man's wrists before taking the man in a kiss as he let the memories of the day slid away. He pulled back and looked down at his lover and the understanding that they both had dark pasts they would rather move on from as they looked at each other. Harry gave him a sad smile before taking Severus in a deep kiss.

xXx

Harry could hear Black and Ry downstairs in the kitchen of Grimmauld place as he worked in one of the bedrooms on the second floor. Every now and again laugher or yells would drift up the stairs to Harry as he worked. He was having a lot of trouble trying to find the Horcrux since there was just so much dark magic in the house and it hadn't been with the house elf like it had been in his time.

He was starting to think the bloody thing wasn't here and was even thinking of asking Black about searching his vaults at Gringotts but knew that wouldn't go down very well.

"Any luck?"

Harry looked up to see Remus standing in the doorway. Harry sighed and turned away from the box he was looking through.

"Nope," Harry replied. "There is just so much dark magic in this damn house!"

Remus laughed and entered the room.

"It's good to hear laughter in this house again though," Remus remarked.

"How has the new Wolfsbane potion been going?" Harry asked.

"It's great," Remus said with a smile. "Only need to take it once every three months!"

"Severus and I are still working on it," Harry said taking a seat on the bed in the room. "I'm hoping to get it to a once a year potion."

"The wolf seems to be happier about it," Remus said quietly.

"Really?" Harry asked with a raised eyebrow. "That could work better for us when we adapt it."

"Yeah," Remus remarked. "I can't talk to Sirius about this. He wouldn't understand but you have seen the wolf."

"Of course," Harry replied. "I have my own demons that I deal with Remus, so I can understand your wolf problem…I hear you're teaching werewolf children?"

"Yes," Remus said with a grin. "They are a mix of both magical and muggle children."

"Teaching is well suited to you," Harry said with a grin.

"Yes," Remus replied. "Thank you for placing the wards around the hall we use."

"No problems," Harry stated. "I added it to Dracka's list as well. If you have any trouble the Council will come to your aid."

"You are really making a difference in that community, Blake." Remus said as his brown eyes locked onto his. "We are starting to get a standing in the magical communities due to your new potion and push at the Ministry."

"Hermione Granger has been helping as well as my lawyer." Harry said calmly. "I can't take all the credit. Not to mention the work that Severus has done on the Wolfsbane potion."

"You have been good for Severus," Remus said softly. "He's a very different man than what he was as a child."

Harry barked a laugh and said, "We all grow up Remus…well except maybe Black."

Remus gave him a grin before bidding him good-bye as he went downstairs to see what Ry and Black had gotten into.

xXx

"Finally!" Harry cried as he looked down at the locket before him.

He used his cherry wand to pick it up by the chain and place it into the glass jar. He was in the very dirty attic at Grimmauld place and had made sure to keep an eye on the dirty curtains to his left that kept shaking every now and again as he had worked. The creature that lived in the curtains would hiss at him periodically but hadn't tried to attack him so Harry had left it be.

A sneeze caught him off guard as he stirred up the dust and he was looking forward to getting back to Hogwarts and a nice long hot shower. The old house elf had been of no help and Harry was so close to cursing the horrible creature that he was glad that he would be leaving soon.

Harry got to his feet, eyeing off the curtains as the creature hissed at him and moved out of the attic. He moved down the stairs and could hear Ry, Black and Remus in the kitchen, probably having lunch.

"Blake, how did you go?" Remus asked, looking up as Harry came into the room.

Harry collapsed into one of the chairs and nicked Ry's juice off the table.

"Hey!" Ry yelped.

"Found it," Harry said calmly as he passed the juice back to Ry after taking a couple of sips.

"Does that mean we are leaving?" Ry asked disappointed.

"I'll be heading back," Harry said. "But you can stay for dinner and use the fireplace to get back to the school. If that's okay with Remus and Black."

"Sure," Black cried.

Remus placed a cup of juice in front of Harry to save Ry's from being nicked. Harry smiled up at the man in thanks, which made Black tense.

"Did you find anything of interest when you were looking around?" Remus asked.

"Just dark magic and more dark magic," Harry replied. "Did your family just like living dangerously?"

Harry asked Black, who just glared at him.

"Though I have met Bellatrix," Harry remarked. "Sanity wasn't a family trait."

"Hey!" Black yelped jumping to his feet.

Remus placed a strong hand on the man's shoulder and pushed him back down into his seat.

"You might want to get this house cleared out," Harry recommended, ignoring the glare he was getting from Black. "Gringotts would be a better place to store everything instead of here. There are some dark objects in this house I wouldn't even touch with a forty-foot pole."

"I think that would be a good idea, Blake." Remus said as Black fumed. "Especially if Ry and the children will be coming here."

"I can come in and clear it out and transfer it to Gringotts if you like?" Harry offered. "It should only take a few days."

"That's a generous offer, Remus said. "Isn't it Sirius?"

"Shut it!" Black snarled.

"He said thank you," Remus said with a grin.

Harry barked a laugh and stood. "Well I'll be off, be good for your uncles, Ry."

"Dad!"

Harry ruffled the boy's hair before moving to the front door. He smirked as Black exploded at Remus just after he walked out the door.

xXx

Harry let the warm water run over his body as he washed off the layer of dirt, dust and dark magic from Grimmauld place. He hadn't been joking when he spoke about the dark objects in that house. No wonder the Black family had worked out the way that it had. Narcissa and Sirius got off lucky.

Harry startled badly when hands wrapped around him.

"Fuck Severus!" Harry cursed. "I swear I'm going to curse you one day!"

Severus rumbled a laugh and kissed his shoulder

xXx

Missing scene due to rating.

xXx

The two men panted for a few second before Severus pushed back as he looked down at Harry with dark eyes.

Harry grinned up at him before slapping his ass.

"Hey!" Severus yelped.

"My shower, out!" Harry ordered with a grin.

Severus laughed and quickly soaped himself down before leaning down and capturing Harry's lips in a kiss.

"I've had to deal with Black for two days, out!" Harry ordered with a laugh.

Severus snorted and left him to it.

"That's one thought to get rid of a hard on," Severus called as he closed the door to the bathroom to Harry's laughter

xXx

Severus took a sip of coffee at the dining table as Blake opened the bathroom door and limped out into the living area and into the bedroom fully naked and without a hint of embarrassment. The man winked at Severus before closing the bedroom door making him smile.

He was sure he would never be as comfortable in his skin as Blake was. He had always been an awkward teenager, too pale and his nose too long for his face. Even with his succuss in mastering potions he still didn't feel comfortable in his own skin.

"Hey, I found the Horcrux." Blake said re-entering the room, pulling on a light blue shirt. "That house is just so full of dark magical objects! It's amazing a member of that family hasn't just murdered everyone is their sleep with that much dark magic floating around!"

Severus huffed a laugh and pushed a coffee towards the other man as Blake placed a glass jar on the table and pushed it towards him.

"Told Black I'm coming back to pack up all the dark objects and sealing them away in Gringotts." Blake said. "He wasn't too happy about it."

"I thought Black would be happy about that?" Severus said calmly.

"I may have said something along the lines of insanity in the Black family," Blake said with a smirk.

Severus barked a laugh.

"The Black family has always been a dark family," Severus said.

"I can believe it!" Blake laughed. "I just need to get rid of this Horcrux."

"Can I watch?" Severus asked sitting forward in his seat.

"Of course," Blake replied with a grin. "Shouldn't take too long, I can use the bronze circle in my classroom to contain it."

"After your coffee," Severus said with a smirk.

"Ah," Blake grinned. "You know me too well."

xXx

After a couple of cups of coffee later Severus and Harry made their way to Harry's classroom. Severus was always amazed with how clean the man kept his classroom after the mess his dining room table could become when the man was working but he supposed that he needed to keep it that way for teaching.

"Okay," Harry said tipping the locket into the middle of the bronze circle and stepping back. "I think we will attack this one directly."

Severus leaned back on the bench running along the side of the room watching carefully. Harry placed the tip of his elder wand to the circle and activated it. The barrier jumped up as Harry poured magic, both dark and light into it.

"I'm sure Albus will be making his way down soon," Harry said with a grin over his shoulder.

"I think you just like to stir him up with that dark magic," Severus remarked.

"It's more I forget than anything else," Harry muttered.

Severus smirked as he watched the barrier change colours until it was the sickly colour of the killing curse.

"You didn't combine the killing curse in that barrier, did you?" Severus asked, eyeing off the green colour.

"What?" Harry questioned looking back at the barrier and grinned. "Does look that colour doesn't it."

Harry took a seat on the floor in front of the locket and slowly reached out for the object as the barrier settled and turned clear. Suddenly a giant snake reared its head up within the bronze circle and tried to strike the barrier but Harry held the protection charm with as much magic he could pour into it before it would crack under the strain.

" _Hello lovely_ ," Harry hissed looking at the snake and by the way Severus jumped he had slid into parseltongue without realising.

The snake turned its head towards Harry and lowered it until it was on eye level with the wizard.

" _You are not my Master, little wizard_." The snake hissed.

" _Nope_ ," Harry replied. " _I'm the one that will give you peace_."

Hissing laughter made a shiver go down Harry's spine as the snake pulled back. It twisted and turned until a short brown-haired man stood before him with cold brown eyes. The man gave Harry a cruel smile tapping his fingers against his leg as he looked down his nose at the seated wizard.

"You are not good enough to do that!" The man snarled. "You are nothing! A waste of human flesh!"

"Who is that?" Severus asked stepping away from the bench as Dumbledore slipped into the room behind them.

"I believe this would be Tom Riddle's father?" Harry replied.

"That boy!" The man cried. "He is not my son! He is the spawn of the devil and should be put down!"

"I think I liked the snake better," Harry said softly.

"Are you one of them?" The man spat. "Evil creatures! You should all die and leave us! God has no place for your kind!"

"Your son killed you," Harry said softly getting to his feet and was put out by the fact the man was the same height as him. "He tortured you to death and tied a part of his soul to yours."

"I should have drowned that boy when he was born from that demon spawn!" The man hurled at Harry.

Harry could feel the darkness from this man, which made this Horcrux such a powerful object. It had not felt as dark, as some items he had been around, but it had been hiding its sting underneath.

"Do you want to be pulled down into hell with him then?" Harry asked calmly.

"I am a man of God!" The man spat.

"Your soul is twisted up with a part of your son's soul," Harry said calmly. "The only way that your soul can be freed is if you untangle it and cast him out."

The man glared at Harry before turning his back and puffing away to mist. Harry took a closer look at the magic as the two souls in the Horcrux torn into each other making Harry's job that much easier. Just as the two souls started to tire Harry drove his wand down towards the stones at his feet.

CRACK!

Severus and the Headmaster jumped as the stones groaned under their feet as a blazing light burst forth from the barrier of the circle. When their vision cleared Harry stood calmly looking down at a cracked locket on the stones.

"That was unsettling," The Headmaster muttered.

Harry barked a laugh.

"Another Horcrux down," Harry said with a grin. "Not that anyone deserves to be tortured to death but that was one man that the world is better off without."

"Another thing on the list of items that can make a Dark Lord," Albus muttered.

"Ah," Harry said with a smirk. "But that man didn't bring Tom Riddle up."

"Yes," Albus agreed. "That is true."

Severus moved forward and looked down at the locket.

"Is it safe?" Severus asked.

"Yeah go ahead," Harry said, sitting back on the bench behind him. "It's all yours. Salazar Slytherin's locket."

"Really?" Severus asked looking at the necklace with knew eyes.

"Yep, Happy Birthday."

Albus snorted when Severus glared over at Harry who just grinned back.


	14. Chapter 14

Warning: Violence and swearing.

"Blake Sun," Harry answered the phone as he moved towards the Great hall for breakfast.

"Blake," Dracka's voice came down the line. "One of the ward stones is flashing."

Harry stopped in the middle of the hallway as students moved around him.

"Do you need help?" Harry asked.

"Yes," Dracka replied. "We could use your help. I'm getting mixed reports about what is going on in the area but I think that it has something to do with Simpson."

"Do I have time?" Harry asked.

"Maybe a hour or two," Dracka said. "Looks like they tried to get into one of our villages but were repelled by the wards. Don't think they were expecting them."

"Okay," Harry replied. "I'll get back to you in about an hour."

Dracka hung up the phone and Harry placed the slightly shrunk brick back into his pocket as he glanced around at the students.

"Blake."

Harry turned to see Charmling heading towards him with a grin on his face, his brown hair pulled to the side.

"How are you?" The man asked as he drew even with Harry.

"I'm well," Harry replied. "But I must be on my way."

"Oh," The man said looking disappointed. "I was hoping we could go to Hogsmead for lunch and I could pick your brain about an advanced charm I've been working on."

"Um," Harry stuttered put out. "I'll have to make it up to you another time. I need to talk to the Headmaster, good day."

"Um yeah," Charmling said. "See you around."

Harry turned away from the man and the strange conversation as he pulled his phone and dialled Kingsley's number as he made his way into the Great Hall.

"Kingsley," The man answered after a couple of rings.

"Kingsley, it's Blake." Harry said quickly. "I need a specialist team ready to go in an hour to back up Dracka, can you make that happen?"

"In an hour?" The man yelped.

"Sorry," Harry apologised as he reached the Great Hall. "Only just got the call."

"Okay," Kingsley said and Harry could hear noise in the background. "Meet at Hogwarts?"

"Yeah," Harry agreed, as he made his way to the Head Table catching Severus's eye. "Just about to talk to the Headmaster now."

Harry stopped next to the Headmaster as Severus stood and moved closer.

"Okay Blake. See you in a hour."

The phone clicked and Harry wandlessly and wordlessly threw up a silencing charm around Severus and the Headmaster.

"We have a problem," Harry said quickly. "Simpson has tried to attack one of the villages that I warded, Dracka just called me."

"How long do we have?" The Headmaster asked.

"About an hour," Harry replied. "Kingsley is getting a team together as we speak."

"Do you need the Order?" Albus asked.

"Remus and Black would help," Harry said quickly looking around the hall his eyes briefly settling on his son. "Remus especially since there might be dark creatures at this village. Anyone else you think might help as well?"

"Bill Weasley might be a good choice," Albus said softly.

Harry nodded and said, "He can back me up if I have to reinforce the wards."

"Okay," Albus said. "I'll get in contact with them now, while you and Severus get ready."

"Okay, I need you to say here Albus just in case this is a ruse to pull you away from the school." Harry said breaking the silencing charm. "Come on Severus."

Severus looked pale and Harry whacked his shoulder.

"Move it Snape!" Harry barked, making Minerva snort into her coffee.

Severus startled and moved without thinking, Albus coughed a laugh. Harry pulled out his phone again feeling eyes on him and he glanced over to see Charmling staring at him. Turning away from the man's stare Harry dialled a number.

"You have reached the Department of Mysteries please leave a message and we will strive to get back to you…"

"Strike team three," Harry muttered into the phone. "Priority one, Hogwarts in one hour. Bring the fire power Robbie."

Harry hung up the phone.

"What?" Severus asked as they moved back to the dungeons.

"Back up team," Harry explained moving as fast as he could.

Severus was wide eyed as he looked at Harry and he felt for the man.

"You have been in battle before right?" Harry asked, thinking back on when they went to the Ministry.

"Um, yes." Severus stumbled over his words and Harry stopped in the hallway pulling up a silencing charm around him. "Mainly just Death Eater strikes."

Harry stilled and looked the man over.

"I want you to say back with Bill and help as back up then." Harry said softly.

Severus shook himself, standing taller and looked down his nose at Harry. He grabbed his hand in his own ignoring the few students still in the hallways.

"Severus," Harry started softly, running a hand over his head. "Be careful and help Bill okay?"

Severus sneered down at him and Harry gave him a grin and another wack on the shoulder.

"Come on," Harry said turning and walking through the silencing charm breaking it.

Once Harry was in his rooms he moved through to the bedroom taking his shirt off as he went, he pulled out the dragon hide vest from the cupboard and threw another one at Severus. He also pulled out dragon hide pants and let his own pants slip to the ground as he changed them over.

His shirt went over the vest as he pulled on some loose pants, he clicked his belt around his slim waist and placed his wands in their holsters as well as a silver knife and his silver sword appeared with the flick of his wrist. He placed it in the special loop on the belt before pulling a coat over the top. He looked over at Severus still standing there with the vest in his hands and sighed.

"Severus?"

The man started and blushed, taking his robes and shirt off before puling the vest on and his shirt over the top. When he reached for his robe Harry grabbed his wrist.

"Leave it," Harry advised. "Take a jacket instead, it gives you better freedom of movement."

Severus grinned at him and a weight lifted from his shoulders as he looked into his lover's eyes. He pulled the man into a hard kiss.

"Ready?" Harry asked.

"I'll just grab some supplies from my office," Severus said softly. "A certain someone always seems to need medical attention."

Harry barked a laugh and let the man go as he added a few more items to his coat. He pulled his phone again and dialled Dracka's number.

"Dracka."

"I have a strike team ready to go, as well as a Auror team and back up from the Order," Harry said into the phone as he moved into the living room. "Where are we meeting?"

He took out his latest muscle potion and drained it. It would numb the muscle for the day and would help him move more freely, which he had a feeling he was going to need. The down side was it only lasted twenty four hours.

"Meet at the mansion, I'll have portkeys waiting for you at the Paris International Portkey Platform." Dracka said quickly with a lot of noise in the background. "A ministry worker will meet you there. I have a team at the village but will need your help here. Simpson has moved quicker than we thought he would. He has tried to break through the wards at three villages so far but we think it's just draw us off from here."

"Is he trying to attack the Council directly?" Harry demanded, feeling faint.

"We think that's his goal," Dracka said. "I have people waiting but we can't do much until the sun sets. Most of my day teams have been moved to the other villages to reinforce them."

"Shit," Harry swore.

Sunset was still a long way off so they wouldn't have the back up of the vampires until then. Severus came back into the room with a long jacket on and he cocked an eyebrow in question.

"Okay we should be there within the hour," Harry said. "Can you hold until then?"

"Can only hope."

The phone clicked as Dracka hung up.

"It's not great news," Harry said. "Come on, lets move to the gates to meet up with the rest of the teams and I can fill you in."

xXx

Severus watched his lover from the side of the room with the Order members on one side of him and the Ministry workers and Aurors on the other as Blake and Dracka had their heads bowed over the maps on the large wooden table in the middle of the room. He had never seen this side of Blake and was in awe of the man.

He had never really thought of Blake as a warrior but seeing him calmly assessing the reports and ordering groups out he was left speechless. He had to remind himself that Blake had lived a long time and had been a battle worn warrior before he was a cripple with a limp.

"He is something," Remus muttered into his ear as Blake ordered another group into position, the men and women taking his orders without question.

"That he is," Severus replied softly, even Black didn't say otherwise.

The way he barked orders it was clear that the man had been in command at some stage of his life and he expected his orders to be carried out without question even when ordering dark creatures he had them moving with just a glare and a growl.

Dracka worked along side him like they had been doing this for years and Severus could see another commander there as well and was surprised by the way the vampire let Blake take control when they had come in.

"Strike team three," Blake called out and the ministry workers moved forward with confidence.

Severus was shocked to see the team, they were only a small group of four members, three men and one woman, but were heavily armed with both wands and firearms. This was a team that even Death Eaters would pause at.

"I want you here," Blake commanded. "You are back up in case of the wards falling."

"Yes, sir." One of the men barked.

"Simpson has people here and here," Blake pointed out a couple of spots on the map before him. "We have heard he has a curse breaker so the chance of the wards falling is there. Move!"

"Yes, sir!"

Blake looked back down at the map as a runner ran up to give a report.

"Remus, Black!" Blake called out.

The two men started then moved forward.

"Remus we have a groups of werewolves in these locations," Blake said showing the spots on the map. "I want you to work with them and keep them focused, Black I want you as a runner between the groups. Your animagus form can move quicker than our runners. Any problems?"

"No," The men said.

"Okay move out," Blake said with a smile. "Stay safe."

The ground shook suddenly and dust rained down on the people still gathered as everyone looked around.

"That would be the wards," Blake said softly then louder. Still holding! Bill, Severus."

Severus started and moved forward with Bill.

"Okay," Blake said and pointed to a spot on the map near the east side of the village. "This is were I tied in the wards, Bill I want you to power up the wards. Severus I need you to watch his back. Understood?"

"Yes," The two men muttered.

"I'll have a team back you up," Dracka said and a few men broke off from a group and moved forward.

"I'll be there to help if the wards start to fail," Blake said and grabbed Severus shoulder. "Stay safe."

Severus gave the man a small smile and moved with Bill towards the exit the group of five men following them but staying back.

"Wow," Bill said once they were outside. "Wasn't expecting that from him."

"I will second that," Severus muttered, still trying to wrap his head around it.

"He is great warrior," One of the men behind him said with a heavy accent. "He help us before."

"Really?" Bill asked.

"Oh, yes." The man said. "People come to kill Coven, Sun stop them. Many die that day. Vampires fed well."

Severus and Bill fell quiet at that as they made their way to the spot on the map. Bill looked around until he felt out the spot that Blake spoke of and pulled his wand.

"The wards are holding well so far," Bill said as he felt out the wards. "Gee, these are very strong wards, I don't think their curse breaker will get through them."

"Dracka said that Blake used pure light magic to complete them," Severus said remembering his conversation with the man a while ago.

"That would have taken it out of him." Bill said with a whistle. "He has worked on these a few times. They are layered one on top of the other every couple of years."

Another jolt raced across the ground and a loud boom echoed around the village as they attacked the wards again. Severus watched as the wards flared about twenty meters from where they stood.

"Can you tell where they are attacking from?" Severus asked.

"West side," Bill said quickly. "There are two groups. That's the curse breaker trying to get through. He's just throwing power against the barrier at the moment. I don't think he was expecting so much resistance."

Another jolt then shortly followed by another boom came to them. That's when Severus could see people moving in the tree line in front of them.

"We have company," Severus hissed, pointing out the people.

"Wards still stand." Bill said, as he eyed off the people.

BOOM!

The ground shook.

"Still holding!"

BOOM!

"Slight crack but still holding!"

One of the five men nodded and ran off, probably back to report.

BOOM!

This one almost had them loosing their footing.

"Still holding! Bloody hell he made these strong! That curse breaker has some power behind him."

CRACK!

"Still holding!"

Suddenly Blake appeared almost running and Severus just stared at the image. He knew his lover had taken a potion that helped his leg but it was still amazing to see as Blake pulled up next to them and took out his cherry ward.

"Okay everyone," Blake said slightly out of breath. "At the next attack I'm going to drop the wards, then flare them back up."

"You're going to what!" Bill yelped.

"Dracka has people in place to pick off anyone that runs over the wards and gets trapped." Blake explained quickly. "Team get ready!"

BOOM!

The wards flared then fell, there was a cheer from the tree line and some people ran forward then Blake snarled and the wards flared to life again his green eyes blazing. Gunfire started up around them. Cries and yelling filled the air then silence.

A horn suddenly rang out on the air.

"That's the retreat," Blake said, sweat on his brow as he poured magic into the wards building them back up. "Well done."

"Was that it?" Bill asked.

One of the men snorted and Blake clapped a hand on his shoulder with a smirk.

"Oh, no." Blake said. "They will try again. We can only hope that it's not before night fall."

"What happens after night fall?" Severus asked.

"Vampires hunt," One of Dracka's men said with a savage grin.

Severus shivered.

"They will remember why this Coven has not fallen for over a thousand years," Blake said with a grin of his own. "Dracka will not let them forget who holds this land."

Severus felt a shiver go down his back at the words.

"Okay," Blake said looking around. "Bill and Severus you can move back to the nearest house, everyone has been evacuated. Bill keep a eye on the wards and send one of Dracka's men if anything changes. Team five hold this area."

"Yes, sir!" One of the men barked.

Blake nodded at everyone, his eyes lingering on Severus, before he turned and disappeared between the buildings. Severus just watched after him with dark eyes.

xXx

Turning away from Severus and leaving him was one of the hardest acts he'd had to do but Harry knew he was needed elsewhere. He moved back to the mansion, he paused when he heard a snarl and pulled his silver knife before he recognising one of Dracka's hellhounds as it patrolled. The beast swung its powerful head in Harry's direction and with a last snarl and flash of red eyes it dashed away.

"God I hate those things," Harry muttered.

He made it back to the mansion and was assaulted with reports, there was damage on the west side of the village but they were holding. Remus was working with the werewolves well, the hellhounds had ripped through a strike team on the northern side that they hadn't seen coming and the reports kept rolling in.

"Blake," Dracka called when he saw the man. "They have sounded the retreat and all of the men that stepped over the wards have been brought down. Simpson has pulled back for now but he has giants with him."

Harry paled at the words, he had seen first hand what the beasts could do and it wasn't pretty.

"We have four hours before sunset," Blake said moving closer to Dracka. "I will be able to change the wards to let your people passed the wards then, the only down side is if they have vampires with them."

Dracka flashed a toothy grin in Harry's direction in answer. It was chaffing the man that the sun was holding him back and he wasn't alone. The other vampires were chomping at the bit to get into the fighting.

"Severus, Bill and team five are holding," Harry said softly. "Bill will be able to hold the wards if they attack again."

"Okay," Dracka replied. "We will strengthen the west side. We have reports from three other villages under attack but they are holding with my teams supporting them."

"Why has he decided to attack in such force now?" Harry asked. "From the information we have he didn't have this kind of support here."

"Yes," Dracka agreed. "There was no indications in my spies last reports."

"Could he be working with the Dark Lord?"

Dracka paled at Harry's words.

"God, I hope not." The other man muttered.

"I thought he was working through Germany?" Harry questioned. "What is he doing here?"

"Perhaps he has found out that the Council meets here and is attacking directly."

Harry frowned, there were just too many questions and they didn't have enough answers. A runner ran towards them.

"Sir," The young man gasped. "Giants are forming up on the north side!"

"Fuck," Harry cursed. "I'll move that way with my strike team. Dracka have your men ready for when the sun sets. I think they are going to use the giants to smash into the wards with the curse breaker. Runner, get the ministry strike team three and have them move to the north side."

"Yes, Sir!"

The boy ran off a Hellhound on his heels as support. Harry turned away but a strong hand on his shoulder stopped him. Harry looked back to Dracka in question.

"Stay safe, Blake." The man said softly, eyes shining red.

"Always," Harry replied with a grin.

Dracka barked a laugh. "Not from what I've heard, go!"

Harry gave him a wink and moved out a hellhound falling into step with him with a snarl. Harry looked at the beast with a shiver as the animal gave him a look like. 'Do you think I signed up for this?' which just made Harry's grin widen.

Strike team three was waiting for him at the north side.

"Blake!" Sergeant Miller said jumping to attention when he saw him.

He turned to the three giants standing eight to ten feet tall before the wards. The beasts held clubs the size of Harry himself as they waited for orders. They were dim beasts however once a person had their loyalty they would do anything for them even if that meant their deaths.

"This is going to be a challenge, Blake." Sergeant Miller said softly to Harry, his brown eyes wide.

"Yes, yes it is." Harry agreed, and then flashed a grin. "Makes you feel alive!"

Dark chuckles ran through the team.

"Did you bring the firepower?" Harry asked.

"Oh, boy. Did we." A short but heavy-set man called Robbie said with a grin. "Picked it up special from America!"

"Um," Harry turned to the man. "Do I want to know?"

Robbie chuckled darkly. "Let's just say that one of those giants will not be walking away from this!"

"Ah," Harry said paling slightly at the words. "Okay."

"It's okay Blake," The only woman on the team said kindly. "We will tell you when to look away."

Harry barked a laugh and clapped the woman on the shoulder, her name was Sarah Felling and the last man on the team was David Shelton and he couldn't think of a better team at his back. He had worked with these men and woman many times over the years. Five people against three giants would sound like bad odds, but Harry almost felt sorry for the beasts…well almost.

"Okay," Harry said looking over the group. "I'm going to key you into the wards so you can slip in and out of them. Robbie I need that device of yours."

Harry grabbed the wards at his feet with his cherry wand before tapping each person on the head before turning to Robbie and the rocket launcher in his hands.

"Really?" Harry asked eyes wide.

The man just grinned at him as Harry tapped the device.

Across the village Bill jolted as Harry worked on the wards.

"Blake's doing something over on the north side," Bill said to Severus.

"What?" The dark haired man asked fear in his voice.

"He has just keyed four people into the wards," Bill explained. "I think he has something planned."

Suddenly a roar of a giant echoed over the village making the two wizards pale.

"You don't think?" Bill gasped.

Severus shivered his eyes wide.

"I hope not," Severus whispered.

Harry turned at the roar from the beast in front of him.

"Okay Robbie," Harry said calmly as the last of the roar rolled into the distance. "I want you set up and ready. I want the middle beast taken down before we strike. Sarah and David take the beast on the left and I'll take the right. Miller I want you to stay behind the wards and keep an eye on us, if anyone tries to intervene take them out!"

"Yes, Sir!"

Harry turned to the hellhound sitting calmly near them. "Tell Dracka we are moving on the giants now!"

The hellhound nodded its head and ran off.

"We need to take these giants down before they know we are moving!" Harry told the group.

Simpson wouldn't be expecting a team to strike against the giants, since no sane wizard would attack giants first. That's where Harry's plan was so simple by taking out the biggest threat as quickly as he could, before the other side could move them into place.

"Okay move out!"

Harry and the team moved forward as Robbie moved into position. He keyed up the rocket launcher in his hands and a soft whine started up. Harry pulled his silver sword and held the elder wand in his left hand as they moved up to the wards.

"Now!"

The rocket launcher and leapt across the field and the middle giant just exploded. Harry stumbled slightly in shock but kept moving as he passed over the wards to the roar of the other two giants ringing in his ears as he swung his sword at the stumbling beast's leg before it could work out he was there. He sliced deep into the thing's leg and a roar bellowed out as Harry ducked back and turned to the side as a club whizzed passed his head.

He could hear gunfire to his left side but couldn't look as the giant snarled at him and swung the club the other way. He could hear Miller yelling orders but they weren't for him so just kept an ear out. He flicked his elder wand and a dark snake burst forth with a hiss, the thing standing six feet tall, as it barred its fangs at the giant.

The beast roared and swung its club smashing into the snake as Harry ducked between its legs and stabbed his sword deep into its side. The thing bellowed and pulled itself to the side, ripping Harry's sword from the man's hands. Harry cursed as the sword came loose in an arch of blood.

"Blake duck!"

Harry hit the ground without a thought at the call and a club passed over his head as the second beast turned on him. Sarah had a gun out and was landing bullet after bullet into the beast's flanks but it wasn't slowing it down as it pulled the club up and Harry rolled. The thud the club made as it hit the ground next to Harry had his teeth rattling as dirt and dust splattered around him.

David flashed by near him and shouting a spell and red light lit up Harry's sight as the giant reeled back with a roar. David flashed a grin at Harry, his face covered in blood as he pushed the beast back with the spell. Harry rolled to his feet, not as nimble as he once was but was grateful for the potion as his leg held him.

His giant was still trying to hold back the giant snake from attacking and Harry could see his sword sticking out of the beast's side as the snake attacked it. Harry glared up at the beast and shouted a dark spell, the dark magic smashing into the giant's chest spraying blood as it cut deep and Harry turned as it landed on him.

"Blake left!"

Harry was moving before he could think and a spell passed in the spot he had been standing. They were starting to gather attention. He quickly sent a spell back towards the man that had moved closer and he ducked back behind the tree line.

"Blake, left side flank!"

Harry ducked as spells sailed over his head and into the wards at his back. He turned on the ground and pulled the earth up between him and the wizards gathering to his left stopping the spells as a giant fell shaking the earth. With a loud hiss the snake Harry has conjured bit down on the giant's shoulder and neck and the beast roared as it threw a fist into the snake's side but it wasn't enough and with a last gurgle the giant fell to the side and the snake puffed away into smoke.

Everything went silent.

Harry jumped forward, quickly pulling his sword as wizards started to line up.

"Retreat!" Harry yelled, casting spells towards the men to cover his team.

"Retreat!" Was echoed by Miller as he added his spells to Harry's.

Harry lowered his head and ran for the wards, just happy that the men from the tree line didn't have guns. Suddenly he was air born as a spell hit the ground at his feet and he turned in the air so he landed in a roll on the other side of the wards.

"All out! Hold!" Miller yelled and Harry sighed as he rolled onto his back.

"Right there, Blake?" David asked looking down at him.

Harry grinned up at him and took the hand offered. He let David pull him to his feet and looked at the damage they had made. If he weren't so battle worn it would have made him sick to the stomach. What was once three giants were just lumps of flesh, he could see a few other bodies around the site but didn't look at them too closely as he turned to his team.

Sarah was holding a broken arm with David standing next to her giving him a dark grin through the blood on his face as Robbie moved up to the group looking pleased. Miller gave a dark chuckle as he rounded out the group.

"I had forgotten how well you fight, Blake!" Miller clapped a hand to Harry's shoulder with a grin.

The wizards on the other side of the wards had retreated once Harry's team had passed back over the wards and were watching from the tree line again. Harry could see how pale their faces were from where he stood.

"That should give them pause," Harry said looking over the mess they had made.

"Damn right!" Robbie cried.

"David," Harry said turning to the man. "Move back with Sarah to the medical tent and help out there. Robbie and Miller with me."

"Yes, Sir!"

Harry moved back through the village using a cloth from his pocket to try and get the blood and dirt from his face but he had a feeling he was just moving it around, as Robbie and Miller whispered between them.

"Where are we headed?" Miller asked.

"East side," Harry replied as a hellhound appeared next to him.

Robbie yelped as the beast turned to him and growled making Harry grin.

"Tell Dracka that the giants are down," Harry told the hellhound. "I've sent two of my team to the medical tent and the others are with me. We are heading back to the wards on the east side. I don't think Simpson will make another move for a while."

The dog nodded its head and ran off into the village.

"Shame those things can't relay messages to everyone," Miller said looking after the beast.

"Oh yes," Harry agreed, limping more than before. "Would make it easier."

A black dog appeared at his side and Harry thought it was a hellhound before Black appeared next to him, startling his team, as he stared at Harry in shock.

"Holy shit," Black cursed staring.

"What?" Harry asked puzzled, stopping.

Miller barked a laugh.

"You look a sight Blake," Miller told him. "All covered in dirt and blood."

Harry looked over at the man before grinning, sending a shiver down Black's spine.

"It's not mine, if that helps." Harry said, his green eyes standing out against the blood. "Not that I know of anyway. What do you want Black?"

Sirius jolted, the bloody image of the man etched on his memory. He knew in that moment that he would never second-guess this man.

"We heard battle and the giants," Black said quickly. "Remus wants to know if he should hold position?"

"The giants have been taken care of," Harry said grinning. "Hold position. I'm moving over to the east side. Bypass Dracka and say I need him to change the wards."

Black nodded, changed form and dashed off.

"Do I look that bad?" Harry asked the other two men.

Miller just laughed and Robbie clapped a hand on his shoulder.

"Worse," Robbie laughed and they started walking again as another hellhound fell into step with them.

Harry tracked Severus by the link in his ring. They were in a house near where he had left them before. Dracka waited for him in the shade of the house with a heavy cloak over his head and shoulders.

"Fuck," The man swore when he saw him and went to step forward but the sunlight held him back.

"It's not mine," Harry said with a grin.

"Thank fuck for that!" Dracka cursed, red eyes shinning.

"Come on," Harry said pushing the door open and making his way into the living area. Severus jumped to his feet looking pale and rushed over to him.

"It's not mine!" Harry repeated. "Give me a minute to clean up."

Harry moved to the bathroom and got his first good look at himself in the mirror and could understand the reactions of the other people. He did look a sight, with blood and dirt covering his face and clothes. Large patches of his shirt were stained through with blood that was already starting to dry and stiffen it. Harry took the shirt off, leaving himself in just the dragon hide vest.

"Are you okay?" Severus asked softly, closing the bathroom door behind him.

"Yeah all good," Harry said as he washed down his arms in the shower and stuck his head under the water. He pulled back water dripping onto his shoulders as he grabbed a towel.

"Something got you," Severus remarked as he spotted a small gash above his lover's right eye but was relieved when he could see no other damage.

"Not too bad then," Harry muttered, wiping the blood off with the towel and allowed Severus to pour a potion onto another towel and hold it to the cut to stop the bleeding.

"What happened?" Severus asked. "We heard giants."

"Yep," Harry said under the towel. "Three of the bastard, now not so much."

Severus paled.

"Come on," Harry said, moving back to the other room. Leaving the shirt behind.

Harry came back into the room the scars on his arms clear to see as he stood in just his dragon hide vest and loose pants. Dracka's eyes turned red at the sight but Harry ignored him.

"How long do we have until sun down?" Harry asked moving to a chair. "Severus is there coffee?"

Severus jolted and moved to the small kitchen.

"About two hours," Dracka replied.

"Great," Harry said. "Have you got your men in place?"

"Yes," Dracka grinned savagely, red eyes flashing.

"Okay," Harry said tapping the table with his silver knife that had appeared in his hand.

Severus smirked remembering all the times he had seen the man do the same with a pen or his wand when he was thinking.

"Is it just your Coven here?" Harry asked.

"No," Dracka replied. "There are four different Covens here."

"Ah," Harry said tapping away. "That is a problem. I can key the wards to you which opens them up to your Coven but no other vampires or I can open them up to all vampires."

Tap, tap, tap.

"If we open it up to all vampires," Harry said softly. "If Simpson has any on his side they can also bypass the wards. It's too late to call in the other Coven vampires before sun down."

Tap, tap, tap.

"Open them," Dracka said. "We have enough people on this side of the wards to hold them back if Simpson has any vampires with him. I need the numbers."

Tap, tap, tap.

"Okay," Harry said standing and the silver knife disappeared.

Harry turned to Dracka looking up at the taller man.

"I'm going to tag your Coven with a light mark," Harry said to the man. "It will fade in about a day. I'll then seek out the other vampires within the wards to tag them. That way we will know who is on which side."

"Do it," Dracka said.

Harry grinned and grabbed the man's hand and felt out the people connected through him. He spread his mind out, he couldn't pick out individuals but could feel the connection the other vampires had with their leader. With a thought Harry tagged them with a light mark. Dracka hissed but didn't pull back his hand. Harry grinned at him and let his hand go. Dracka looked down at the pale mark of a phoenix on the back of his hand.

"The werewolves should be able to pick up that mark," Harry said stepping back from the taller man. "Tagging the other vampires will take time, I have to find them through the wards. Send a runner to tell Remus what is going on as well as the other Covens that I'm going to tag them."

Dracka nodded and moved towards the door of the small house. Harry turned to the other men in the room.

"Simpson will probably try another attack on the wards before night fall," Harry said. "I will have to tie into the wards to pick out the vampires and change the wards. I need you as protection. I won't know what is happening once I open my mind to the wards. Okay?"

"Yes, sir!" The soldiers barked as Bill and Severus nodded.

Dracka entered the room. "Runner sent. Are you ready?"

Harry looked at each man before nodding.

"Let's go."

xXx

Harry lowered himself to the ground against the side of the house as close to the wards they could get while still having cover. Severus stood on one side of him while Dracka stood on the other. Bill had moved out to where the wards were tied to the earth a few meters away and had Miller and Robbie as back up.

"Okay," Harry said softly. "Good luck."

Severus knelt down and grabbed Harry's shoulder, the shorter man gave him a grin before turning his attention to the wards. He opened his mind to the wards and his sight disappeared as they over took his mind. He quickly filtered out all the information flooding into his mind as he slowly picked up the unlife forms of the vampires within the wards. He was very careful to pick up each one which took more time than Harry could afford but once he knew that he had them all he quickly tagged them with his light mark and pulled back from them.

He reached out beside him and Dracka's hand grabbed his. He created a link with the vampire and the wards, taking an imprint of the dark creature and adding it to the wards. Sweat started to form on his brow as he focused all his attention on the feeling of the vampire next to him. He started to pant slightly and quickly tied the imprint into the wards and pulled back letting go of the man's hand.

BOOM!

Harry jolted and his mind slipped slightly as the curse breaker smashed his magic into the wards. The man had some power behind him.

Harry swore and poured magic into the wards. Filling in the slight gaps and spreading it out along the lines, he had already placed, as he smoothed them out. He quickly looked them over for any breaks or any lines getting frayed but they were all holding together nicely.

"Dracka the vampires are tied into the wards." Harry said without opening his eyes. "Give me the signal when you are ready to move and I'll activate it. Take out that bloody curse breaker! Good luck."

"I'll have a hellhound tell you when we are in place," Dracka said beside him then the presence of the man was gone.

BOOM!

Harry let everything else go and dived into the wards, trusting Severus with his life as he followed the magic into the wards.

xXx

Severus looked around wide eyed as Bill and the two ministry workers moved back to where he was standing next to Blake. The man had gone still his breathing panting slightly and his eyes glazed as he worked the wards with his hands twitching every now and again as if he was holding something that Severus couldn't see.

"He has tied himself into the wards," Bill said as he drew even with Severus.

BOOM

Another attack ran across the wards flaring them up before they disappeared from sight again and Severus could see people moving in the tree line.

"He should be able to hold them since the giants won't be hammering on them as well," Bill said as the two ministry workers moved to defensible positions near them.

A hellhound appeared and sat next to Blake, its red eyes looking around making Severus shiver as the stare passed over him. Bill and Severus shared a look before stepping to either side of Blake as the sun started to sink on the horizon.

Severus tensed and stepped in front of Blake as the hellhound suddenly howled loudly beside them. The ward flared up then turned ice blue in colour.

"He has opened it up to the vampires," Bill whispered, staring at the ward in amazement. "Every time he works he shocks me. What he does with magic is amazing. It's like he takes all the rules of magic and just throws them out the window. It's as if he doesn't even think there are any rules!"

"I agree." Severus said breathless as vampires moved towards the wards as the last of the sun dipped below the horizon.

BOOM! CRACK!

Blake swore and Severus moved back to the man and knelt next to him as Bill covered them.

Severus rested a hand on the man's shoulder offering what strength he could as the sounds of battle rang out around them. He had never experience anything like it before. Gunshots rang out from close by and he shivered.

"Put up a shield Mr Weasley," Severus said softly.

Bill nodded and a protection barrier sprang up around them. The hours dragged on with the glowing blue of the wards the only light. Every now and again the curse breaker would throw power at the barrier but Blake held the wards strong. Severus was amazed by the strength the man held as he and Bill took turns keeping a protection shield around them.

It was after midnight when Blake groaned suddenly startling Severus. Bill turned in his direction.

"The curse breaker is picking through the wards," Bill explained. "He has stopped just throwing power at it. They should hold since Blake used different strands to make up the wards instead of just one charm. The curse breaker is trying to find a weak spot."

Suddenly the blue wall dropped and another ward flared up a couple of meters closer as Blake swore his eyes flicking around seeing something that the other two wizards couldn't.

"Can you help him?" Severus asked.

"I would just distract him!" Bill said. "That curse breaker needs to be taken out!"

Severus felt helpless as he looked over at his lover sweating with his fists curled and eyes distant. The new ward shone with a green light almost the colour of the killing curse as vampires moved back and forth through the wall.

Suddenly Blake grinned and a horn sounded into the night.

"The retreat horn?" Severus asked.

"Yes," Blake said softly.

Severus looked down at the man to see his green eyes looking up at him.

"Dracka's men have killed the curse breaker," Blake said softly. "Give me hand up?"

Severus smirked and helped the man to his feet. Suddenly a vampire appeared near them and Bill flared his protection shield.

"It's okay," Blake waved and Bill dropped the shield.

The vampire moved forward, gracefully, his red eyes shinning, with blood around his mouth and soaking into his shirt.

"Message from Dracka," The vampire hissed. "Simpson is retreating."

"Breaking camp?" Blake asked, as the two ministry workers moved back towards them.

The vampire grinned, his fangs exposed. "Yes."

"Thank you," Blake said calmly, staring the other man in the eye. "Well done."

The vampire nodded, flashed his fangs and ran back into the night.

"Well," Blake said with a grin as he wiped his brow. "We won this day. Miller and Robbie move back to the medical tent and see what you can do."

"Yes, sir." The two men answered then ran off back towards the middle of the village.

Blake placed a hand on Severus and Bill's shoulders.

"Well boys," Blake said, green eyes flashing. "That's our job done. Dracka and the vampires will take care of everything now."

Blake stepped passed them, limp more pronounced as he moved to the house they had been using. Severus and Bill just watched the man for a second before turning to each other.

"That's it?" Bill asked.

Severus looked back to the green wall of light behind him then around the village as the sounds of fighting started to fade away into the night.

"Oh," Blake said turning. "If either of you know any medical magic, you would be welcomed at the medical tent."

Blake waved and disappeared into the house.

"Um," Bill said looking after the man. "I know a bit."

Severus nodded. "I have potions that could help."

Bill grinned and the two moved towards the house. Blake had already placed a protection ward around the building as the two men arrived. Blake wasn't in the living room so Severus glanced into the bedroom to find the man sprawled out across the bed still in his clothes asleep. He left the man there and picked up his potions pouch and they made their way to the medical tent.

xXx

Dracka grinned darkly and sliced into the vampire before him, his sword cutting into his neck and slicing it from its body with a shower of blood. Dracka lowered his steel sword and looked around at the bloody mess around him. The curse breaker lay broken and bloody to his left side with vampires and wizards scattered around him. Blake's wards casting an eerie green glow across the grounds around him as he moved back to his second in command and wiping the blood from his face as he went, his red eyes glowing softly.

"I'm going to check on Blake," Dracka said to his second. "You are on clean up."

"Yes, sir." Bradon said as Dracka moved off.

The vampire wouldn't admit it but he was concerned for Blake. The curse breaker had been strong and by the fact that the first ward failed made him move faster towards where he had left the man. The phoenix on his hand flared as he passed over the wards and a shiver ran down his spine as he moved. Blake wasn't where he left him and Dracka lifted his nose in the air and followed the scent of the man, his demon churning in his stomach.

He came to the house that Blake's lover had used and found a protection ward around it. He placed his hand on the door and felt Blake's magic touch him lightly before letting him through. He found Blake in the bedroom, alone in the house. The man was sprawled out across the bed still in his bloody clothes. He was slightly on his side but looked like he had just collapsed on the bed.

Dracka stalked towards the defenceless man and wondered were his lover and back up were. The vampire knelt down at the side of the bed and peered at Blake's sleeping face. The man was out of it, snoring slightly in his sleep and the demon within Dracka yelled at him loudly. The slight smell of the man's magic in the air and the demon whispered in his mind to take him. Dracka reached forward and grabbed the man's shoulder and shook it. Green eyes slowly blinked up at him.

"Wha'?" Blake slurred.

Dracka's demon flared at the sound of the man's voice but he pushed it back down. Blake jolted back from him when his mind caught up with him before calming when he recognized Dracka. The man rolled onto his back and placed an arm over his eyes.

"Jesus!" Blake muttered. "You know how to wake a man Dracka."

Dracka smirked and took a seat on the bed next to Blake.

"Where are Severus and the others?" Dracka asked.

"Sent them up to the medical tent," Blake said looking up at Dracka. "You stink."

Dracka barked a laugh and leaned back on the headboard of the bed and laid out next to Blake. Blake just raised an eyebrow in question.

"Can I help you with something?" Blake asked with a smirk.

Dracka just smirked back looking down at the man and let his hand rest on the man's shoulder, feeling the rough skin of the scars under his hand.

"I can't help you with that," Blake deadpanned, making Dracka bark a laugh.

"I'm too tired to deal with you in this mood," Blake muttered and rolled away from the man putting his back to the vampire.

Dracka just watched him as the man's breathing evened out as he fell back into sleep. He ran a hand over the scars he could see, with a soft smile on his face, feeling the man's power under his skin.

xXx

Severus was not in a good mood when he walked into the bedroom of the house after working in the medical tent the rest of the night to find Dracka asleep next to his lover. He stood in the doorway for a second in shock unsure about what he should do. Blake had his back to him snoring softly as Dracka faced towards Severus also asleep.

Severus stepped forward and Dracka started awake spotting him before glancing over at Blake before carefully getting up making sure not to wake the other man but he was out.

"Was softer than the lounge," Dracka whispered to him, as he got close.

"Did he know you were there?" Severus hissed his eyes flashing.

"Ah." Dracka replied, as he led Severus out of the room and into the living room, closing the door softly behind him. "Yes, I woke him up but he was a bit out of it."

"Yes," Severus agreed. "He gets that way when he uses too much magic."

Dracka and Severus stood toe to toe, Severus an inch or so taller than the vampire before the man tilted his head to the side exposing his throat briefly. Severus wasn't sure what that meant but he made a metal note to ask Blake next time, as Dracka stepped back.

"Do you want a coffee or tea?" Dracka asked moving towards the kitchen the soft light of dawn already lighting the room.

"Coffee," Severus replied softly, taking a seat. "Two sugars, no milk."

Severus looked up as the bedroom door opened and Blake peeked his head out.

"Don't tell me you heard the word coffee?" Severus asked with a smirk.

Blake rubbed a hand over his short hair as his green eyes squinting at him and Severus could see how tired the man was.

"Just good timing," Blake muttered moving to the table and collapsing in the chair.

Dracka glanced out of the kitchen spied Blake and ducked back into the other room.

"Feel better?" Severus asked.

"All good," Blake said softly as he rested his head on his hand. "Have you slept?"

"No," Severus said shortly.

The night was starting to catch up with him as it moved slowly into day. Dracka moved back into the room with three mugs in his hands and Blake smiled up at him. Severus felt a stab in his heart at the sight but pushed it down. He loved Blake and he knew that the man felt the same.

"You got the curse breaker," Blake stated and Dracka grinned showing fangs.

"Cut him down where he stood," Dracka said darkly.

A shiver ran down Severus's spine at the tone and even Blake paused in taking a sip of coffee.

"How did we fair?" Blake asked softly.

"Very well," Dracka said softly. "About a dozen or so of my Coven and a few more from the other Covens, still waiting on full numbers. The werewolves faired the best, no loses just injuries. Your werewolf fought well."

"He is a good man," Blake said softly.

"Black took a bad cutting curse to the side," Severus said softly. "But is recovering well."

Blake nodded. "Simpson?"

"Got away," Dracka snarled. "But I don't think he will be trying something like this again. He only had a couple of vampires with him and they were mainly young ones. We were able to rip through his ranks."

Severus shivered at the thought of the vampires let lose, Blake caught his eye and grinned.

"Do you need me for clean up?" Blake asked.

"Nah," Dracka waved him off. "We can handle it. You and Severus can head back to the school when you are ready."

"Do you want the Order and Aurors to stay?" Blake asked. "The ministry strike team would probably have left by now."

"We will welcome their help," Dracka replied. "Any time they can spare."

"Okay," Blake said standing. "We will be leaving then, I need a shower first. I smell like giant."

Dracka barked a laugh as Severus just looked between them as he sipped his coffee, wondering again what he life had become.


	15. Chapter 15

Link to cut scenes can be found on my profile page.

Harry woke slowly the next morning feeling warm, comfortable and didn't really want to move. He could feel Severus curled along his back with an arm flung over his middle as he snored softly in his ear. He soaked in the feeling for a few more minutes before pulling himself stiffly out of the bed. Severus rolled away in his sleep, the curve of his pale back almost glowing in the soft light. Harry ran his hand down the man's back loving the feel of the man's soft skin under his palm.

Harry pulled the blanket over the man before turning away and moving towards the bathroom. His leg stiff but not too bad as he ran a warm shower before dressing, he left Severus where he was and picked up his cane. He made his way out of the room and up to the Great Hall for breakfast a soft smile on his face at the students in the hallways. Harry and Severus had slept for most of the day before after getting back to the castle and Harry was staved.

He moved into the Great Hall, the children were loud this morning, which didn't help the slight headache he had but warmed his heart. He locked eyes with the Headmaster and nodded his head. The man smiled at him and Harry was sure that he would have already had a report from one of the members of the Order about the attack.

"Mr Sun?"

Harry turned at his name and looked over at Draco and smiled.

"Mr Malfoy," Harry said softly as the boy's eyes flicked to the gash above his right eye. "How can I help you?"

"I was wondering if you could help me with that status charm," Draco said softly. "The one that works with potions?"

"No problems," Harry said with a smile. "When would you like to work on it?"

"Tonight or tomorrow night?" Draco asked.

Harry pulled out a notebook from his pocket and flicked it open. "How about five thirty tomorrow night?"

"Thanks, Mr Sun." Draco grinned and moved off.

Harry looked after the boy with a soft smile.

"Ah, Blake. How are you?" Charmling asked beside him.

Harry turned to the man and his blue eyes widened when he spied the gash.

"I'm well, Charmling." Harry said, moving towards the Head Table. "Just after some coffee and food before working on a project."

"What are you working on?" Charmling asked as he walked with Harry.

Harry didn't answer the question and when he reached Ry he bent close to the boy.

"Meet me in my rooms after dinner," Harry whispered in the boy's ear and nodded at his friends, still ignoring Charmling.

"So ah," The man said looking put out. "About that lunch?"

"What lunch?" Harry asked as he sat in Severus's seat at the Head Table.

"The one in Hogsmead?" Charmling said with a smile. "Isn't that Snape's seat?"

"It is," Harry replied, grabbing a coffee and filling his plate.

"Um," Charmling looked around for help but the other teachers just hid their smiles. "Won't he want to sit there?"

"Nope," Harry replied as he started on his breakfast.

"Um why?" Charmling asked.

Harry slowly chewed on the bacon in his mouth as he looked up at the other man. Harry swallowed the bacon then opened his mouth but Albus got there first.

"Severus won't be joining us for breakfast," Albus said softly beside Harry. "Blake is welcome to his seat since he normally sits with the students."

Charmling looked put out and his eyes flicked from Harry sipping on his coffee and Albus's twinkling eyes before moving down the table to his own seat.

"He doesn't get a clue that bloke," Harry muttered.

Albus chuckled and rested a hand on Harry's shoulder before moving back to his own seat.

"Is Severus sick?" Professor McGonagall asked from a couple of seats down.

"Nope," Harry replied and winked at the woman. "He's sleeping."

"He missed his classes yesterday," McGonagall said looking at Harry in concern. "And that's a nice gash you have there, Mr Sun."

Harry grinned at the woman and tilted his cup in her direction.

"Does it make me look even more rugged good looking?" Harry asked with a smirk.

Professor Sprout giggled from next to McGonagall.

"More like a up to no good skin head," Minerva answered with a smirk of her own.

Harry snorted into his coffee and coughed.

"Ha!" Harry barked when he could. "Minerva!"

The woman sat back like a cat that got the cream.

xXx

Harry moved his bag further up his shoulder as he watched the students moving around on the front lawn of the school while he waited for Severus. Harry leaned back against the wall of the school and idly picked up the magic of the castle wards and looked through them while he waited. The school woke up and took notice but he made sure that the Headmaster wouldn't notice as he looked through them. Nothing caught his attention so he let them go again.

Not that he would be able to do too much after using a lot of his magic on the battle two days ago but he just couldn't leave wards alone. Severus stormed out of the castle and Harry looked at the man in amusement as the man looked around.

"Problem?" Harry asked lightly and the man turned on him.

"My classroom," Severus snapped and Harry raised an eyebrow in question.

"Is a few doors down from my classroom," Harry replied mildly. "Has rows of desks and chairs in it with cauldrons."

Severus grabbed his shoulder and pushed Harry towards the main doors.

"You," Severus snapped as Harry stumbled. "Fix your son's mistake."

"Again?" Harry threw over his shoulder as a few students giggles at their antics.

Severus just growled in answer.

"He can't fix it?" Harry asked as he limped down the hallway. "You know I have work to do."

"Playing with the vampire doesn't count as work!" Severus growled and Harry snorted.

Suddenly Ry and his friends appeared and the boy paled when he saw them coming towards him and he looked around for an exit.

"Oi!" Harry shouted and a few students paused and looked over at him. "What did you do this time?"

Ry looked ready to bolt as Ron's eyes widened as Hermione just looked fed up with the two of them as students scattered out of his way.

"It wasn't me!" Ry yelped, as he looked around for help.

"Don't even think about it, Harry." Harry snapped at his son. "Move."

Ron patted Ry's shoulder as he took Hermione's hand and they turned towards the Great Hall, leaving Ry standing there hissing after then. Ron waved his hand over his shoulder as they walked into the hall.

"Snape already gave me detentions for the week," Ry whined and glared at Severus.

"You want to make it two weeks, Potter." Severus snapped.

Ry opened his mouth but Harry grabbed his shoulder and pushed him towards the potion's classroom.

"It was Nott!" Ry defended. "He threw something into the cauldron. Hermione tried to fix it!"

"Then why didn't you just vanish it?" Harry asked mildly.

Ry stood and stared at his father in shock and Harry turned to look at him while Severus glared at the two of them.

"I could have done that?" Ry asked.

"And failed the lesson," Severus said smugly.

"And saved me having to clean up the mess," Harry counted.

Ry blushed.

"But…" Ry stuttered.

Harry smirked and opened the classroom door and looked in and just stared. He closed the door and looked over at Severus. The man smirked at him.

"So, yeah." Harry said. "I'll see you on Monday."

Harry managed two stepped before Severus grabbed his arm and Harry quickly broke his grip and stepped to the side. Ry snorted as Severus glared at him.

"Sunday night then?" Harry said with a grin.

"No," Severus replied as he drew himself up and crossed his arms.

Harry turned to Ry and the boy paled.

"I heard Severus say two weeks of detentions," Harry said softly. "One week with me."

Severus snorted and Harry looked over at the other man. Severus just leaned back against the wall behind him and looked down his nose at Harry and Ry. Harry held his bag out to Ry as he pulled his dark wand with a sigh and moved towards the door.

"You know Severus," Harry said with a wink. "It's not fair to bully a cripple."

Severus's lips twitched up in a smirk while Ry snorted. Harry glared a the both of them before slipping into Severus's classroom and quickly cast a spell to clear the air as he looked at the grass growing across the floor and the tree where one of the tables should have been with flowers scattered around the base of it.

He looked back out the door at the two outside the classroom.

"What potion were you making?" Harry asked.

"Watch out for the rabbits," Severus remarked with a smirk.

"The rabbits?" Harry asked puzzled.

"Don't worry Dad," Ry said as he moved closer to Severus. "They will find you."

Harry looked back into the room and his eyes widened.

"Really?" Harry asked the other two.

He slammed the door closed as he cast a barrier charm in front of him as the first of the rabbits lunged at him. Wondering how a potion could do this as he eyed off the mess. He pulled his phone out of his pocket and called Dracka as the next rabbit hit his barrier charm.

"I might be a little while," Harry said into the phone as the rabbits started to pile up against the barrier.

"Why?" Dracka questioned.

"I have a rabbit problem," Harry said calmly.

"A rabbit problem?" Dracka said slowly.

"I think they might have a taste for blood," Harry said mildly. "Would you like some vampire rabbits?"

Dracka hung up at him and Harry grinned.

"Dracka doesn't want vampire rabbits," Harry shouted at the two wizards outside the door.

"Just fix the bloody classroom, Sun!"

Harry laughed as he eyed off the rabbits.

"Well, little fluff balls." Harry said with a smirk. "I'm sure I can find you a home."

The rabbits just snarled at him and Harry grinned before he chuckled.

"Can't say I've seen vampire rabbits before."

xXx

Dracka moved towards the front gates of his mansion as one of his hellhounds reported that Blake had arrived at the edge of the wards. He got up from his seat and moved to the front doors and out onto the patio as he looked out at the front gates while his hellhounds milled around waiting.

Dracka frowned when he saw Blake with a silver cage in one hand as he moved with his cane in the other and his phone call with the man came back to him. The hellhounds looked over at the man and the closest one to him growled. He wasn't sure what the beasts had against Blake, he had never done anything to them, they just didn't like him.

He beasts ran towards the front gate barking and snarling and Dracka frowned when the man placed the cage on the ground and the hellhounds settled down and were looking at something. Dracka moved to the edge of the shadow his mansion cast as Blake opened the cage and something went sprinting out.

Blake pushed the front gate open and the hellhounds bolted passed the man and into the village. Dracka groaned and he was sure they wouldn't be back for a while as Blake left the cage there and limped towards him. Dracka could see the smirk on the other man's face as he came towards him.

"A present," Blake said with a grin. "Vampire rabbits."

Dracka paled as he looked after were his hellhounds had gone.

"Ry had a bit of a potion accident," Blake said as he moved closer, but stopped in the sun. "Thought your hellhounds might need the exercise."

"What about the ones that they don't catch?" Dracka drawled.

"Rabbit soup?" Blake suggested with a wink. "Since you didn't answer my question, I took that as consent."

Dracka growled as he glared at the man.

"Just remember, Dracka." Blake said as he moved closer. "I have safe passage."

"Fantastic," Dracka growled. "I have until Monday to make my displeasure known."

"Gee," Blake said with a grin as he moved closer. "Only took Severus fifteen minutes."

Dracka barked a laugh as the man came to stand next to him.

"Come on," Dracka said with a flash of his fangs. "We have reports to look through from the battle."

Blake groaned.

"Your displeasure is noted," Blake said in amusement. "Is there coffee at least?"

Suddenly one of Dracka's hellhounds bounded towards them with something in its mouth and Blake and Dracka looked over at it as it dashed passed the two and into the house.

"No," Dracka said with a glare.

Blake just barked a laugh and clapped a hand on the man's shoulder before moving into the house after the hellhound. Dracka just looked after him then grinned. Blake was just what they needed after the losses they had suffered after Simpson's attack.

xXx

Harry dropped the pile of files on his table back at the school before heading straight for the shower. It had taken a while to go through all the reports and Harry and Dracka were no closer to any answers. If anything they had more questions than they did before the battle and he was sure a trip to the French and German Ministries would be in his future.

He let the water pour over his head as he ran the files through his head as he tried to make sense of the man's move but he just didn't have enough information.

"You're back early," Severus called out. "I wasn't expecting you back until tomorrow morning."

"Dracka told me to leave," Harry called back as he rubbed shampoo into his hair. "One of his hellhounds used his two hundred year old rug as a dinner plate. For some reason I got the blame."

Severus snorted and Harry looked over as the shower stall opened and Severus stood there with a grin on his face and nothing else. Harry grinned as he took in the sight as Severus smirked at him.

"The vampire didn't like your gift of his kin in rabbit form?" Severus asked as he stepped into the shower and Harry washed the shampoo out of his hair.

Harry squeaked as the man grabbed him around by the hips and pulled him forward as his hands slipped around his ass as he captured his lips in a kiss.

"I know," Harry said once he could. "I think he would-oh god."

xXx

Cut scene.

xXx

Harry limped into his classroom ten minutes late for his lesson a few weeks later.

"Sorry everyone," Harry said coming into the classroom. "I was held up with a phone call."

Harry looked up and stilled when he noticed Charmling in the classroom as well as the other fifteen students between third and sixth years.

"Mr Charmling, how can I help you?" Harry asked, planting his cane on the ground firmly in two hands.

"Ms Granger mentioned you were working on protection circles today and I was curious," The man said with a smile at Hermione, making the girl blush and duck her head.

"So you decided to invite yourself to my class?" Harry drawled and a couple of his students moved out of Harry's line of sight with the other man.

"If you don't mind?" Charmling asked with a disarming smile.

Harry eyed him off for a couple of uncomfortable seconds before nodding.

"Very well," Harry agreed. "Ms Granger?"

Hermione started. "Yes, sir."

"Please step into the bronze circle and bring up a protection circle," Harry ordered as he closed the door behind him and moved closer keeping Charmling within his sight.

The brown-haired girl stepped into the circle and touched her wand to the floor as she cast the spell.

"Very good," Harry said and pulled his cherry wand. " _Stupefy_."

The spell smashed into the wall and Granger yelped but the charm held. Harry smirked at the girl and tried again. This time the charm shattered under Harry's spell.

"We are going to be working on increasing the magic in this spell," Harry said nodding at Hermione. "Thank you Ms Granger. Mr Potter step up please and cast the protection spell."

For the next two hours Harry had fun smashing through protection circles to the dismay of the students gathered. There were just not putting enough magic into the spell.

"Okay, Mr Charmling." Harry called to the man. "Your turn."

The man started and looked around at the students.

"Um," The man said put out. "Okay."

Charmling pushed his brown hair to the side and gave a smile to the room as he moved forward into the bronze circle and touched his wand to the floor.

" _Praesidio_ ," The man whispered and the charm flared to life.

Harry looked into the magic seeing that man had put a fair amount of magic into the charm.

"Well done, Mr Charmling." Harry said as a couple of students sniggered.

Harry put his cherry wand away and pulled out his dark wand. The students always got uneasy when Harry pulled the dark wand and he had yet to work out why. Charmling's grin faded at the sight of the new wand.

"As you grow older," Harry said twirling his wand around his fingers. "You become more aware of your magic and you are able to increase and decrease the amount of magic in a spell more easily. That's why when you try a spell that you learnt when you are younger its easier when you are older."

Harry flicked his wand and sent a wordless stunner at the barrier, the red light smashing against the shield. Charmling started grinning feeling surer of himself as he glanced around at the students.

"It also becomes easier to see how much magic someone has put into their spell." Harry explained and sent another stunner at the barrier. "In time you won't have to keep throwing spell after spell at a charm to break it."

Another flick and another red spell hit the barrier.

"All you will have to do is 'look' into the spell." Harry smirked at Charmling and he felt the man pour more magic into the barrier. "And put just the right amount of magic into the spell to break the charm."

" _Frangere_ ," Harry whispered calmly.

The blue spell smashed into the man's barrier shattering it, leaving Charmling standing there with his mouth gapping as he held his wand.

"That way," Harry said with a smile, putting his wand away. "You do not waste time and power. Okay that's it for tonight everyone. Please work on your protection circles. I want you to be able to cast it without touching the chalk line. Thank you."

"Good night, sir"

Harry smiled and watched the students file out as he leaned back against the bench as Charmling collected himself.

"That was impressive," Cameron said as the last student left, leaving the door open. "Why did you not apply for the Defence position?"

"Because I want to work at this school longer than one year," Harry said calmly.

Charmling laughed. "You mean the curse?"

Harry raised an eyebrow in answer.

"What was that last spell?" Cameron asked stepping closer. "I haven't heard it before?"

" _Frangere_?" Harry asked. "It's a common ward breaking charm. Now Severus should be here soon…"

Harry watched in interest as the man's face twisted slightly at the other man's name.

"If you are done, Blake?" Severus purred from the doorway his dark eyes resting on the two men.

Cameron's eyes flicked between the two men.

"Ah," Charmling said with a grin. "I'll just be going then. Thank you for the lesson Blake."

Harry nodded and the man moved towards Severus, who didn't move out of his way. Charmling glared at the man as Severus smirked at him before stepping to the side. Harry looked at his lover in amusement as Charmling stormed from the room.

"Are you teaching teachers now?" Severus asked as he kicked the door closed behind him and stalked closer.

"Apparently," Harry said softly, his eyes darkening as the other man moved closer.

Severus moved until he stood over Harry with his thighs on either side of one of Harry's legs as he looked down at him. Harry looked up in amusement.

"Do you need lessons as well Mr Snape?" Harry purred as he rested his hands on the taller man's hips.

Severus smirked and caught the man's lips in a hard kiss, one hand resting on the bench as the other pulled him closer. Harry smirked when he pulled back and sent a small amount of magic towards the other man. Severus shivered as the magic brushed against him.

"Stop that," Severus snapped with a grin.

Harry smirked and brushed the magic down the man's back again making Severus's eyes darken.

"How do you even do that?" Severus gasped.

Harry laughed and pulled the magic back as he pushed Severus back far enough so he could stand.

"Many years of working with wards," Harry smirked with a wink. "Come on, we'll be late for dinner and last time that happened they gave our table away."

Severus smiled down at the shorter man with soft eyes and gently kissed him one more time before giving his ass a hard smack.

"Oi!" Harry yelped. "What was that for?"

"For being a tease," Severus laughed with a smirk.

Harry grinned back as they made their way out of the classroom.

xXx

Harry stood on the front lawn of Hogwarts in loose pants, a dragon hide vest and leaning on his silver sword instead of his cane as he waited for his class to gather. A few other students floated over towards him as well, since Harry had put a flyer up about anyone interested in becoming an Auror was welcome to watch.

Severus was watching from the sidelines as well, mainly for medical support he had muttered as they had walked out. Charmling had also taken a seat on the top of the stairs leading down to where Harry stood and had quite a few students sitting around him as others moved out of the castle.

It was a clear Sunday afternoon and Harry was enjoying the sun on his back as he waited.

"Blake!"

Harry turned and took Sergeant Bob Miller in a handshake and the man pulled him in for a hug before releasing him.

"Thank you for coming," Harry said with a grin.

"No problems," Miller said with a bark of laughter. "Any time you want to spar I'm here."

Harry grinned barring his teeth as Severus walked forward.

"You don't mind sticking around to answer any questions the students might have about being an Auror?" Harry asked as Severus came up beside him and shook hands with Miller.

"Severus great to see you again," The man said with a smile. "Yes, that's fine Blake."

The man grinned wolfishly at Harry.

"As long as you make it worth it," Miller laughed.

"Ha," Harry grinned while Severus paled.

"What is it you have in mind, Blake?" Severus asked softly.

Two sets of eyes looked at him innocently and he groaned.

"Ah, right." Severus muttered. "I'll have the first aid kit ready."

Miller barked a laugh and looked over the crowd of children before stepping back and placing his bag on the ground and slipping out of his robes and shirt to reveal a dragon hide vest underneath. Harry turned to Severus as Miller got ready and raised an eyebrow. Severus smirked and slapped him on the back before moving back to his place on the sidelines.

Harry stepped up to the students and looked the crowd over. He picked out his son in the first row with Hermione and Ron on either side of him and a lot of students from his club as they whispered between each other. Draco was near the back with a few of his Slytherin friends and between the two boys were many students from different years and houses, most of which had never had a class with Harry before, which kind of surprised him. Even the Headmaster stood at the back of the class with Minerva next to him and Harry gave them a grin.

"Welcome everyone," Harry called out, as he leaned on his sword. "The man behind me is Sergeant Bob Miller of the Department of Mysteries and he is here to help me with a demonstration today."

Harry stepped back from the students to give himself a gap between them and to keep one eye on Miller. He held the sword in front of him as he balanced on both of his feet, more to his left but still balanced due to years of training.

"If you decide to join the Department or the Aurors they will give you a steel sword on entry," Harry called out.

Miller had placed his bag to the side and was standing with his own sword out.

"This is a tradition going back hundreds of years," Harry said to the students as Miller took a step forward. "Most people new to the Department or the Auror program will scoff at the swords and they will end up in cupboards…don't be as stupid as them."

Miller swung his sword at Harry's head. Students gasped as Harry ducked and wacked his sword against the man's throwing him off balance as Harry turned and planted both his feet, his right leg stiff but Harry had had many years to work with his disability as he fell back into stance. Miller grinned and brought his sword up in a two-hand stance as Harry stood calmly with his sword in one hand.

"Now," Harry called out. "Most of you are probably wondering what a sword can do against magic?"

"I think they are wondering more about how you moved out of the way so quickly, Blake." Miller said with a grin as a couple of students giggled.

Harry grinned and flicked his sword towards the man, steel rang out on silver as the two blades met and Harry was dancing to the side before bringing the sword up to block Miller over head chop. Miller pushed down on the smaller man and Harry gritted his teeth both hands on his sword hilt as his right knee touched the ground. Then he was rolling to the left as he pushed the man's sword to the right. Miller stumbled forward as Harry came to his feet. Miller grinned as he stepped back.

"Looks can be deceiving," Harry called out as he got to his feet. "Swords and knifes can be just as useful as wands."

Harry held his silver sword out towards Miller hilt first. The man took it in his right hand with a grin as he took a stance with both swords aimed at Harry. Whispers started up around the students.

"What is the difference between my sword and Millers?" Harry asked the students, keeping Miller in his sights. "Mr Potter."

"Yours is made from silver," Ry said, his eyes wide.

"Correct," Harry called. "Why is that important? Ms Granger?"

"Pure silver can cut through spell work," The girl said proudly.

"Correct."

Miller suddenly brought Harry's sword up and swung it towards him, Harry didn't move. Students gasped as it came towards him and Harry calmly flicked his wrist and suddenly he was holding the sword instead of Miller and the other man stumbled forward and quickly brought his sword up as Harry twisted around bringing his sword to bear. Steel ringing out on silver. Miller quickly moved his sword back to his right hand and pulled his wand in his left stepping back.

Harry grinned and darted in, flicking his sword towards the man's left side, he blocked and Harry twisted away.

" _Stufrey_."

Harry grinned as he fought; keeping his right side protected as he flicked his sword around and sliced straight into the man's spell, breaking it. He brought his sword around aiming for Miller's right side, the man blocked and Harry stepped back before darting in again, Miller brought up a shield and Harry kept going. His sword slicing through the spell, Miller stumbled and Harry scored a hit on his left side. The man grunted and stepped back.

"Oops," Harry muttered. "Sorry Bob."

Miller just grinned at him.

"The problem," Harry called out. "When using a sword to break through spells like shields, is that you can't see what's on the other side until you are through it. They may be setting you up! They could have a knife or a spell waiting for you and not all spells can be broken with silver! Always know your limitations."

Miller swung his sword and Harry brought up a shield and the sword skittered over the dome with a squeal, making a couple of students cringe.

"Why did that not work?" Harry called, panting slightly. "Mr Potter?"

"His sword isn't silver," Ry replied proudly.

"Correct," Harry called.

Suddenly Miller lunged forward and Harry yelped as a silver knife came towards him and he dropped his sword. He grabbed the man's wrist in two hands and pulled it to the side allowing himself to over balance and they were tumbling to the ground with the knife between them as Harry gained the upper hand. That was before Miller got him in the right side with his knee. Harry tumbled to the left as Miller grinned, knife against Harry's throat.

"Yield," Harry said quickly.

Miller grinned as he got to his feet and the silver knife disappeared as he held a hand out to Harry.

"Hey!" Ry yelled. "That was cheating!"

A few students laughed. Harry took Miller's hand and pulled himself up, stumbling slightly before turning to the class, rubbing a hand over his head.

"Real life," Harry said to the class as he summoned his sword to lean on it. "Is not like duelling classes. There are no rules."

Everyone went silent.

"Someone will not wait until you pick yourself up before running you through," Harry said softly. "They will not say; 'Oh well, you are having a bad day. I'll come back another time.' They will just kill you and use anything they have to do so. Okay, anyone want to take on Miller?"

Harry grinned as the students paled and clapped a hand on Miller's shoulder.

"You're out of luck, mate." Harry said with a laugh before turning back to the students. "Any questions? Mr Malfoy?"

"Why do they give you a steel sword instead of a silver one then?" The blonde asked.

"Because the Ministry is cheap," Harry replied and Miller snorted. "If you are planning on becoming a Auror, invest in at least a pure silver knife, goblin made is the best with a spell to harden the silver. Anyone else? Charmling?"

"How did you make the sword appear in your hand?" The man asked with a small grin, his blue eyes intense.

"Good question," Harry replied. "There are ways to link a weapon to yourself. It has to be pure silver to do so however. Piece of advice; never trust another person's weapon, whether it's a wand, a blade or something else. It could turn on you. Okay, Sergeant Miller is going to stick around for a little while and answer any questions he can about the Department of Mysteries and the Auror program since he was a Auror for twenty years before being demoted to the Department."

Miller bared his teeth at Harry in a grin. Harry just pushed him towards the students as they broke up and Harry limped back towards Severus who held out his cane. Harry dismissed his sword and took the cane in his hand.

"Well done," Severus muttered. "Not sure they will see you as a harmless cripple anymore."

Harry barked a laugh. "You mean they thought that to begin with?"

Severus smirked.

"Nice show, Mr Sun."

Harry turned to Albus and he leaned back on his cane, taking some of his weight off his right leg.

"Checking up on me Headmaster?" Harry asked with a wink.

"Always with you, Blake." Albus replied, blue eyes twinkling. "Saves me getting a headache from your use of dark magic if I know you are up to something."

"Ha," Harry laughed. "I'm not that bad!"

"Yes, yes you are." Severus muttered.

Harry gave his shoulder a whack.

"That's nothing compared to him on the battlefield," Miller muttered rubbing his side.

"I feel like I'm being ganged up on here," Harry said with a grin. "I can still summon my sword back."

"I'll help you Dad," Ry said as he stepped up beside his father.

Harry huffed a laugh and ruffled the boy's hair.

"You didn't get any questions?" Harry asked Miller instead.

"Told them I would come back next weekend," Miller said. "And answer any questions they might have."

"And no doubt have some forms for the seventh year students," Harry muttered.

Miller clapped a hand on Harry's shoulder before turning away while still rubbing his side and Harry smirked. He wouldn't be the only one hurting tomorrow morning.

"That was great Dad," Ry said with a grin, as the Headmaster left them with a nod.

"Should have seen me when I was younger," Harry said with a grin.

"I would have liked to have seen that." Charmling said coming up to them.

Harry turned to Charmling, leaving his hand on his son's shoulder.

"How long have you worked with the Department of Mysteries?" The man asked, ignoring Severus and Ry.

"Um," Harry replied, put out. "On and off since Ry was a baby and I came to England."

"You haven't been in England for long?" Charmling asked in surprise.

"Ah, no." Harry said, unsure where the man was going with this. "Was in Germany and France mostly before that. Only came here when Ry's parents were killed. But you would know this since you could have looked that up in my file in the Auror Department."

Severus tensed next to him as Ry stepped closer to his side. Charmling just laughed it off.

"Not everything is in your file," The man said with a smile. "Thanks for the show, Blake."

The man nodded at each of them before walking away.

"He's an odd one," Ry muttered.

"That he is," Harry agreed.

"You two are just paranoid," Severus said blandly.

"I'm a Potter," Harry and Ry said together making Severus groan.

"Oh, god."

xXx

Severus made his way back to the dungeons after dinner that night, Blake hadn't made an appearance and he was a little concerned, the man had seemed okay after his lesson earlier in the day, but Miller had gotten him a good one in the side.

He wouldn't admit it to the man but he loved seeing him fight, he had skills and a talent that you wouldn't expect from a man that needed a cane in his day to day life and sometimes Severus entertained the thought that Blake just played the injury up so that people would look down at him but Severus had seen the injury and knew it must pain the man on a daily basis. The fact he could push through that and flow so naturally with the sword in his hand amazed him.

He peeked into Blake's rooms but the man wasn't there so he moved on to his classroom next and knocked softly.

"Come in," Blake called from the other side.

Severus opened the door to find Blake sitting on the floor in the middle of the bronze circle with a silver knife to the side and the gold glass griffin in front of him. Severus silently made his way into the room, closing the door behind him and leaned against the bench at the back of the room so he could see Blake's face.

He man had his eyes closed as the Griffin moved around him bumping his knee with its head every now and again as he did something Severus couldn't see. Blake held out a hand and the Griffin jumped onto it and stretched its back. The thing was quite cute if you didn't get your fingers too close to its mouth.

Severus still wasn't sure what the thing was about but he let Blake have his projects as long at the thing didn't decide to bite him in the middle of the night he was happy. Blake froze the Griffin and placed it back on the floor before picking up the knife and ran the blade across his palm before letting a couple of drops of blood fall on the glass. It flared up gold as the blood touched it and was absorbed into the creature.

Severus winced thinking of the headache the Headmaster would get from the use of dark magic as Blake worked. The other man placed the silver knife to the side and opened his hand, the cut having healed, as the griffin stared up at him. Blake opened his pale green eyes and looked down at it for a minute before looking up at Severus.

"Yes?" The man drawled as he placed the knife and griffin away in his pocket.

"Giving the Headmaster a headache again?" Severus asked pleasantly.

Blake frowned then grinned.

"That wasn't dark magic," Blake said softly. "That was light magic."

Severus stepped forward in surprise. "I thought…"

"That all dark magic involves blood?" Blake finished for him. "Don't worry most wizards believe that as well."

"What is that griffin?" Severus asked.

"An insurance plan," Blake said with a grin and got to his feet. "Did I miss dinner?"

Severus smirked and moved closer to the man. Blake held his ground as Severus stepped over the bronze circle. Blake grinned and the bronze circle flared to life behind him, Severus could feel the magic on his back as he moved closer to him.

"Trying to trap me, Mr Sun." Severus purred and was happy to see the shiver run down the other man's back.

"Now why would I need to do that, Mr Snape?" Blake questioned.

Severus let his hands rest on the man's hips as Blake looked up at him with wide green eyes and that easy grin of him. He could feel the man's magic swirling around him and brushing against his back.

He took the man in a hard kiss pulling him closer as the man ran his hands under his shirt. He gasped as his magic ran down his spine.

"Stop that," Severus snapped.

Blake chuckled softly his eyes almost black they were dilated that much as they looked up at him.

"You like it," The man purred.

Severus pulled him closer as Blake wrapped his arms around his neck as they kissed the magic running up and down his back making him pant.

"I must admit." Blake said when he pulled back. "I do have to pour it on a bit thick for you to feel it."

"Are you saying I'm thick Mr Sun?" Severus drawled, looking down at him.

Blake grinned up at him.

"You are just young, Severus." Blake purred, making him twitch. "Should we move this to the bedroom or are you happy here?"

xXx

Cut scene.

xXx

Blake panted in his ear as he leaned most of his weight onto Severus as the other man held him close. Severus ran his hand up the man's sides and Blake hissed. Severus lifted the man's shirt to see the bruising on his right side.

"He got you a good one," Severus muttered.

Blake huffed a laugh.

"Was pay back," Blake said pulling back from Severus.

The other man kept his legs locked around the shorter man so he couldn't move away as he cast a cleaning charm over them. He looked down into the man's green eyes. So much like Lily Potters.

"I always thought Potter got his eyes from Lily," Severus muttered carefully.

"He did," Blake said softly, leaning into Severus and the table.

"You have the same coloured eyes," Severus said softly. "You don't have the Potter name and yet still related to James Potter?"

"That's right," Blake replied, looking away.

"Blake Sun," Severus purred.

Blake looked back at him.

"That's me," Blake said softly.

"But it hasn't always been?" Severus pushed.

"Correct," Blake replied, as Severus planted his feet on the ground.

Blake didn't move away from him as he stood between his legs, his eyes locked on his.

"How many names have you had?" Severus asked softly, resting a hand on the man's cheek.

"Ah, a few." Blake said and tried to turn away but Severus's hand stopped him. "I like Blake Sun, it means a lot to me."

"Will you tell me who you are?" Severus asked softly, a part of his mind already knowing but still needing the man to confirm it.

"Um," Blake stood rooted to the spot, his green eyes wide as they looked at Severus. "I will if you want me to, but the time isn't right yet, Severus. It will put both of us in danger and anyone else that knows."

Severus looked down at him intensely, his black eyes boring into Blake's. The man just stared back and gave him a soft smile.

"I have a feeling," Blake said slowly. "You already know who I am."

Severus flinched back.

"I am Blake Sun before any other name I may have held, Severus." Blake said softly, and placed his hands on the other man's thighs. "Regardless of the name I go by now, I am still the same man."

Severus nodded as he covered Blake's hands with his own and let the conversation drop, he was a patient man and he trusted Blake with more than just his life as he looked into the man's pale green eyes.


	16. Chapter 16

Warning: violence.

Harry limped slowly down the hallway of Hogwarts just enjoying the night, as he made his way back to his rooms after picking up some books from the library. He heard a slight scuff on the stones and before he could turn an arm wrapped around his chest and pulled him tight against a taller body.

"Jesus Severus," Harry cursed.

"I'm not your lover," A familiar male voice hissed in his ear and before Harry could move a silver knife was held to his throat.

Harry froze as the knife nicked his throat drawing blood.

"Mr Charmling," Harry said calmly. "I knew there was something not right with you."

The man chuckled behind him as he held the knife close.

"Do you know how sick it made me to see you falling all over that traitor!" Charmling hissed in his ear, his arm tight around him. "What a waste of talent and power."

"Ah," Harry said softly. "So, you are working for the Dark Lord then?"

Charmling chuckled darkly. "He has promised me so much!"

"But what has he delivered?" Harry asked.

"You!" Charmling hissed and stabbed him deeply in the side between his ribs.

Harry hissed hunching over as the man stabbed into his stomach repetitively, grinning madly. Harry crumpled to the ground as the man released him and started kicking him as his blood splashed across the floor. Harry curled up as much as he could, trying to gather his magic around him as pain racked his body but the magic kept slipping away from him. That first stab wound had hit deep.

"The Dark Lord will get what he wants!" Charmling was hissing as he landed kick after kick. "He will give me what I want!"

Just as Harry gathered up his magic, Charmling smashed his boot into his head and he saw stars. He went limp on the ground, already feeling his life leaving him. He didn't have much time as dark mists started to take over his eyesight.

"Your lover is next," Charmling hissed into his ear as he knelt next to Harry. "Then your son and the Headmaster. We will take this school!"

Harry laughed and spat blood to the side as it started to fill his lungs.

"You think you can take this school?" Harry gasped, pain racking his body.

"Yes!" Charmling hissed. "I've already let the Death Eaters in! It's just a matter of time now!"

"You're an idiot!" Harry coughed.

Charmling growled and stood suddenly staring down at Harry's crumpled form with cold eyes. The last thing Harry saw was the man's boot coming at his head.

xXx

Harry came to with a jolt feeling cold and yet hot as fire burned up his spine. The pain leaking into his body making him gasp as he struggled with every breath. He was still lying where he had fallen and was sure that only a few minutes had passed. He tried to move but the broken ribs in his chest made his head spin and almost black out. He had to warn Severus.

He focused on the ring on his finger and picked up the broken link with the man as he cast his mind out from his body following the spell back to Severus. Following the link, he found the man whom was supervising a detention with Ry and Harry sighed in relief.

' _Severus,'_ Harry whispered.

The man's head came up and he looked around the room.

"Did you want something, Potter?" Severus asked Ry.

Ry looked up from cleaning a cauldron in confusion.

"I didn't say anything," The boy replied.

' _Severus,'_ Harry tried again. ' _It's Blake.'_

Harry's link slipped as pain coursed through his body as the dark magic of the Deathly Hollows ate away at him. It flowed in his veins like fire and his vision blacked out briefly. When he was able to pick up the link again he got a glimpse of Severus and Ry walking through the hallways.

' _Severus_ ,' Harry tried again.

Severus stopped, grabbing Ry's shoulder.

"Where are you, Blake?" Severus said aloud. "The tracking spell isn't working."

' _Death Eaters have gotten into the school,'_ Harry thought quickly, unsure how long his connection would last.

"Where are you!?" Severus hissed.

' _Library_!' Harry hissed and the link slipped again.

He lay panting on the floor. He didn't have enough strength to try the connection again. The dark magic of the Hollows felt like fire in his veins as it burned up his spine. His ribs screamed and his head pounded. Harry jolted awake without realising he had slipped into the darkness to hear running footsteps.

"Blake!"

"Dad!"

Hands were on his shoulder and pushing, ripping a groan from his throat as he rolled limply onto his back and felt a breeze as his shirt was lifted. He could hear voices above him sounding panicked and wondered if it was about him as his head swum and the ground moved under him. All he could see was dark mists and the gathering darkness around him.

"Blake!"

"…Death eaters have…"

"…Headmaster…"

"…Potter…"

"…But dad."

"Room and stay…"

Harry groaned turning his head away from the noise, the dark magic eating at him setting his skin on fire.

"Go Potter!"

"Ry," Harry whispered.

"Blake, just hold on!"

Harry wanted to tell Severus that he couldn't die and that he needed to keep Ry safe and keep the Headmaster away from the tower but all he could see was the dark mists of the Hollows. He had been here before and every time it scared the shit out of him.

Then suddenly there was a hand wrapped around his and another mind brushing against him.

' _Blake_?' Severus voice echoed strangely.

' _Severus_ ,' Harry gasped and strengthened the link with the other man's mind. _'It was Charmling. He's let Death Eaters into the school. They are here to kill you, Ry and the Headmaster!'_

' _Sh, Blake_.' Severus whispered into his mind. ' _Calm down, you are dying_.'

' _No_ ,' Harry hissed. ' _I can't die, Severus! Hollows will keep me alive_! _They will bring me back!'_

Severus pulled back in shock and Harry lost the connection with the man's mind. He reached out blindly but he was slipping into the darkness as fire and ice overcame him taking everything else away.

xXx

Severus looked down at his lover in shock and tried to use Legilimency to get back into the man's mind but he was out, there was nothing to grab on to. The man was covered in blood and it pooled around him from the multiple stab wounds. Severus had tried to stop the bleeding with his robe without much luck. The man was pale and if it weren't for the slight movement of his chest he would have believed he was already dead and the fear spiked through him.

' _I can't die!'_ Blake's whispered thoughts came back to him again.

"God, I hope you're right," Severus whispered to the man on the floor, even if he had seen proof of it with the killing spell. This was something completely different.

The man was a mess he had never seen him so bad, if it was anyone else they would have died well before Severus and Potter had even gotten to him. He laid his hand on Blake's shoulder and shook him but he couldn't get him to react. His head just rolled lifeless which stabbed straight through Severus's heart.

He knew he had to move. He had to keep Potter safe and the school. Just as he was about to stand a small gold glass figurine of the griffin crawled out of Blake's jacket pocket and shook its head. Severus scooped up the figurine and it looked up at him with bright red eyes. Without thinking he placed it into his pocket.

" _Expecto Patronum_ ," Severus intoned and a silver doe appeared in front of him waiting for his command. "Tell Poppy Pomfrey, Blake is in the second-floor corridor and needs medical attention urgently. Be careful there are Death Eaters in the castle."

The doe nodded its head and sprung off down the hallway. Severus looked down at the man on the floor and turned away. His heart breaking as he did, all he wanted to do was collapse to the floor next to his lover but he had to help Potter and the Headmaster.

Suddenly a green light lit up the hallway and he ran to the window and his eyes widened as he saw the Dark Mark lighting up the sky.

"Shit!" Severus cursed and before he could think on it too much more, he ran and prayed that Blake's words were correct.

xXx

Ry crashed into Draco as he came around the corner towards his Father's rooms and the boys went sprawling across the hallway in a tangle of limbs.

"Watch it Potter!"

Draco pulled himself to his feet but Ry wasn't looking at him and the Slytherin turned to see the green glow around the main doors to the school.

"What's that?" Malfoy asked and stepped closer.

"Death Eaters have gotten into the school," Ry hissed. "They got Dad. Snape sent me down here to stay in Dad's rooms."

Draco paled at the words as they looked at each other.

"What's the green glow then?" Draco asked and the two boys crept towards the doors.

"I should go to Dad's rooms," Ry said but he kept moving forward.

They could hear yelling now that they were getting closer and Ry reached out a shaking hand, paling when he noticed his father's blood on his sleeve and hand and he snatched it back.

"Scared Potter?" Draco smirked.

"You wish!" Ry snapped and pushed the door open.

Both boys gasped as they looked out onto the grounds to see the Dark Mark floating in the sky and Draco moved closer to the other boy to the side of the doors. They could see Dumbledore already out there and fighting.

"Why is he alone?" Ry gasped. "Where is everyone else?"

"Your father?" Draco asked softly.

Ry felt a stab of worry for his father. He knew the man couldn't die. He'd seen it before, more than once, but it still scared the shit out of him every time and he was sure it was the same for his father. He had seen the look of fear in his father's eyes when death had tried to claim him before.

Ry shivered and moved closer to the castle railing, slightly slipping on a patch of stone that someone must have charmed. Draco followed close behind like a ghost. They made it to the railing and looked over the front lawns. Dumbledore was fighting against five Death Eaters and they could see more moving towards him from the direction of the Whomping Willow.

"They must be getting in from the Shrieking shack," Ry whispered as the boys huddled down.

Suddenly Snape came running out and hit the patch of charmed stone and slipped. Ry and Draco grabbed the man before he could go over the railing as he crashed into it. Snape looked at them with shock as a small gold glass figurine jumped from his pocket and up onto the railing.

"What are you two doing here?" Snape snapped when he caught his breath, only dressed in long sleeve shirt and pants. "Potter, why aren't you in your father's rooms?"

"We saw the Dark Mark," Draco replied for them, with large eyes.

The three of them looked back over the railing as the gold griffin jumped up higher to overlook the scene. Ry could see that Snape's eyes were too large as he took it in. His hands were shaking and covered in his father's blood and he was sure the man was in shock.

"Dad?" Ry questioned softly.

Snape turned to him, his eyes unreadable.

"Poppy is seeing to him," Snape whispered. "I have to help the Headmaster. Where is everyone? Potter do you have your phone and Kingsley's number? I should have taken Blake's phone."

Suddenly the little gold griffin made a small noise and the three looked up. It had climbed as high as it could go and was looking towards the Headmaster and the Death Eaters in interest. It opened its wings wide and jumped, pumping its small wings to get air born as it moved towards the fighting.

"It doesn't think it can fight?" Draco said in concern. "They will shatter it!"

Then the gold figurine was changing with a soft golden glow around it as it started to grow. The three of them stared in shock as the gold griffin grew to the size of a real one and with a loud screech that had the panes of glass shaking it was speeding towards the Death Eaters and the Headmaster and all the fighting stopped as everyone stared at it.

"He knew!" Snape snapped. "Damn that man."

"He always knows!" Ry whispered back his own eyes large.

The griffin torn through the Death Eaters, its glass claws ripping into them as spells bounced off its sides as it turned on the Death Eaters. The Headmaster adding his spells to the mix as they pushed the Death Eaters back but more were moving in to take their place.

"Merlin," Draco cursed. "It slept on my bedside table for six months!"

Ry snorted, he knew better than to let one his father's projects sleep near him. His father sometimes forgot the dangers of his work, especially when there were children around.

"You're lucky then," Ry said with a smirk.

"Potter, phone!" Snape snapped.

Ry jolted and quickly dug it out of his pocket and handed it over to Snape and the man flicked through the numbers and sighed when he came to Kingsley's name.

"Kingsley Shacklebolt." The man answered when he called him.

"Shacklebolt," Severus said quickly then gasped as the griffin stood in front of the Headmaster, a sickly green light flaring around him as it blocked the killing curse.

"Who's this?"

"Snape," Severus replied. "We are under attack at the school! Death Eaters."

Silence greeted him.

"Fuck," Kingsley swore and Ry snorted next to him. "We didn't get word!"

"The Headmaster is fighting them," Snape replied quickly. "We need support. No one else is here."

"Blake?"

"He's down," Severus whispered. "He can't help us."

"Oh, god." Kingsley gasped. "I'll get the word out."

Kingsley hung up and Severus just looked at the phone in his hands and the blood. Ry placed his hands over his as he took the phone back.

"Well, well. What do we have here?"

Snape looked up and saw red. Charmling stood before them with his wand out and a smirk on his lips. Severus snarled as he jumped to his feet but Draco and Ry grabbed his shoulders and held him back. The man's eyes flicked to the scene before him and his eyes widened when he saw the griffin and his wand dipped slightly.

That was all Severus needed as he broke the hold with the two boys and lunged towards the man. All sense leaving his head as he saw red. The man casually flicked his wand and Severus skipped to the side, surprising the Auror as he smashed his shoulder into the shorter man knocking him back.

Charmling got his feet under him quickly and pulled a silver knife, the same knife he had used on Blake and grinned. Severus pulled his wand and sent a quick spell at the man but he just laughed as he stepped to the side as Severus circled around.

"Are you going to fall to the same blade as your lover?" Charmling taunted as they circled around each other as Ry and Draco crept further away down the railing. "He should be dead by now."

Severus snarled as he sent another spell at the man but he just stepped to the side and sent one back. Severus skipped to the side but he wasn't fast enough. The cutting charm clipped him in the side as he tried to twist out of the way and he cursed. The other man had eight years of Auror training on him but he didn't care as he glared at the other man.

"Now, now." Charmling called. "I thought a Death Eater like you would have better skills, Snape!"

" _Sectumsempra_!"

Charmling casually brought up a barrier charm before him and Severus's charm was absorbed into the slightly grey barrier.

"Is that the best you have?" Charmling laughed behind the shield.

"Snape!"

Severus's eyes flicked to Ry holding a sword in his hands and the boy threw it to him. Severus caught it and looked at the boy puzzled.

"Cut through the barrier," Ry whispered. "He can't see through it!"

Severus grinned and held the silver sword in his hand. The griffin suddenly screeched loudly and it was all he needed as a distraction. He lunged forward and slashed the sword through the barrier spell and Charmling jumped back in surprise as his barrier fell.

He swung the sword around but he had no idea how to use it as the man jumped back and by the look in Charmling's eyes the other man knew that and he started to laugh. Until a hissing made the two men turn with wide eyes.

The gold griffin stood on the railing beside them, its tail flicking around as it held his wings up high and its head low. Severus felt a bolt of fear run through him as the beast's red eyes flicked between the two men. It looked even bigger close up as its head swung between the two men and it hissed loudly.

"Stop the Death Eaters getting in at the Whomping Willow!" Draco yelled at it and its head flicked towards him.

Draco paled as the beast locked its eyes on him and cocked its head to the side. It screeched again and turned, its tail swinging out and Severus had to drop to the stones as it passed over his head. It took to the air and winged its way towards the tree, following Draco's orders.

Severus scrambled to his feet and lunged at Charmling, bring him down. He smashed his fist into the man's side as he tried to pin him down but the man had better skills than him as he swung a fist into where the cutting curse had hit him earlier and he saw stars as the shorter man took the upper hand.

" _Stupefy_!"

Charmling ducked down as the spell from Ry sailed over his head and Severus got a hand free and punched him in the jaw. The man cursed as he rolled free and quickly got his feet under him.

" _Stupefy_!"

Charmling moved quickly again as he dodged Potter's spell. Severus rolled to his feet as Ry and the Charmling exchanged spells but the boy was out of his depth. They both were as Severus focused back on him, ignoring the pain in his side.

" _Sectumsempra!"_ Severus hissed as the man was distracted and the spell smashed into him.

A large gash opened up down his arm and the man skipped away with wide eyes.

" _Expelliarmus_!" Potter hissed and they had the man moving.

Severus fell into line with Potter, keeping enough distance between them so that Charmling couldn't keep both of them in direct eyesight at the same time. Severus grinned grimly as he paused to scoop up the silver knife the man had dropped.

" _Aveda Kedavra_!"

Severus quickly slipped to the side as the green spell sped passed him. Then he noticed where Charmling was headed and shared a quick look with Potter. The boy knew as well.

" _Expelliarmus_ ," Ry hissed and pushed the man to the side as Severus circled around.

Charmling stepped back as he fired spells back as Severus and Ry worked together forcing the man back since he couldn't apperate. Just when he got in place, Severus lunged forward with the silver knife out and the man yelped stepping back quickly.

He slipped on the charmed stones and went down hard. Severus was on him in a second and smashed his fist into the man's head as hard as he could and the man went limp under him. He cursed at the flare of pain and lifted his fist again but Ry wrapped his hand around his wrist stopping him.

"He's out," Ry said softly.

Severus panted as he looked down at the man as he saddled his waist and nodded at Ry. With his record he couldn't afford to kill the man, especially on school grounds. Ry gave him a thin smile and let his wrist go.

"I think I broke my hand," Severus muttered, as he looked down at it.

Ry snorted and held a hand out to him which Severus took. The boy helped him up as Severus grabbed his side as the pain spiked now that the adrenaline was wearing off.

"Are you okay?" Ry asked softly, as he looked at the blood. "And if you say 'all good' I won't ask again."

Severus snorted as he looked down at the boy, both of them thinking of Blake. They looked out at the grounds to see the Aurors flooding in. The griffin had done its job and the entrance under the Whomping Willow had been destroyed and it was back over next to the Headmaster as the Death Eaters tried to flee.

"Gee," Ry said softly. "That thing made a mess. The Headmaster isn't going to be happy with Dad."

Severus snorted as his thoughts turned to Blake.

"He'll be fine, Snape." Ry said softly and patted his shoulder.

Severus turned to Charmling and cast a spell to tie him up without saying anything. He picked up the silver knife he had dropped, hissing at the pain in his side, and he looked at it for a minute before slipping it away in his pocket. He frowned at the sword on the stones.

"Where did you get that sword?" Snape asked.

"It's Dad's," Ry answered, as he picked it up. "I ran back to his rooms and grabbed it. He has a couple in the cupboard."

"Snape!" Kingsley called, as he got closer.

"We have one up here," Potter called back.

Kingsley moved forward with a couple of other Aurors and gasped.

"Cameron?" Kingsley asked.

"He stabbed Dad," Ry said softly.

"He did what?" One of the other Aurors gasped.

"What is going on Snape?" Kingsley demanded as his eyes caught on his hand and side. "Do you need medical attention?"

"All good," Severus replied and Ry snorted. "Charmling stabbed Blake and left him in the hallway. Poppy is seeing to him."

Kingsley paled.

"Is he…?" Kingsley trailed off.

"He's alive," Ry said softly as he moved closer to Severus. "It was Charmling."

Kingsley's eyes flicked between the two men and Snape could see the indecision in the man's eyes then he focused on Potter and the sword he held in his hand. He nodded sharply.

"I'll take care of this," Kingsley snapped. "I'll need a statement from Blake and the both of you later. Potter get Snape up to the hospital wing before he passes out."

"Yes, sir." Ry replied and turned to Snape. "You heard the man."

Severus sneered down at the boy but he just tilted his head in that stubborn way of his as he stared at him and lifted the sword up slightly.

"I'm the one that's armed," Ry smirked and Kingsley barked a laugh.

"Too much of his father in him," Kingsley said with a smirk.

"Do you even know how to use that?" Severus drawled.

"I'm a Potter," Ry said seriously. "We just wing it and hope for the best."

Severus sneered even more but his eyes gave him away and he turned towards the castle doors. His hand throbbed and his side was blazing in pain. He didn't even say anything when Ry slipped under his arm to help him up to the hospital wing with Draco following behind silently and looking pale.

"Oh, Severus." Poppy cried the minute she saw him, he could see that the woman had been crying since her eyes were red as they looked at him sadly and his stomach dropped. "I've already sent Blake to St Mungo's…I'm sorry Severus but I don't think he is going to make it."

Potter's arm tightened around his shoulders as his face lost all colour and he felt faint at her words.

"It's okay," Ry whispered in his ear. "The Hollows will keep him alive."

Severus looked at the boy with wide eyes and Ry gave him a small smile.

"I'll send you straight to St Mungo's. "Poppy said in a rush. "They can look you over and you can see Blake."

The woman bustled over to the fireplace as she wiped her eyes.

"Severus, Mr Potter."

The two turned at Albus's voice and he looked around at the beds, when he looked back at the other two he looked confused.

"Where's Blake?"

Poppy sobbed and the Headmaster flicked his eyes in her direction.

"What's going on?" Albus demanded.

"Charmling stabbed Blake," Severus said softly, starting to feel light headed.

"I've sent him to St Mungo's." Poppy said softly. "I'm about to send Severus and Potter there now.

Albus paled at the words and he looked back to Severus and Ry.

"Whoa," Albus cried and jumped forward as Severus suddenly went limp.

Ry grunted and braced himself as he took the taller man's weight and Albus quickly got under his other side as Poppy moved forward. Running her wand over him and muttered healing charms under her breath.

"Blood loss," She muttered softly. "They will take care of him once he is at St Mungo's. Come on."

Albus and Ry shared a look over Severus's head in concern as they moved towards the fireplace. It looked like they wouldn't get any answers tonight.

xXx

Harry woke slowly to a massive headache and his ribs on fire as he sucked in a breath. Slowly he opened his eyes and could feel the potions and drugs running through his body making his head swim. He was in a private hospital room and he groaned. He hated hospitals it was all the whiteness. Everything was white from the ceiling, to the walls, to the beds, and the floor.

Harry felt a hand tighten in his and turned his head to look at Severus asleep in the chair next to his bed. He smiled at the man, as he looked him over. He had a scrape across his forehead, a bandage around his right hand and looked really pale but he was alive and Harry felt relief flood through him.

"You're awake, Mr Sun."

Harry rolled his eyes to see Dumbledore standing at the foot of his bed.

"Albus," Harry whispered, his throat feeling raw. "It worked."

"Preventing my death?" Albus asked softly.

"Yes," Harry said barely above a whisper.

"Very nice work, Blake." Albus said resting a hand on Harry's shoulder. "I would have died without your help and the school would have been taken."

Harry smiled up at the man tiredly, at least his plans worked some of the time.

"Ry?" Harry whispered.

"He is safe," Albus said. "I sent him back to school to finish his studies."

"How long?" Harry's voice trailed off.

"A few days," Albus said understanding the question. "The hospital is amazed you survived. I believe that if you were anyone else you wouldn't have."

Albus looked down at him with intense blue eyes and Harry stared back as the drugs ran in his system.

"You know you warned me about going to the tower," Albus said carefully watching him closely for his reactions. "I believe that's where you thought I would die? Since the griffin could fly?"

Harry frowned.

"I warned you about the tower?" Harry whispered.

"When you were poisoned," Albus clarified. "You warned me that I was going to die at the tower. Is that what you meant?"

Harry frowned deeper as he felt even more confused.

"You didn't go to the tower? You were going to die at the tower. I said that?" Harry asked softly and Albus nodded but he could already feel sleep tugging at him. "What happened?"

"I'll explain everything once you are better," Albus said softly. "I have a feeling we have a few things to discuss."

"Interrogation?" Harry muttered as he started to lose the battle with the drugs.

Albus patted his shoulder as he looked down at him softly as Harry's eyes closed once again.

"Sleep, Blake."

xXx

The pain in Harry's body wasn't as overwhelming when he woke the next time, he could still feel the potions and drugs but his head wasn't swimming as much. He was hooked up to an IV line and a heart monitor was beeping softly beside him. Harry moved his head to look at the chair to find Ry curled up with a book in his hands.

"Ry," Harry whispered.

The boy's head snapped up to look at him and the book dropped to the floor. The boy dashed out of the room, confusing Harry until Severus and Ry moved back into the room.

"Blake!"

"Dad!"

"Sh," Harry whispered as his head pounded from the noise.

"Get the Head Mediwizard, Potter." Severus hissed and the boy ran out of the door.

Severus sat in the seat and took Harry's hand in his own.

"How are you feeling?" Severus asked softly.

"Pain," Harry said quietly. "Floaty."

Severus smirked. "Floaty?"

"Yeah," Harry whispered.

"Good afternoon, Mr Sun." A brown haired man with a white coat said with a warm smile. "My name is Head Mediwizard Allan Kaser. How are you feeling?"

"He said pain and floaty," Severus answered for him.

The brown haired man raised an eyebrow and picked up Harry's chart and noted it down.

"Well that will be the painkillers," Kaser said softly. "Do you need more?"

"Yes," Harry whispered tiredly.

"Very well." Kaser said. "I've been in contact with a Doctor Greenburg for your medical history. Interesting read that."

Severus snorted and Harry knew the Mediwizard wasn't the only one that had read his file.

"You are a very lucky man, Mr Sun." Kaser said as he looked down at Harry. "Doctor Greenburg said that you respond better to muggle medicine so we sent out for the supplies which seem to be working perfectly."

"Yes," Harry said softly, his eyes already getting heavy.

"We repaired the damage that the stab wounds inflected and bound your ribs." The Mediwizard explained quickly. "They will give you some trouble for a while as they heal. Your magic has been helping you heal but your reserves are very low now. It's always so tricky working with wounds inflicted with a silver blade."

"K," Harry slurred.

"I'll leave you now and send the Mediwitch in with some more pain killers," The man said before nodding at everyone and left the room.

"What happened?" Harry asked, looking at Severus's bandaged hand.

"Snape punched Charmling," Ry said softly. "Just smashed him one!"

"Thank you Potter," Severus sneered. "Broke my hand on his hard head."

Harry snorted and then hissed in pain.

"Deserved it," Harry gasped.

"Sh, Blake." Severus said resting a hand on his shoulder. "Just rest."

A Mediwitch bustled into the room and quickly added the painkillers to the IV line. Harry felt it take hold immediately and his eyes closed as Ry and Severus talked softly beside him.

xXx

Harry woke with a start when someone grabbed his shoulder and he looked up at Albus.

"Hey," Harry said as he rubbed his face.

He was still at the hospital and it was driving him up the wall. They wouldn't release him and he was feeling frustrated. He hated hospitals as he'd spent way too much time in one over his long life time.

"How are you feeling, Blake?" Albus asked as he took a seat next to him. "Severus not here?"

"He's at home with Ry," Harry said as he sat up in the bed. "Hospital should be releasing me soon. Don't know why they are still keeping me here. Bloody nurses charmed my bed so I can't get out of it."

Albus laughed as he looked at Harry.

"Past your skills as a curse breaker, Mr Sun?" Albus asked in amusement.

Harry gave him a wink

"They layered it on when I broke through it the first time," Harry said in amusement. "I think that I just made it a challenge for them. They did try to not dress me to keep me here, then realised I don't mind walking down the hallway naked. Much to the horror of the old woman down the hall."

Albus barked a laugh and Harry gave him a lopsided smile, before the other man looked at him seriously and Harry cocked his head to the side in question.

"What happened in your time, Blake?" Albus asked straight up after casting a silencing charm around them.

"What?" Harry asked, in surprise. "No prying it out of me with well placed questions over a period of time? You do know how interrogations work, right?"

"I think you have had enough interrogations, Blake." Albus said softly as he looked at him.

Harry looked away and Albus let the silence hang between them just letting Harry think it through.

"Tell me what happened?" Harry said softly.

"There was a weak point in the wards," Albus said softly.

"Where?" Harry asked with a frown.

"The Whomping Willow."

"Did they have a curse breaker?"

"Charmling confessed to helping a curse breaker by giving them permission to enter the school," Albus explained. "Being not only a Professor of the school but also an Auror gave it more power."

Harry's eyes widened as the words sunk in.

"And the curse breaker bent the wards around the permission," Harry gasped. "Why didn't I think of that?"

"None of us thought of it," Albus counted. "I should have thought of it since I made that area when Remus first came to the school."

"We can't see everything, Albus." Harry said softly and let his hand rest on the other man's shoulder. "Even if you know the future."

Albus looked over and Harry gave him a smile.

"You still don't look well, Blake." Albus replied in concern, as he looked the other man over.

"God," Harry said with a laugh as he rubbed his head. "Don't tell the nurses that!"

"You call them nurses?" Albus asked in interest.

"Ah," Harry said. "I was brought up by muggles and lived with them a lot over the years."

Albus filed that away as he turned back to that night.

"We have a spy in the Order," Albus said and Harry started. "Someone corrupted the pendants that I use to call the Order."

"I don't know who it could be," Harry replied. "Severus said he called Kingsley?"

"Yes," Albus replied. "I felt the wards being changed and moved down to find out what was going on. At first I thought it was you but it didn't feel right, the castle wasn't happy with the changes. When I saw the Death eaters I tried calling the Order."

"My griffin should have been able to pick up on the Dark Mark when the Death Eaters passed over the wards," Harry said picking up the story. "I linked it to the wards and the mark after I cut through Severus's one."

"That makes more sense now," Albus replied as he sat back in his seat.

"Everything changes now, Headmaster." Harry said softly. "I don't know what will happen."

"What happened before?"

"Hogwarts was taken," Harry replied. "You were killed."

Albus sucked in a breath as he looked at Harry with large eyes.

"The Dark Lord," Harry said softly. "Took Hogwarts and moved through the Ministry of Magic and claimed it slowly."

Albus sat forward in his seat and stared at Harry in shock.

"The death toll rose," Harry said softly and looked down at his hands. "Not one day would pass without a death. I fled, I had an important mission to complete…."

"Your scars?" Albus questioned looking at the scars on his arms.

"Ah, no." Harry replied. "That was a long time after."

"Severus?" Albus asked. "Did he die that night?"

"No," Harry answered softly. "He died about a year after…well a year from now."

Silence fell again as Harry thought back.

"It was a very dark time, Albus. It was for a long time." Harry said softly, then added a few minutes later. "I need you to do something for me?"

"What is that, my boy?" Albus asked softly and placed his hand on Harry's.

"I am concerned about this Graham Simpson," Harry said softly as he looked at the other man. "I do not know him Albus and yet he is making moves of a Dark Lord on the rise."

Albus paled at his words.

"The Dark Lord's ultimate goal is Hogwarts and Harry Potter," Harry said straight up. "He will try again to take the school, give him time and he will come to us. He cannot let Harry Potter live."

"The prophecy," Albus whispered.

"Yes," Harry agreed. "I need you to focus on him. Dracka will help with his spy network."

"What will you be doing?" Albus asked softly.

"I will be focusing on Graham Simpson," Harry said in reply. "Any information I come across in relation to the Dark Lord I will pass on to you and I will help as much as I can Albus, but I can't focus on both men at the same time."

Albus looked Harry over, his blue eyes assessing him.

"You were a Commander?" Albus questioned softly.

"Yes."

"You commanded armies?"

"I did."

"You have fought Dark Lords before?"

"Many times."

Albus held out his hand and Harry took it in his. Albus felt the calluses on the man's palm. Albus locked eyes with the other man and recognised him as an equal.

"Agreed."

End of Part Three

We are just under halfway through now. ;-)


	17. Chapter 17

Part Four

Time is not something they have on their hands as Harry Potter enters his last year of schooling with the thought of having to face two Dark Lords starts to become a reality. Hard choices may have to be made as two Commanders work together to stop that from happening. But will it be too little, too late?

xXx

Harry stumbled slightly as the portkey spat them out but Severus's strong arm around him and Ry's hand on his other arm kept him up right.

"Bloody portkeys," Harry muttered under his breath as his boys let him stand on his own feet while Ry giggled.

Harry glared up at his son as he leaned heavily on his cane. Ry just grinned down at him and ruffled his longer than normal hair. It was something that Harry had done so many times to the boy that it had him grinning like an idiot while Severus just snorted and walked up the path to the small house.

"Come on," Severus called over his shoulder. "We have a lot of work to do to get the house ready for Potter's birthday party tomorrow."

"Bloody mother hen," Harry hissed.

Ry burst out laughing as Severus turned back to them.

"Did you say something Mr Sun?" Severus said silkily, glaring down at him with his best 'Professor' look.

"I said 'Yes, dear.'" Harry called back.

Ry's laughter kicked up a notch and Harry gave the boy a push on the shoulder, which didn't even budge him. The boy had filled out even more and stood a good head and a half taller than Harry did. The light brown of his skin, the shaggy dark hair and blazing green eyes had girls giving him looks in the hallways.

' _Not that the boy would notice them,_ ' Harry thought.

"I can't help anyway," Harry called back to Severus. "Doctor's orders!"

Severus glared down at him for a few more seconds before turning on his heels, his robe flaring out around him as he stalked into the house.

"He'll get you for that!" Ry snorted from beside him.

"He still loves me," Harry said with a wink.

"Ugh! Dad!"

Harry grinned, moving into the house slowly, leaving his son gagging on the footpath.

"What did you do to, Potter?" Severus asked as the boy ran passed the two of them and up the stairs.

"Me?" Harry asked innocently. "Nothing."

Harry smirked as Severus looked down his nose at him.

"I find that hard to believe."

xXx

The strange family sat around the dining table for dinner that night. Harry had spent most of the day sitting in the armchair in the living room catching up on e-mails, phone calls and reports while Severus and Ry had tidied up the house for the guests that would be arriving for Ry's birthday party the next day. The boy was turning seventeen, which was a big mile stone in a wizard's life.

Harry could see the man that Harry Potter would become in this time and he felt a little sad that his son was all grown up and yet happy to see that Ry hadn't grown into the man he had been at that age. By the time Harry had turned seventeen the death and sadness that he had seen had been heavy on his shoulders and he could almost feel the darkness on his soul. He had buried two men that had meant so much to him and had known that there would be even more in his future.

Even if he could see a lot of himself in the boy, especially in the way Ry would throw himself into something without thinking, they were now two different people leading very different lives. He leaned back in his chair as he watched Severus and Ry tease each other over the table. He felt proud for the family he had around him.

"You know," Severus said slowly as if just remembering. "I don't know your birthday, Blake?"

Ry snorted, spilling his juice over the table as Severus sneered at him.

"You never asked him!" Ry cried as Snape flicked his wand cleaning up the mess with a sneer.

"Never seemed to come up," Severus said blushing. "Plus, you two are normally overseas or somewhere else at this time of year."

"It's tomorrow!" Ry said.

"Is that so?" Severus asked slowly.

"He has the same birthday as me!"

Harry sat back in his seat and watched the wheels turning in Severus's head, even if the man guessed, having it confirmed was something different. His hand slipped off the table and grabbed his wand just in case. Severus's face drained of all colour as he looked back and forth between Harry and Ry.

Harry knew that his longer hair made it easier to see the similarities between them. Not that Harry tried to hide them since no one would be looking for them anyway. The Potter hair and features were renown in the Potter line even if he didn't carry the Potter name. Not to mention that he looked a lot like James Potter, except for the height. Shortness was not a Potter trait.

"Yes, he is me from the future!" Ry cried. Looking between the men with glee.

Harry stared at his son in shock, Severus forgotten for a moment.

"Ha!" Ry cried standing. "I'm right! I knew it!"

"How?" Harry whispered.

"You have the same birth mark on your right hip!" Ry said in glee. "When you told me that you were from the future I started thinking and it kept coming back to that birth mark and the fact you didn't know my parents and you look way too much like a Potter to just be a cousin!"

"When did you see my hip?" Harry asked in shock.

"When I was four!" Ry said, shivering at the memory.

Suddenly Severus barked out a laugh, startling Harry and Ry. Both Potters turned to the other man.

"I've been fucking Harry Potter?!" Severus burst out.

"Ugh!" Ry groaned his face twisting up.

"Um," Harry said softly. "We haven't actually had-"

"Shut it, Sun!" Severus snapped, but the amusement in the man's dark eyes had Harry relaxing.

"I didn't want to hear that!" Ry yelped and pushed his plate away from him. "I'm straight you know!"

Harry barked a laugh and looked over at his son in amusement.

"I am!" Ry said.

Severus looked down his nose at him with a raised eyebrow.

"I am!" Ry insisted. "When did this become about me! He's the one that didn't tell us!"

"Um," Harry said intelligently as a set of black eyes and a set of green eyes fell on him. "Slipped my mind."

"Your mind is like a damn sieve," Severus growled.

Harry grinned as Ry laughed.

"You are taking this well," Harry said softly focusing on Severus.

"Um," Ry said slipping from his seat. "I'll just be go-"

"Sit," Harry ordered.

"Sitting here quietly." Ry finished.

"Listen you two," Harry said seriously. "You can tell no one! The Dark Lord can't know that there are two Harry Potters."

"I won't tell him!" Ry spat.

"You can't tell your friends either Ry," Harry said staring at the boy. "No one. If he ripped it from their minds we are in a lot of trouble. It is bad enough with the connection that you have with the man."

"The prophecy?" Severus gasped, going pale as more pieces fell into place.

Harry nodded.

"But you don't have my scar!" Ry said as his eyes locked on Harry's forehead.

"Don't I?" Harry asked with a grin on his face.

Severus sucked in a breath, his eyes wide, as coldness settled in his stomach making him feel faint.

"You killed him," Severus whispered.

Harry nodded.

"You killed Volde-Dark Lord?" Ry changed halfway through when Severus and Harry glared at him.

"Yes," Harry said. "I killed him."

"Wow," Ry gasped. "Does that mean I will kill him?"

Harry sighed and rubbed his face, unsure about how could he explain all of this.

"What happened in Blake's time, Potter." Severus answered for Harry. "May not happen in this time."

"But-" Ry started to say.

"No, he is right Ry." Harry said softly. "Just because I killed the man in my time. Does not mean that you will in this time. The way it stands at the moment. Is that both you and I have been marked by the Dark Lord. The fact that my scar has faded over the years does not mean that the connection wasn't there to begin with."

"So, you could kill him again?" Ry asked hopeful.

Harry looked at his son sadly.

"You are a Horcrux Harry," Harry said to his son, his heart breaking.

"Fuck!" Severus swore as Ry just stared at his father.

"How can I…" Ry trailed off in shock.

"He didn't mean to make it," Harry said softly and reached for Ry's hand.

The boy pulled his hand away and wrapped his arms around himself. Harry felt a stab of hurt in his heart as he looked at his son sadly.

"When he killed your mother," Harry explained. "He unintentionally made you into a Horcrux."

"But-but you killed him!" Ry said standing suddenly, his chair crashing to the floor. "You must have gotten rid of all the Horcruxes to do that!"

"Yes," Harry said calmly, feeling his many years. "I did."

"Then how did you do it?" Ry cried.

"I died," Harry said softly, looking away from the blazing green eyes. "I died Ry."

"But…"

"Then the deathly hollows sent me back," Harry finished.

Harry heard Severus get to his feet but he couldn't look up at his son as he stared at the tabletop.

"Then we find the hollows of this time!" Ry cried.

"They don't exist here, Ry." Harry said softly.

"They have to!"

Harry stood slowly and turned to his son. Severus stood behind the boy with a hand on his shoulder in support as tears ran down the boy's cheeks unchecked. Harry flinched back at the look in his son's eyes as it cut him to the bone.

"I am so sorry Ry," Harry said softly. "Only one set of hollows can exist in one time. When I entered this timeline the stone, elder wand and cloak became just normal, if still powerful items."

"No!"

The boy yelled and ripped out of Severus's grasp and dashed out of the room.

"Potter!" Snape yelled after the boy.

"Let him go," Harry said softly as he took his seat again all of his energy gone. "He needs time to think it through."

Harry covered his face with his hands feeling so old in that moment, still unsure how he had gotten to this point. Long thin fingers took hold of his wrists and pulled his hands away from his face and Harry looked up into dark unreadable eyes.

"I'm sorry," Harry said softly. "I just couldn't tell you, I couldn't run the risk that the Dark Lord would capture you and get the information from your mind. You would have been at risk if word had gotten out…we both would have been…even more so now that Ry has spoken my birth name."

"Sh," Severus said softly.

The taller man kneeled down on the floor in front of him and let his hands rest on Harry's knees as he looked up at him.

"I understand, Harry." Severus said softly.

Harry flinched at the name.

"Blake," Harry said roughly. "I have been Blake Sun longer than I was ever Harry Potter."

Severus smiled softly and ran his hands across Harry's thighs making the man shiver.

"If anyone knows what the Dark Lord is like, it's me." Severus said straightening up. "I can understand why you kept this secret and, in some way, I already knew who you were. I just didn't want to face it."

Harry gave him a sad smile.

"Another Potter in your life." Harry said softly and Severus gave him a smirk.

"Come on," Severus said getting to his feet and holding out a hand. "We have a big day ahead of us tomorrow and you are still recovering."

"Oh god," Harry moaned. "We have to deal with Black and a house full of children."

Severus barked a laugh pulling Harry to his feet and hugging him tight. He leaned down and gave him a soft kiss.

"They are your family." Severus whispered in his ear when he pulled back.

"Damn it."

xXx

"Dad!"

Harry started, tightening his hold around Severus's waist before hissing a breath as the movement pulled across his still healing ribs.

"Make it stop," Severus muttered as he pulled the blanket over his head.

"Remus and Sirius are here!"

Suddenly the bedroom door crashed open and a blur of black fur landed on the bed making Harry gasp in pain as the beast half landed on him.

"Yelp!"

Severus's wand was pointed at the dog on the bed as Ry howled with laughter from the safety of the doorway. Harry's eyes watered as he looked at the scene of a shocked Black before the mutt bolted, Severus's spell following the giggling Harry Potter out the door.

"That boy is so your son…well." Severus trailed off.

"That he is," Harry gasped as he held his ribs. "He is nothing like I was at that age."

Severus remembered the other man talking about his childhood vaguely.

"Who brought you up?" Severus asked as he sat up in bed and looked over at Harry.

"Lily's sister and husband," Harry replied as he pulled himself out of bed.

"Lily didn't like her too much," Severus said.

"The feeling was mutual," Harry replied. "Give me a hand with these bandages."

Severus carefully helped Harry unbind his ribs and eyed off the fading bruises and red cuts from the stab wounds on his lover's chest and stomach. Harry's body was still littered with boot size bruises but the bruise balm was working to clear them up and the stab wounds were slowly healing over.

"Do you need me to rebind your ribs after your shower?" Severus asked running a gentle hand over the man's chest.

"Nah," Harry said softly. "Albert is coming around soon to give me a check-up, he doesn't trust hospitals."

Severus snorted and picked up his hand, his eye was drawn to the ring on the man's finger and he frowned.

"You reached out to me when you were stabbed," Severus said slowly.

"Yes," Harry replied.

"The ring…" Severus trailed off.

Harry stilled and he looked down at the ring.

"The connection broke," Harry said softly. "I had to pick it up again…a couple of times."

"Broke?" Severus asked in puzzlement.

Harry lifted the man's hand and kissed his knuckles as their eyes locked.

"My death broke the connection," Harry said softly.

Severus paled and he felt faint at the other man's words.

"I've fixed it now," Harry said softly. "Your magic is on the ring Severus. It was easy to pick up the connection again."

Severus pulled the man into a hug, just reminding himself that he was still alive and still here. Harry held him close feeling the tension in the man's back under his hands.

"Dad! Albert is here!"

"Can you tell him to meet me in here?" Harry asked Severus with a sigh. "I'll just have a quick shower."

Severus pulled him closer and looked into his green eyes before kissing him taking his time.

"Dad!"

xXx

Harry walked back into the bedroom about five minutes later, with a towel around his waist to see Albert sitting on the bed. The man whistled when he saw him.

"He did a number on you Blake," The big man said in German.

"That he did, Albert." Harry replied also in German. "Severus broke his hand getting a bit of revenge on the man from Ry's report."

The big man laughed.

"Come, come." Albert said. "Stand here, drop the towel."

Harry stepped in front of the man naked without a hint of embarrassment. Albert looked over the bruising on his legs, arms, chest and stomach and poked around the wounds across his stomach and chest.

"This one looks like it hit your ribs and into your lung," Albert said in concern. "This hurt?"

"Yes," harry hissed as the man pushed around the wound.

"This one would have got your liver, hurt?"

"Yes! Damn it!"

"Don't be baby."

Harry glared at the man as he kept looking at his stomach and chest.

"Only on your front?" Albert asked looking around at his back.

"Mostly yes," Harry agreed. "And head."

"Ah, yes." Albert said pulling Harry's head down with big but gentle hands. "Concussion?"

"Yes," Harry replied. "Got me a good one on the side of the head."

"This hurt?"

"Yes! God damn it!"

xXx

"Who is that man Severus?" Remus asked when Albert moved towards Severus and Blake's bedroom.

"Doctor Greenburg," Severus replied. "He's here to look Blake over."

"He looks like he is part bear," Black said working his way into the conversation.

Severus glared down his nose at the man.

"I wouldn't say that to him, Sirius." Ry said from the table.

"No, please do." Severus said sweetly. "Say those exact words."

"Now boys," Remus said getting between the two men. "Come on Sirius let's head into the garden to set up the tent."

Sirius glared at Severus for a second longer before following the werewolf outside. Severus picked up his coffee and moved to the dining table to sit next to Ry.

"How are you feeling?" Severus asked the boy taking a sip of his coffee.

"I don't know," Potter replied. "Dad is always full of secrets but he would always answer any question I had and if he couldn't answer he would say so. In fact, you could say he would say too much and I would have to tell him to stop."

Severus snorted into his coffee and the two men shared a look.

"He loves you, Potter." Severus said softly. "He didn't keep things from you to hurt you."

"Yeah," Ry said softly. "I know that. It's just hard to wrap my mind around the fact I may have to die for Volde-Dark Lord to be killed."

Severus grabbed the boy's shoulder and shook him slightly until he looked up.

"That will not happen!" Severus hissed. "Your father will not let that happen… I won't let that happen!"

"But the Horcrux!"

"We will find a way! Understand?"

Severus released the boy's shoulder as he let the boy think through everything.

"Thank you, Snape." Ry said softly some minutes later. "I suppose you aren't too bad."

"Don't let that get around," Severus snorted. "Or they will order you a bed next to the Longbottoms."

" _Versuche, kein Dummkopf zu sein_ _!"_

"Sounds like Dr Greenburg is done with your father," Severus said with a smirk.

Ry choked a laugh.

"He just called him an idiot." Ry said.

"Do you speak German?" Severus asked in surprise.

"Um," Ry replied. "Not really, just some words, we lived in Germany for a little while when I was young before I started at a muggle boarding school here in England. Doctor Greenburg calls Dad a _Dummkopf_ a lot."

"Can't understand why," Severus snorted.

Albert walked into the room as Blake limped behind him. Severus could see that Blake was already hurting and placed a pain potion next to the man's coffee on the table. Blake nodded in thanks and sat in the chair gratefully, looking a bit pale.

"Happy Birthday, young Potter!" Albert said with a big grin and set a gift on the table.

Blake eyed the gift off for a second before nodding at Ry to take it, which piped Severus interest. Ry grinned and ripped the paper open to reveal a very nice leather potions pouch.

"I'm sure, Mr Snape can fill that up for you with healing potions," Albert said and clapped the boy on the shoulder, which almost sent him into the table. "Now I'll be off. _Auf Wiedersehen_."

"Thank you, Albert." Ry grinned.

" _Auf Wiedersehen_ ," Blake said. _"_ Pass auf Dich auf _."_

" _Dummkopf_ ," Albert replied.

Blake just nodded and toasted him with his coffee in agreement.

"I'll walk you to the door, Albert." Severus said standing.

Blake flicked his eyes between them but said nothing as Severus walked Albert to the door.

"Thank you for coming to see him," Severus said as they stepped out onto the porch.

"No problem," Albert replied with a grin. "That man did a number on him."

"Yes," Severus said darkly.

"How is your hand?" Albert asked with a laugh.

"Ah," Severus said holding up his right hand. "He mentioned that?"

Albert quickly looked his hand over before nodding.

"Should have hit harder." The man said gruffly.

"If we hadn't been on school grounds," Severus said softly. "I think I would have killed him."

"You would not have been alone," Albert said with a wink.

"Isn't that against your oath?"

"Not when it comes to Blake."

"He brings that out in people."

" _Ja_ , he does." Albert said with a smile. " _Auf Wiedersehen,_ Severus."

"Good bye, Albert."

xXx

"Hey Remus," Harry called out to the man as the werewolf charmed a rope to twist around Sirius's leg as the man worked on setting up a table.

"Hey Blake," Remus said with a grin as he walked over to the man.

"Can you do me a favour?" Harry asked, keeping an eye on Black.

"What do you have in mind?" Remus replied.

"Could you take Ry out for a few hours?" Blake asked leaning back against the side of the house. "I have something planned for tonight to set up."

"Sure," Remus said happily. "We'll bring him back just before two?"

"Sounds great."

Suddenly Sirius yelped as he tripped bring down part of the tent on his head.

"After you fix the tent," Harry said with a grin. "Looks like it has problems."

"Remus!" Sirius yelled from under the canvas.

"Just can't find the help," Remus muttered as he moved back towards the animagus.

Harry grinned and moved back into the house. He walked in to see Severus and Ry talking softly at the table and he paused watching them for a couple of minutes.

"Hey Ry," Harry said coming into the room. "Your uncles are going to take you out to lunch until the party this afternoon."

"Cool," Ry cried. "Where are we going?"

"Go ask Remus," Harry replied. "Black seems to be having problems with the tent."

"Okay Dad," Ry said happily before running out the back door.

"What are you up to?" Severus asked smoothly.

"Me?" Harry asked with a wink. "Nothing."

Severus just raised an eyebrow in doubt.

"Just remember I'm the one that supplies your pain potions." Severus reminded him dryly.

"Ha!" Harry laughed and moved out of the room leaving Severus alone at the table.

xXx

Harry looked down at the glass bowl in front of him but his eye was draw to the wooden box on the edge of his table and he picked it up instead and ran his thumb over the Potter crest on the front of it fondly. The box held Ry's Gringotts keys and properties and since the boy was now an adult in the wizarding world, he should be giving him the box but he held himself back.

He placed the box back down on the table and just looked at it. He opened his drawer and moved a few things around until he pulled out the Potter will and flicked the paper open and ran his hand down the writing. Lily Potter had hand written the will and he smiled softly at it for a while as he read through it. He sighed and placed it on the table before diving back into his drawer and pulling out the paper that had been left with Ry when Harry had picked up the child and looked over the Headmaster's writing.

"Do you want a coffee?"

Harry looked up at Severus in the doorway and gave him a smile as the man looked over the table in interest.

"Yes, thank you."

Severus's eye caught on the box and Harry moved it to the drawer of the desk and closed it. Severus raised an eyebrow at Harry and he shook his head slightly. Severus sighed and moved back out of the room. Harry picked up the glass bowl and moved it closer as he pulled out his cherry wand and placed it on the table. He sat back in his chair in thought as he looked over his desk.

Severus moved back into the room and placed the cup on the small part of the table that wasn't covered in papers or other things. He picked up the letter the headmaster had written and glanced at Harry who nodded. He watched the man as he read through it. Harry passed him the Potter will as well. Harry watched as the man's eyes widened.

"This is Lily's writing," Severus said quietly.

"It is," Harry confirmed. "She mentions you in there."

Severus's eyes widened as he read the paper all the way through.

"Do you have a memory of James and the others in animagus forms?" Harry asked softly.

Severus looked back at him with unreadable black eyes and Harry pointed at the bowl and the man smirked at him.

"In the bowl," Harry said with a grin and tilted the bowl towards Severus.

The man gave him a smile as he pulled his wand and placed it to his temple and pulled the memory that Harry wanted and placed it in the bowl.

"Anything else?" Severus purred.

"All good," Harry said with a smile and pulled out a glass vial with a strand of silver swirling around. "I already hit Minerva up."

"Ha!" Severus barked. "Did I ever talk to you about Lily?"

Harry frowned as he looked at Severus.

"No," Harry said. "Why?"

Severus looked away and Harry placed a hand on the man's arm and he looked down at him.

"She was your mother," Severus said softly.

"Severus," Harry drew the man's name out.

"Blake," Severus drawled as he leaned back on the table.

"Severus," Harry said with a sigh. "Ry and I may have been born the same person but the moment that the Dark Lord killed James and Lily Potter is the moment that our lives split and changed. For Ry that was only about sixteen years ago…"

Harry trailed off and Severus let his hand rest on his arm.

"For me however," Harry said as he looked up. "A very long time has passed from that moment. I walked away from the name Harry Potter and just about everything else from that life."

Severus looked at him with large eyes.

"It was just one life in many," Harry said softly. "It may have been my birth name…"

"It is still a part of you, Blake." Severus whispered.

Harry ran a hand over his head.

"Yes," Harry said. "Can we let it go for now?"

"Blake."

Harry looked up at Severus and he placed his hands on either side of his face.

"Are the memories that hard to deal with?"

Harry flinched and would have pulled back if Severus's hands hadn't been holding him still.

"Yes," Harry whispered. "As things start to change it's getting easier. To see Ry growing up into the man that Harry Potter will be in this time. So much different and yet the same as me. To see people that I loved so much still alive when they would have died…"

Severus gave him a soft smile.

"There is still so much to come," Harry said softly and could see a shiver run down Severus's spine at the words. "There could be so much death and destruction."

Harry's thoughts started to drift but Severus ran his thumb over his cheek pulled him back and he looked up at the other man.

"We can only try," Severus said softly. "You said it yourself, you can't stop everything even if you know the future. Charmling was a good example of that."

"Yes, yes he was." Harry said softly. "I think I see a talk with Charmling in my future."

Severus snorted and looked down at him fondly. He leaned down and gave him a soft kiss.

"A knife between the ribs would be a better outcome for him," Severus whispered in his ear and Harry shivered.

"I'm sure something could be worked out," Harry said with a smirk. "Now, I have work to do before Ry gets back. Off you go."

xXx

"Okay everyone," Harry called to everyone in the garden.

The Weasley took up a big section of the garden to the left of Harry. Mr and Mrs Weasley sat with the other adults with their two older sons, Bill and Charlie. Fleur Delacour sat next to Bill and they held hands while George and Fred snickered behind them. Harry had invited Percy, but the boy hadn't been able to make it.

The Headmaster, Minerva and Hagrid were to the right of the Weasleys with Severus, Remus and Black. Ry, Hermione and Ron were sitting close to Harry with Neville, Luna and Ginny. Draco and Narcissa were sitting slightly apart but Harry had seen Draco mixing with the other children throughout the night and Severus had disappeared with Narcissa for a while before dinner was served.

"I have something planned for tonight," Harry said loudly and the noise quieted around him. "If everyone could stand and move the tables to the side of the garden please?"

Tables moved as everyone got to their feet and Severus moved up close to him.

"Headmaster if you could please cast a concealment charm around the garden for me?" Harry asked.

"Of course, my boy." The Headmaster said and with a flick the charm settled around the garden, which would probably wear off by the morning.

"What are you doing?" Severus hissed at him.

"Okay Ry," Harry continued ignoring Severus. "Come grab this bowl please and take it to the middle of the garden."

Ry ran up and grabbed the golden bowl out of Harry's hands and did as instructed then stood back.

"Okay if all the kids could sit on the grass around the bowl please," Harry called. "Just move back a bit further. Okay ready?"

"Okay dad!"

A murmur ran though the group as they looked at the bowl. Harry pulled his cherry wand out of its holster. Severus grabbed his wrist before he could do anything.

"Blake," Severus hissed as him.

Harry grinned at the man and gently gave him a push.

"It's okay," Harry said quietly to him before turning back to the group.

"I may not be Ry's biological father but I have looked after him since he was a baby," Harry said to the group. "He is seventeen today and I want to share some moments in Ry's life with you all. Don't worry Ry they are not all embarrassing!"

A chuckle ran through the group at Harry's words.

"Feel free to take a seat and enjoy!"

Harry cast his spell with a whisper and a flick of his wand and everything went dark except the bowl in the middle of the garden and a memory of Ry when he was a baby appeared in the air near the gold bowl. The green-eyed baby crawled across the baby blanket before disappearing. Then a small boy of about five appeared running after some coloured lights, which appeared around everyone in the garden. Remus reached out to touch one of them and it darted off as the kids giggled trying to catch the lights.

Then suddenly there was a huge Dragon with brown and red scales roaring silently and sending a jet of fire around the group harmlessly then a small figure of Ry appeared on a broom darting around the dragon as it roared soundlessly. Everyone gasped even the Headmaster was amazed by the display. The figure of Ry dived and everyone gasped as the dragon swung around and tried to get the boy as he ducked close to his broom and was soaring off with a golden egg in his hands.

The memory was replaced by a full moon in the sky and Remus gasped until Sirius elbowed him and pointed. A stag was peeking around and then suddenly there was a wolf and a black dog running across the grass and a small rat trying to keep up. The stag turned, stopped and let the rat catch up before running off again.

"Oh my god," Remus gasped. "How did he?"

The stag stood tall for a moment before bounding off with the wolf, dog and rat at his heels.

Harry grunted as he held the cherry wand and Severus moved closer as the image changed and Lily Potter was standing there. Her red hair flowing around her head, her face lit up with a big smile as her green eyes looked up at the shaggy dark-haired man with glasses beside her. The man looked down at his wife grinning as he pushed his glasses up his nose as the Weasley twins made kissing noises loudly.

Then the image was gone and the image of a young Ry was standing there with his first wand in his hand, wind ruffling his shaggy black hair as he stared in wonder as the wand lit up with golden light.

"Blake," Severus hissed but Harry ignored it and the pain in his chest as he held the spell.

A young Hermione, Ron and Ry appeared sitting on the grass at Hogwarts talking between themselves as a younger George and Fred crept up on them using the side of the building for cover. They spelled some water balloons to slowly float over to the three children and when they were above them let them drop with cries of laughter. Everyone laughed as the water balloons landed on the younger Ry, Hermione and Ron and they squealed.

"I knew that was you!" Ron yelled at his brothers.

Harry's hand started to shake but he kept the spell up.

A small golden snitch appeared darting around the garden, just as someone would reach out to grab it, it would dart away again. Draco stepped forward to try and grab it but it shot to the side and then suddenly there was a younger image of himself swooping down, chasing it, followed by an image of Ry. The two boys chased the snitch around the garden as they weaved around the tent poles.

"Get it Ry!" Ron yelled out followed by a couple of other calls from the people gathered.

Then the image of Ry was diving with Draco on his heels and he grabbed the snitch holding it up high. Then the image was fading away and the light was coming back into the garden as Harry eased back on the spell.

"Albus!" Severus hissed at the Headmaster and he turned to see how pale Harry was and quickly grabbed a chair and placed it behind the man.

"Thanks," Harry said as he placed his wand away.

"That was fantastic!" Ry yelled and raced over to his father giving him a big hug. "Thank you."

Harry smiled and ruffled the boy's hair before taking a seat.

"No problems Ry," Harry said, ignoring the pain in his chest and the tiredness.

"Okay everyone," The Headmaster called. "It's getting late, I think it's time we all head home."

Everyone wished Ry a great birthday and started moving out of the garden. Severus was very grateful for the Headmaster at that moment. Severus grabbed Harry's cup of coffee off the nearby table and placed it into the man's hands.

"Mrs Weasley wants to know if I'm leaving with them to head to the Burrow for a few days?" Ry asked when the Weasleys were getting ready to leave.

"It you want to Ry," Harry said softly from his seat.

"Thanks Dad!"

Ry ran off and before they knew it, just Severus, Harry and the Headmaster were left in the garden.

"Very nice piece of magic, Blake." The Headmaster said with a smile. "Very nice indeed."

"Thank you, Headmaster." Harry said with a grin.

"Good night boys," The Headmaster said before turning and striding away.

"Can you move?" Severus asked in concern.

Harry sat further back in his seat and looked around the garden. From the tables still pushed to the sides and the tent floating above them blocking out the stars before turning back to Severus.

"Blake?"

"Not without help," Harry said softly.

"You idiot," Severus hissed.

Harry grinned and leaned forward trying to ease the pain in his ribs.

"Yes, yes I am." Harry said calmly.

"Come on," Severus said moving forward.

Harry wrapped an arm around Severus's shoulders and the other man pulled him to his feet. Harry hissed as his ribs complained but it wasn't as bad as he thought it would be as they made their way into the house.

"That display was very impressive," Severus told him.

"Pure light magic that was," Harry said. "I was never very good at working with that kind of magic."

"Looked very good to me," Severus replied.

Harry grinned. "Thank you."

"You are still an idiot," Severus muttered.

Harry grinned tiredly feeling like heavy weights were holding him down as Severus helped him to the bed and Harry stripped his clothes off down to the bandages on his ribs. Severus pushed him under the covers and Harry was out before his head hit the pillow.

xXx

Severus woke early the next morning with Blake curled up next to him with his back resting against his. He turned over and checked the man but he was out. Blake didn't normally sleep deeply but the magic he had used so shortly after his stabbing had worn him out completely. Severus reached forward and brushed his lover's hair to the side and placed a hand on his forehead. He didn't feel warm to the touch. Out of curiosity he looked closer but couldn't see a scar of a lightning bolt on the man's forehead.

Severus shook his head and slipped from the bedroom before making his way out to the garden to tidy up from the party last night. He checked on Blake a few times throughout the day but he was still curled up asleep and wasn't running a fever so he wasn't concerned yet. It was late afternoon when his phone rang suddenly. He fished it out of his pocket.

"Snape."

"Severus, it's Dracka," Floated down the phone. "Is Blake okay?"

"What, why?" Severus asked racing into their bedroom to find Blake still curled up asleep.

"He hasn't answered his phone or called me back."

"He's sleeping," Severus replied, resting a hand on Blake's forehead before leaving the room. "He used too much magic at Potter's party last night."

"Ha!" Dracka laughed. "Could you get him to call me when he wakes up?"

"Sure," Severus said. "Anything I need to know?"

"I just want to know when I can stop by to talk to him," Dracka said.

"I'll get him to ring you," Severus replied before hanging up.

Severus let Blake sleep through until after he finished cooking dinner. He slipped back into their room and sat on the bed next to the man. He reached out and pushed the blanket back. He was curled up on his side hugging his pillow close to him and breathing slowly. Severus ran a hand through the man's hair before shaking his shoulder.

"Blake?"

"K, wha'?" Blake muttered as he blinked up at Severus.

"I have dinner if you're hungry?" Severus said softly.

"Did I sleep for the whole day?" Blake asked rubbing a hand over his face.

"Yes."

"Damn," Blake muttered as he flopped onto his back with a hiss. "I had work to do today."

"Like calling Dracka?" Severus asked innocently.

"What? Dracka?" Blake asked pulling himself into a sitting position and grabbing his phone. "Oh, for fuck sake!"

Blake turned the phone for Severus to see and he smirked when he saw twenty-six missed calls and five voice messages on the small screen.

"Did he call you?" Blake asked leaning back in the bed.

"Yes, he sounded concerned about you." Severus said.

"Ha!" Blake said bitterly. "He is concerned about the fact that I can keep up my end of the Treaty and at the moment I would just be directing people from the side lines."

"He seems to care about you Blake."

"I still killed his brother Severus," Blake pointed out. "The rage on his face…"

Blake shivered and Severus picked up his hand.

"Come on," Severus said instead and stood up. "Dinner time."

"Do I have time to put on pants?" Blake asked with a smirk.

"I'll think about it…"

xXx

Dracka appeared on the dark street in Leeds on a cool Tuesday night. He could still feel the light of the day soaking into the earth as he looked up at the small house before him. It didn't look like much from the outside, just a normal two-story building with a small porch out the front and a well-maintained garden and path leading up to the front door.

He could feel Blake's slight magic on the gate, but if he hadn't been looking for it he wouldn't have noticed. It still amazed him how such a powerful man could feel like he was a muggle most of the time and it wasn't until he was drawing on the magic or he was distracted that the magic would slip. He still had nightmares of the night that his brother was killed and the dark magic that had spread out from the slip of a man and a silver sword.

He pushed those thoughts to the side and moved up the path to the front door, the magic parting around him with only a slight brush as he moved through the man's wards. He knocked loudly on the door and heard pounding footsteps. The door flung open to Harry Potter's grinning face.

"Ah, Hello." Ry said softly, the grin fading. "Dad said to come in, he's in the garden."

"Thank you, Mr Potter." Dracka said with a small smile moving into the small entrance hall.

The staircase to the upper story was in front of him as well as the hallway leading into the kitchen and the back yard. To his right-hand side was a cosy living room and a study to the left. Everything in the house was neat and the walls were mostly bare as he looked around in interest.

"Just through the back," Ry said nervously.

"Thank you," Dracka said politely. "I think I can find it."

"Okay, bye!" Ry grinned and dashed up the stairs.

"He has no manners that boy."

Dracka turned to see Severus coming out of the living room and gave him a soft laugh.

"He is young," Drack said giving the other man's hand a shake. "I hear there was some trouble at Hogwarts?"

"Yes," Severus replied and the man's eyes darkened.

"Blake didn't call us?" Dracka asked, the thought had been bothering him

Severus eyed him over and Dracka couldn't think of a better man to be at Blake's side in these times.

"They came for him first," Severus said slowly "Stabbed him straight in the chest before he could react. He only just managed to call out to me…"

Dracka could see that the memories still haunted the other man by the way that his right fist clenched and his eyes darkened. Yes, this man would kill for Blake and he was hoping that if Sun's hand wavered that Severus would do what needed to be done.

"Blake is in the garden," Severus said when the silence stretched. "Doing god only knows what."

Dracka barked a laugh and asked, "Getting in the last of his work before school starts again?"

"Yes," Severus said blandly. "He said he can't do it behind the wards of the school."

"Ah," Dracka said. "Sounds like dark magic then."

Severus stiffened beside him and Dracka barked another laugh.

"You wizards and your ideas of dark and light magic," Dracka said with a smirk. "It is all magic in the end."

"Severus! Is that Dracka?"

Severus and Dracka looked towards the garden.

"I see that manners escaped Blake as well," Dracka said in amusement.

"You have no idea," Severus muttered and wandered off. "No idea."

Dracka looked after the man with an amused smile before moving through the house and into the back garden. The house had a large garden that was bigger than the house itself and was mostly grass from one fence to the other. Blake stood in the middle of the yard in blue jeans and a dark grey shirt, his scars on show as he worked with some stones on a small table. Dracka moved towards the man, feeling the slight magic rolling over him, as he got closer.

"Message stones?" Dracka asked, as he got closer to the man.

"Hold on," Blake muttered his magic swirling.

Dracka could tell that the man was still recovering from his attack since the magic didn't feel as free flowing as it normally did around him and he could tell that the man had to keep grabbing the strands every now and again. He was also sweating slightly and the tart smell made Dracka's mouth water.

"Hold it back Dracka," Blake muttered and Dracka noticed he had stepped closer to the man and took a step back.

Dracka took a tight hold of his demon and pushed it down as he watched the man work. He could see that the man still held himself hunched forward slightly as he worked and could just see the pale green brown of the bruises down Blake's arms. The stones, the man was working with, slowly changed shape and flattened out until they looked like large phone screens without buttons before the magic soaked in and they stopped glowing. Blake turned to Dracka with an easy grin on his face as he placed his wand on the table.

"Welcome," Blake said. "Sorry I couldn't meet you at the door. I had to get these done for you."

"For me?" Dracka asked stepping forward and picking up one of the stones.

He could feel no magic under his fingers and was surprised since he had seen the amount that Blake had pushed into them. They just looked like normal, if a bit too flat, stones.

"Yes," Blake said leaning on his cane. "Needed to get them done before heading back to the school next week. They are message stones, as you know, but are different."

"How?" Dracka asked turning the stone over in his hand.

Blake picked up one of the stones and suddenly the one in Dracka's hand buzzed and a message appeared on the flat stone.

' _You can use it like this.'_ Was written on the stone, in Blake's neat script.

"Interesting," Dracka said.

Blake grinned and put the stone back on the table with the other thirty or so.

"They can be used with anyone else that has one," Blake explained. "Just think the message you want that person to get and it will appear on your stone then you can send it to that person. I thought that it would work well with your spies. You can also send reports with them, by placing the stones on the report and having a file ready with the other stone. I'll write out the instructions for you."

"That is generous," Dracka said slowly, raising an eyebrow at Blake.

"Well I may have added in another spell." Blake admitted.

"Do tell?" Dracka said dryly.

"It will tell me what kind of magic your spies come into contact with," Blake explained. "I'm looking for a certain type of magic and I don't have the time to go looking everywhere for it. Your spies have a better chance of coming across it than I do."

"Will you know what will be written on the stones?" Dracka asked.

"Nope," Blake said with a grin. "I don't care what your men are talking about, I'm just after that magic."

Dracka pulled his demon forward and knew his eyes had turned red but the other man just raised an eyebrow in question. Drack stepped forward until he was within arm's length of the other man. Blake had to tilt his head back to keep eye contact with him. The vampire had to give credit to the man, most people would have flinched back when Dracka pulled his demon forward but Blake just stood calmly before him.

Dracka grinned feeling his fangs digging into his bottom lip as he reached a hand forward and cupped the side of the man's face. Blake tensed but didn't move away as Dracka's demon rolled over him making goose bumps come up on the man's arms as a shiver ran down his back. Blake's eyes dilated but Dracka knew that if he pushed forward, he would find himself on his ass.

"Find what you are looking for?" Blake asked, voice rough.

"I think I found that a long time ago," Dracka whispered, running his hand down the man's face and down to his neck, his thumb resting against the jugular vein feeling the blood pulsing under his hand.

"Dracka," Blake warned.

They heard the back door to the garden open behind them but didn't move. Blake's eyes held a question as they looked up at him. The vampire could feel the demon calling for him to claim the man and the power he held but he slowly pulled the beast back. He knew when his eyes changed back for Blake relaxed slightly under his hand.

"One day," Dracka muttered.

"Not today," Blake said softly.

Dracka barked a laugh and stepped back, as Blake's eyes flicked over his shoulder and the vampire knew that Severus stood there.

"He is good for you Blake," Dracka whispered. "But he won't live forever."

Blake glared at him darkly as his eyes flashed green and Dracka stepped further back with a shiver. Then the man grinned and turned towards Severus and the moment passed.

"Finished?" Severus asked stepping up next to Blake and looking down at the stones.

"Yep," Blake replied with a soft grin in Severus's direction. "You can stop hovering like a mother hen."

Dracka coughed a laugh as Severus glared down at the other man.

"Just remember I have your potions old man," Severus smirked down his nose at Blake.

Blake winked at Dracka and pulled out a leather pouch from his pocket and pushed the stones into it, the vampire flinched at the sounds they made clicking against each other. Blake just grinned and held the bag out for Dracka to take.

"Thank you, Blake." Dracka said softly.

"No problems." Blake said leaning back on his cane. "What did you want to talk about?"

Dracka grinned showing off fangs and was pleased when he saw a shiver go down Severus's back.

"I'll be seeing you when school starts up," Dracka said with glee.

"Why is that?" Severus asked frowning.

"Oh god, no." Blake said dryly.

Dracka's grin widened. "I'll be teaching Defence."

Severus paled as Blake ran a hand over his short hair.

"Gee," Blake muttered. "Albus is really hitting the bottom of the barrel."

"Hey!" Dracka yelped. "And it was the Minister of Magic that called me not the Headmaster."

"Say what?" Blake asked in shock.

"Yes," Dracka grinned darkly. "Said he would like to forge a better relationship between the Council and the Ministry."

"He must be running scared," Blake muttered. "This could help us."

"Yes," Dracka said softly.

"Oh," Blake suddenly turned to Severus and a silent conversation seemed to pass between the two.

"Yes?" Dracka drawled.

"Blake seems to think that there are students with creature blood in them," Severus replied for the other man. "He says he doesn't have the time to look into it."

"Oi!" Blake yelped, whacking the taller man's shoulder.

Dracka watched the two men with an amused smile on his face. They worked so well together, almost seamlessly. He was looking forward to watching them working together once they were at the school.

"Well," Dracka said softly. "I should be leaving. Thank you again for the message stones, Blake."

"No problems," Blake said with a grin. "I guess we will be seeing you soon then."

Dracka turned and walked back into the house leaving the two men in the garden.

Severus looked down at Blake with soft eyes once the vampire had left. Blake gave him a wink and went to grab the wand he had left on the table but Severus got there first and gabbed up the cherry wand and placed it into his own pocket.

"Really?" Blake asked. "Do you want the other one as well?"

Severus grinned and held out his hand, Blake sighed and passed over the other wand.

"Fine," Blake muttered. "But I want them back once we get to school."

"What was all that about with Dracka?" Severus asked softly.

"Um," Blake said nervously. "I have a feeling that I may have been forgiven."

"I think you may have been forgiven when I walked in to see him asleep next to you after the battle with Simpson," Severus said softly.

"Say what?" Blake yelped, with wide eyes.

Severus rumbling laughter sounded in the yard at the look on the other man's face.

xXx

Harry and Severus made their way up to the castle before the students were due to arrive later in that day. The day was bright, clear and very pleasant as they walked along. Severus reached over, taking the other man's hand and Harry turned and looked up at him with a soft smile.

"What's in store for us this year?" Severus asked with a smirk.

Harry barked a laugh and whacked his shoulder without heat.

"Mr Sun!"

Harry stumbled a stop at his shouted name and looked around with wide eyes. Professor Sprout waddled towards them with rage on her face. Severus stepped back leaving Harry to face the woman head on.

"Coward," Harry muttered out of the side of his mouth.

Severus snorted.

"Mr Sun!" The woman cried as she got closer, hands on her hips as she glared up at Harry.

"Professor Sprout," Harry said in his most charming voice. "How can I help you?"

"Don't you used that tone with me, young man!" The woman snapped pointing a finger at Harry.

"Um," Harry stumbled over his words.

"That beast of yours has been eating my garden beds!" The woman shrieked.

"My beast?" Harry asked slowly.

"That griffin!" Sprout cried. "It has eaten through my prize-winning roses and my whole crop of corn!"

"My glass griffin?" Harry said slowly. "The one made from glass?"

"Yes!" Sprout yelped.

"Right," Harry said drawing out the word. "I am very sorry, my dear. I had no idea that an animal made from glass could have such interesting tastes."

"I want that beast gone!" The woman demanded, before turning on her heel and waddling away leaving the two men speechless.

"Um," Harry said turning to Severus. "What the hell just happened?"

Severus just smirked down at the man.

"Oi!" Harry said smacking Severus's arm. "You were no help!"

Severus coughed a laugh as Harry turned on his heel and started to limp after the woman.

"Where are you going?" Severus called after him.

"To sort out my beast, apparently." Blake called over his shoulder. "It's not like that beast saved the Headmaster's life, this school or anything like that!"

xXx

Severus looked up from the book he was reading when Blake banged into the room. He placed the book on the table next to the man's two wands calmly. He smirked when he saw the thin scratches covering the man's arms and face.

"Have a little trouble, love?" Severus purred.

Blake glared at him and placed the small griffin on the table before Severus. It was frozen in place with its wings wide and head forward as if roaring.

"Bloody thing wouldn't come out of the rose bushes," Blake muttered running a hand over his head. "So, I had to go in after it!"

"You couldn't summon it?" Severus asked sitting back in his seat.

Blake's glare picked up a notch.

"I'm going for a shower," The man muttered not answering the other man.

Severus laughed when the man slammed the door shut loudly behind him.

xXx

When the first years started being sorted, Dracka leaned over towards Severus next to him.

"Why does Blake look like he had a run in with a very large Hedgehog with issues?" Dracka asked, watching the man seated next to his son at the Gryffindor table.

Severus snorted into his hand loudly as McGonagall glared over at him from her place near the first years.

"Please," Severus smirked. "Ask him that question, with those exact words."

"Do you think I have a death wish?" Dracka asked.

Severus snorted again and chuckled. Blake chose that moment to look at him and lock eyes. Severus smirked back as the man glared at him. The thin red scratches over his face and arms standing out since Severus had refused to give him a balm until after the feast.

"Oh boy." Dracka muttered. "You are in trouble."

Severus grinned wider and gave Blake a wink. The man turned away as Ry giggle next to him. His father clipped him on the back of his head, which just made Severus snort again in amusement.

"Welcome everyone to another year at Hogwarts," The Headmaster said standing after the last student was sorted. "We have a new teacher this year. Please welcome Professor Rolf Dracka who has been appointed by the Ministry of Magic and he will be teaching Defence Against the Dark Arts which should be right up his alley for the fact that he is a vampire. Please make him feel welcome."

Dracka snorted as got to his feet and bowed to the students before taking his seat again to whispers and scattered applause.

"Thank you everyone," The Headmaster said cheerfully. "Please eat."

The tables filled with food and the noise started up around the room with more than a few glances cast in Dracka's direction. Severus leaned over towards him and Dracka raised his eyebrow in question.

"Maybe with a real Vampire here it will dispel the myths that I hunt down students at night and drink their blood," Severus drawled.

"They may just think that you have a hunting buddy now," Dracka counted and flashed his fangs at the other man.

Severus sat back in his seat as Minerva sat down at her place and looked over at them with interest.

"Dracka has offered to be my hunting buddy, Minerva." Severus said with a smirk.

"Don't you have enough rumours going around about you, Severus?" Minerva said stiffly. "Without starting your own?"

"I'm sure I could always team up with Blake," Dracka said dryly. "You always need a look out for the Headmaster when hunting down students."

Albus snorted as he looked over at the two in amusement while Minerva huffed.

"Blake looks like he has already had a run in with something," Minerva replied.

"My rose bushes," Professor Sprout squeaked. "What was left of them anyway."

Severus's lips curled up in a smirk.

"The rose bushes won," Minerva muttered.


	18. Chapter 18

Author rambling: I've been busy fixing up part one and two of this story and half of Part three. There are added scenes in part one (chapter 1) and the start of part three (Chapter 9). Neither make that much difference to the story line, more just a fix up than anything else.

xXx

"Come in," Harry called at the knock at his door and looked up when Albus Dumbledore entered. "Albus, how are you?"

"I'm well Blake," Albus said with a small smile, as he placed a black stone on the table in front of the other man.

Harry picked it up in interest and felt the magic under his fingertips.

"What's this?" Harry asked. "It's broken, whatever it is."

"Can you fix it?" Albus asked as he took a seat next to the man.

"Probably?" Harry replied. "Looks like a broken link or corruption."

Harry looked at it closer as he opened his mind to the magic of the stone, it was built on light magic as he looked into it. The charm work was perfect but the wards worked into it needed work. Harry gently picked up the wards and the charms and ran the magic over them, strengthening the ones that needed it, then he paused.

"These are the stones you use to call the Order," Harry said softly.

"They are," Albus replied. "Someone tampered with them."

"Yes," Harry confirmed. "I can see that. Do you want me to fix it or rewrite a different spell into it?"

"Different spell, if you can." Albus said.

Harry looked up at the other man still seeing the magic and could see the glow around him and the connection he held to the stone and the Order.

"You do know," Harry said softly. "If I took some time I could identify every member connected to this stone just by holding it and picking up the connection?"

Albus paled as the words sunk in.

"Do you also want me to write in a ward to stop a curse breaker from doing that?"

"Yes, my boy." Albus said softly. "Thank you."

"Okay," Harry said. "Just sit still and try not to say anything, unless I ask."

"Proceed, Mr Sun."

Harry gave the man a smile before closing his eyes and diving into the magic of the stone and picking up the connection to every Order member and was surprised by the man's network.

"No wonder you didn't mind losing Severus as a spy," Harry commented and he heard the other man snort.

Harry spread his mind out along the connections leading away from the stones, seeing them like a spider web leading off from the one stone in his hand as he picked up every person. He didn't look at the people as individuals due to the fact that he didn't want to know who was in the Order but he could have. He picked up Albus's light magic already on the stones and spread it out along the links.

"Can you add more magic to the stone? Light magic." Harry asked and held his palm out flat with the stone in the middle.

Harry picked up the added magic the Headmaster gave him and twisted it around the connections, he let the magic reel out and made sure not to add his own magic to the mix, since he didn't want to be connected to the network.

"That's enough," Harry muttered and the magic cut off.

He quickly crafted the ward he needed using the magic in the stone and frowned in concentration. It was always so much harder to work with magic that was already there, but he had worked with wards for a very long time and he very quickly had the spells in place, only using his magic to boost the power but not make any connections.

He grabbed the spell that was corrupting the stones and pulled it free and let it go to drift away as he wrote in another ward in its place.

"Please call the Order," Harry said softly.

"Call them here?" Albus asked.

"Just a general call I want to see if I can pick out the person that corrupted the stone," Harry explained as he held the connections. "I will block the call from going out."

Albus tapped the stone with his wand and Harry grabbed the call with his magic and followed it out to every stone. This was very advanced magic and he lost all concept of time as he followed every link. Just as he had started to narrow it down a loud bang startled him and he lost it with a curse.

He glared over at Severus before turning to Albus.

"I lost the connection," Harry said. "Sorry."

"Did I interrupt something?" Severus asked as he looked at the stone in Harry's hand. "Is that an Order stone?"

"Do you have yours Severus?" Harry asked.

Severus slipped a stone out of his pocket and handed it over. Severus's stone was a green colour unlike the Headmaster's black one.

"I'll see if I can pick it up better with two stones," Harry said. "Try not to slam a door this time."

Harry used the two links in the stones to search out the connection, he had been searching for before, but it was too fine a network until something caught his attention and he cocked his head to the side slightly as he focused in on the stone that had caught his attention.

"Malfoy Manor," Harry said with a frown.

"What's that, Blake?"

"There is a stone at Malfoy Manor," Harry said. "Should there be?"

"No."

Harry turned his attention to that stone, and tapped along the lines and they pinged out along the network until he focused in on the one coming from the Malfoy manor. He flicked the connections again and watched the waves they made and followed the one that felt like it was coming from behind the wards of Malfoy manor as he felt the blood wards bounce back to him.

"We have a problem," Harry said softly. "Give me a second."

Harry carefully moved along the link towards the stone, keeping a look out for any type of magic that could trap him, before remembering that a lot of that type of magic wouldn't be common for a long time. He moved forward mentally until he stood in a room.

He looked around in interest but it was just a bare room with nothing out of the ordinary in it. He could feel dark magic close by and was sure that Voldemort was in the house somewhere and he pulled his magic closer to the link so that the man wouldn't be able to pick up on him. The room turned to grey tones around him as he pulled his magic back.

The Order stone was sitting on the table in front of him and he laid his hand over. He picked up the link to that stone and broke it but still held the connection. Suddenly the door to the room opened. He looked up into the red eyes of the Dark Lord and pulled back from the stone sharply.

Harry jumped back from the table he'd been sitting at and his chair crashed to the floor as the two wizards looked at him in surprise. Harry quickly lunged forward and grabbed the two stones and grounded the link he had picked up from the stone at Malfoy Manor and cut it off in the Headmaster's main stone.

"The Dark Lord is at Malfoy Manor," Harry said quickly.

Severus grabbed his shoulder tightly and Harry looked up at him.

"Did he see you?" Severus asked softly, thinking of when Harry had broken the dark mark.

"I don't think so," Harry replied. "I broke the connection with that stone before he arrived. You may not have had a spy headmaster. I think that the Dark Lord may have a curse breaker and an Order stone."

"Did you say he was at Malfoy Manor?" Albus questioned sitting forward in his seat.

"Yes," Harry replied with a smirk. "Very much at Malfoy Manor. Does that help you?"

"Yes," Albus replied with a smile. "Can you tell me anything else?"

"He had an Order stone and knew what it was," Harry said as he picked up the two stones. "He probably had someone corrupt the stones when Charmling let the death eaters in."

"Can you do what you did before to find out more?" Albus asked.

"Albus," Severus warned.

"No," Harry replied as he passed the black stone to Albus and the green stone to Severus. "I broke that connection. I do have something for you though."

Harry moved to his bedroom as Severus turned on the Headmaster and hissed at him. He picked up the cardboard box that had come in the mail a couple of days ago and moved back into the room. Severus was glaring at the old man while Albus just looked back at him mildly.

"Muggle listening devices," Harry said as he placed the box on the table. "There should be instructions in the box. I ordered these a couple of months ago and it's taken a while to get the approval for them."

Harry slid the box over to the Headmaster and locked eyes with the man. Albus's eyes were intense as they looked at him and Harry looked back mildly.

"It is up to Severus about whether he joins the Order, Headmaster." Harry said softly. "But just remember who will be pulling his ass out if something goes wrong."

"Blake?" Severus asked softly but Harry didn't turn away from the Headmaster.

"Yes, of course." Albus said with a smile. "Thank you, Blake."

"No problems, Headmaster." Harry said softly as he pulled back. "Would you like coffee?"

"Is there tea?" Albus asked as he opened up the box in interest.

Harry moved over to the kitchen and the moment was broken as Severus looked between the two men feeling like he had missed something.

"Coffee, Severus?" Harry called from the kitchen.

"Yes," Severus replied as he moved towards the table and had a look in the box as Harry made drinks for them.

xXx

"What was that about with the Headmaster?" Severus asked once the man had left.

Blake looked up from his coffee and looked him over.

"It is hard when you have two Generals," Blake said softly. "They both want to control the men under their command. When you have two armies it's fine, but when those armies overlap there can be problems."

Severus frowned as he looked at the other man.

"We are fighting two wars, Severus." Blake said softly. "Albus has been the head of the Order of the Phoenix for a long time. I walked in here as an unknown factor."

Severus eyes widened, remembering that day so long ago when he had thought those exact words and the suspicions that both the Headmaster and himself had had about Blake.

"I took away his top spy, a death eater in the Dark Lords inner circle." Blake said softly. "The night I told you not to answer the Dark Lords summons, you went against Albus's orders?"

"Yes," Severus replied and Blake nodded.

"I'd been here for less than a year and had already stuffed up his plans," Blake said mildly, as he sipped his coffee.

"He knew that the Dark Lord would rise again?" Severus asked.

"Yes," Blake replied. "We both did."

Severus looked at the man with wide eyes as more puzzle pieces sorted themselves out.

"He was trying to bring you under his control?" Severus asked. "That's why he wanted a contract with you and this school."

"Albus is a good man at heart, Severus." Blake said softly. "But he is also a Commander. Don't forget that about him…or me."

"You told him you were from the future." Severus stated with a frown.

"I did," Blake said with a smirk and a glint in his eyes.

"When you approached him about the Council?" Severus said slowly.

"Correct," Blake replied.

Severus smirked as Blake gave him a grin.

"Please tell me that you were sorted into Slytherin?" Severus asked softly.

Blake smirked even more and gave him a wink.

"Nope," Blake replied.

Severus gave a bark as he looked his lover over as the other man sat back in his seat.

"You should have been," Severus drawled.

Blake gave a laugh and Severus smirked back in amusement.

"Albus has to learn to play nice," Blake said softly. "He not only has me here, but also the vampire now and he can't get rid of either of us."

"Why would he want to?"

"Sorry, wrong words." Blake amended. "We don't fall under his command, except him being our boss. I made a deal with him Severus."

"What deal?" Severus asked sitting forward in his seat.

"I will look into Graham Simpson and let him deal with the Dark Lord," Blake said softly. "It was the best I could give him."

Severus frowned.

"He does care about you Blake," Severus said softly and he watched in interest as Blake stilled.

"Yes," Blake replied. "And I am sure he knows who I was in this time as well, but it won't help him. I am not the Harry Potter he needs."

Severus shivered at the man's words as he looked into the man's green eyes.

xXx

Harry adjusted his blue tie in front of the mirror before standing back and running a brush over his short hair, not that it really needed it, as he shrugged his shoulders to let the suit jacket sit better and brushed a hand down his black dress pants. He stepped out into the main part of his rooms when he heard the door slam loudly.

He paused when he saw Severus standing there dripping something onto his floor and scowling. The other man's eyes widened when they saw him and he raised an eyebrow in question as some type of slim slid down his face.

"Second year potions?" Harry asked in amusement as he looked at the other man.

"That girl!" Severus growled as he moved towards the bathroom. "She is already excelling Longbottom!"

"And the reason you are dripping slime on my floor and not in your own rooms?" Harry questioned as he crossed his arms.

"You are a curse breaker," Severus snapped back. "You work it out!"

"Ah," Harry said as his first cleaning spell failed but his fourth spell worked well enough as Severus stalked passed him and into the bathroom leaving a trail behind. "Do you want me to stop in at your classroom on the way out?"

Harry stood in the bathroom doorway as Severus had a shower and casually flicked his wand at the mess on the floor and the man's clothes. They would still need a wash but at least his spell got most of the slim off.

"Where are you going?"

"Interrogation at the Ministry."

"What!" Severus squeaked and stuck his head around the shower door. "Why are they interrogating you?"

"They aren't." Harry replied, as he picked an empty potion's vial from the man's robes and washed it in the sink. "I am contacting an interrogation."

"Who?" Severus asked as he stepped out of the shower and grabbed a towel.

"Mr Charmling," Harry replied as he half-filled the vial with water and held it up for the other man. "What do you reckon? Does that look like Veritaserum?"

Severus smirked as he wrapped a towel around his waist.

"I could just give you the real deal," Severus drawled.

"Where's the fun in that?" Harry asked, as he slipped the vial into his jacket pocket. "I should be back in time for dinner. I'll stop by your classroom on the way out."

Severus grabbed his arm as he went to turn around and Harry gave him a dark look and he quickly released his arm as Harry rubbed his jacket to make sure it didn't wrinkle.

"Blake?" Severus said softly.

Harry flashed him a grin with a glint in his eye.

"Oh, god." Severus moaned. "I know that look."

Harry barked a laugh as Severus stepped back.

"See you tonight, Severus." Harry called over his shoulder.

xXx

Harry sat back in his seat in the Auror Department Interrogation room with his lawyer beside him and a short nervous man in one of the seats on the other side of the wooden table. Harry looked up as the door opened and Charmling was pushed into the room with two other Aurors in uniform. The man's eyes widened when they saw him.

"Mr Charmling," Harry greeted with a smile. "Have a seat."

The two Aurors roughly pushed him into a seat and the man placed his cuffed hands onto the wooden table, his eyes locked onto Harry.

"Please unlock the handcuffs," Harry requested. "Mr Charmling, I believe you know your lawyer, Mr John Smith, and the man to my right is my lawyer Mr Michael Boulder."

"You…" Charmling started to say then trailed off as he rubbed his wrists.

The two Aurors stood back on either side of the door.

"Are alive?" Harry asked , as he took a sip of his coffee mildly. "Feel free to have a drink, real coffee this one."

Charmling took the cup in his hands and took a couple of sips, his eyes still wide, as they looked at him.

"Good thing I am still alive, Mr Charmling." Harry said softly, as Charmling's lawyer looked like he would rather be anywhere else. "Or you would be up on murder charges instead of attempted murder. Now, I have a couple of questions for you."

Charmling sneered and said. "I have said all I wish to."

"Ah," Harry said with a smile and placed the glass vial on the table. "But the up side to having a lover that's a potion master to access to all sorts of neat potions."

Charmling's eyes widened.

"You can't do that!" Charmling's lawyer squeaked.

"What?" Harry said with a smile. "Place a vial on the table?"

Harry turned to Mr Boulder.

"I don't know a law against it," Boulder said tonelessly.

"But," Charmling's lawyer stuttered.

"Now, Mr Charmling." Harry said as he looked over at the other man. "I already looked at your Auror file. Nothing much there, I must admit, so I started to look elsewhere. Are you not going to drink the rest of your coffee, it is very good?"

Harry gave a grin as he picked up his own coffee while Charmling just looked pale.

"No," Charmling replied shortly.

"What a waste," Harry said mildly as he opened a file on the table. "So, the muggle police department had more to say about you. It's a shame that the Auror department doesn't cross check these things. I do however."

Harry looked up at the pale face of Charmling.

"Anything to say Mr Charmling?" Harry asked gently. "Because I'm getting sick of hearing my own voice."

Charmling glared at him in answer.

"Very well," Harry said. "Now, this file was a lot more interesting and I'm sure a psychiatrist will find it very intriguing as well. Still nothing to say Mr Charmling?"

"I have nothing to say to you," Charmling snarled.

Harry tapped the vial.

"Just a matter of time really," Harry said casually. "I'm just waiting."

"I'm not telling you anything," Charmling snapped, sitting forward in his chair.

"Why would you need to," Harry replied. "I have your file here, I then decided to pull your father's police record."

Charmling paled and stuttered, "But you can't do that!"

Harry calmly placed his Department badge on the table next to the potion vial and Charmling's eyes widened even more.

"I think," Harry said calmly. "You will find that I can."

"Bah!" The man yelled and swiped everything off the table. Harry held his hand up as the Aurors went to step forward.

"Why did you stab me?" Harry said softly, into the silence.

Charmling stared at him with wide eyes.

"You are a Dark Wizard!" Charmling snarled.

"I am, that is hardly a secret." Harry said calmly, then sat forward in his chair. "And yet I wasn't the one that let death eaters onto the grounds of Hogwarts."

"You waste your power!" Charmling snapped as he glared at Harry, rage in his eyes. "Leashed by Dumbledore! And bound to that traitor!"

Harry sat back in his seat calmly.

"At their beck and call," Charmling hissed. "Such a waste of dark power."

"So," Harry said. "What did the Dark Lord offer then?"

"Your power," Charmling snarled and the two Aurors gasped. "He said if I killed you with that silver knife, he could give me your dark magic!"

"And why would you want that?" Harry asked in interest.

Charmling deflated at Harry's tone and just stared at him.

"Why would you want my dark magic?" Harry repeated without any emotion in his voice.

There was a glint in Charmling's eyes and Harry wasn't sure he wanted to hear the man's answer.

"I tried other ways first," Charmling said as he glared at Harry.

"To take my dark magic away?" Harry questioned calmly, the Aurors shifted uncomfortably at their post.

"Yes!" Charmling growled. "But that overgrown bat had gotten there first!"

"So, the Dark Lord offered you a different way," Harry said blandly.

"Yes!" Charmling confessed then seemed to remember where he was and looked around with large eyes. "But you can't use this against me!"

"Why is that?" Harry questioned. "You have answered all my questions without coercion, spell or potion. In front of two lawyers, two Aurors and a member of the Department of Mysteries."

Charmling's lawyer groaned as Harry smirked.

"But," Charmling stuttered and looked down at the potion vial on the ground and picked it up.

"The up side to having a lover that's a potion master," Harry said with a dark smirk. "Is he always has an empty potion vial on him."

Charmling snarled and lunged at him but the two Aurors jumped forward and grabbed him before he could reach Harry.

"You will be happy to know," Harry said, as Charmling struggled. "That your plan would never have worked. No one can take my dark or light power away from me."

Charmling stopped struggling in the hands holding him as his eyes widened.

"Yes, Mr Charmling." Harry said, and sat forward in his seat with a smirk. "You may call me a Dark Wizard but I am just as much a Light Wizard as well."

The Aurors sat him back into the seat and stood just behind him with a hand on either shoulder as the man just gapped at him.

"Yes," Harry said softly. "Now, does the name Graham Simpson mean anything to you?"

Charmling just looked at him blankly.

"Okay," Harry said and looked at the two Aurors. "I'm done."

"You waste that power!" Charmling hissed. "Held on a leash! Bound by a traitor!"

Harry sat back in his seat as Charmling was dragged from the room yelling and screaming. He was sure that no one would think the man innocent anymore as his yells echoed back to them as the man was led through the Auror Department.

"Well," Harry said as he looked over the mess on the floor. "That was enlightening…and a waste of time."

"Should help our case against him," Mr boulder said. "We will be in touch Mr Smith."

Charmling's lawyer just looked lost as he looked around, before grabbing up his brief case and leaving the room. Kingsley came in and stood in the doorway.

"He is still yelling," Kingsley said. "What was in that police record?"

Harry sighed and with a flick of his wand everything cleaned itself up and jumped back up onto the table and Kingsley stepped forward and opened the police file. Harry slipped his badge and the potion vial back into his pocket.

"Relation to the Riddle family," Harry said softly. "Still don't know why he was after dark magic. I would say that the Dark Lord went looking for someone in the Ministry when Albus couldn't find a Defence teacher and since Charmling was an Auror-"

"Is that all Blake?" Boulder cut in sharply.

"Um, Yes." Harry said with a grin. "I was just thinking out loud, Mr Boulder. Thank you."

Boulder gave him a nod and headed out the door, leaving Kingsley and Harry alone.

"He was just another person drawn to a Dark Lord," Harry said sadly.

"I must admit," Kingsley said softly. "I didn't see it coming. He's a nice bloke and a good Auror."

"Oh, well." Harry said as he got to his feet. "No harm done. We sorted it all out in the end."

"Blake," Kingsley said and grabbed his arm. "He stabbed you. You almost died, that is not 'no harm done'."

"Everyone I care about are still alive," Harry said softly. "I call that a win."

Kingsley held his stare.

"Even if I had to pay the price," Harry whispered.

Kingsley released him like he had been burnt and Harry gave him a sad smile.

"Good afternoon, Kingsley."

"Afternoon, Blake."

xXx

Severus looked up when the volume in the Great Hall dimmed slightly before picking up again in hissing whispers. Blake stood in the doorway in his suit as he leaned on his cane casually. He saw a couple of seventh year girls giving him looks as the other man moved into the hall.

"He looks dashing all dressed up in his adult clothes," Dracka announced, making Minerva snort. "Now if only we could make him look like a wizard instead of a muggle."

Severus smirked as he watched his lover and he wasn't the only one, he was gathering a bit of attention as he limped towards the Head Table and Severus wondered if the other man even noticed.

Blake stopped on the other side of the table and placed a half-full potion vial on the table in front of Severus. Dracka swiped it off the table with a smirk aimed towards the potions master.

"What's this?" Dracka asked.

"Veritaserum," Blake replied with a smirk. "Please try some."

Dracka quickly placed it back on the table like it might bite him.

"What did Charmling have to say?" Severus asked.

"Oh," Blake said casually. "He was disappointed that I am bound to an overgrown bat and that Albus holds me under a tight leash."

Minerva snorted into her coffee as Albus chuckled. Blake ran his fingers around his collar and pulled at his tie.

"I don't know, Albus." Blake said turning to the man. "I think you collar is getting a little loose."

Blake loosened his tie and flicked it over his head before placing it before the Headmaster.

"I think it needs resizing," Blake said with a wink and walked away.

Dracka barked a laugh as the others watched the man in amusement. Albus passed the tie to Severus with a twinkle in his eyes.

"I think you would have better luck than I would, my boy." Albus said to the younger man.

xXx

Harry stared at the black cube on the dining table, which was holding some papers down as he looked over some first-year files. He had yet to work out what the cube did which was another annoyance. None of the first-year students jumped out at him and none of the other teachers had passed him a file for a new student so far.

Harry tapped his pen on the table. Normally he would have gotten at least a couple of new students but so far this year, nothing. There were a few students that had been pulled from the school, mostly in seventh year or in Slytherin but it hadn't made much of an impact to the school population. A knock sounded on his door and he was glad for the break.

"Come in," Harry called.

Dracka stepped into the room, looking over the table.

"Dracka," Harry greeted. "Please tell me you have a new student for me?"

"Ah," Dracka said, stopping. "Am I supposed to?"

Harry sighed and leaned back in his seat.

"I was hoping for some new students," Harry explained. "Fresh blood and all."

Dracka grinned at the other man and took a seat at the table.

"Does your table always look like this?" Dracka asked.

"No," Harry replied. "Sometimes it's worse. I swear that Severus's fingers twitch every time he sees the table like this."

"Where is Severus?" Dracka asked looking over the files.

"Ry blew up a cauldron," Harry said with a smirk. "Severus has already remined me that I owe him 20 Galleons."

"He charges you?" Dracka asked in surprise.

"It's up to about a one thousand and twenty-five."

"Mr Potter that bad at potions?"

"Ah," Harry said, rubbing his neck. "I may have 'borrowed' a couple."

"Ha!" Dracka laughed.

"What did you want?" Harry asked with a grin.

Dracka pulled out a file and placed it on the table.

"Ah," Harry cried grabbing up the file and flicking it open. "Blaise Zabini?"

"The boy has vampire blood in him," Dracka confirmed.

"Ha!" Harry smirked. "I knew it!"

Dracka eyed off the cube on the desk. "What is that thing?"

"What's what?" Harry asked looking up from the file.

"That thing," Dracka said pointing at the cube.

"No idea," Harry replied. "German ministry gave it to me in payment years ago."

"It has light magic in it," Dracka said, eyeing it off.

"Really?" Harry asked picking up the cube but he couldn't feel or see anything.

"It's soft but there."

"Do you know what it is?"

Dracka shook his head. "It looks like it pulls magic in but besides that I have no idea."

"Oh well," Harry replied. "One day…so how are your classes going?"

Dracka groaned. "Let's just say that Dumbledore isn't paying me enough to teach seventh year Gryffindor and Slytherin classes."

xXx

"Mr Sun."

Harry turned at Draco's voice and gave the blonde a smile.

"Mr Malfoy," Harry said as he moved towards the Slytherin. "How are you? How is your mother?"

"She's well," Draco replied, looking nervous.

"Did you want to talk in my office?" Harry asked in concern when the boy didn't say anything more.

"Um," Draco looked away.

"Come on," Harry said with a smile and walked off down the hall with the Slytherin following behind.

"Your griffin," Draco suddenly blurted as Harry went to open his office door and he paused.

Harry gave a chuckle and moved towards his rooms instead and opened the door. Draco stood nervously in the doorway as Harry went in. Severus looked up from his book to see Draco standing in the doorway.

"Come in, Draco." Harry called over his shoulder. "Leave the door open."

"Have a seat, Draco." Severus said with a smile as he put his book to the side. "How's your mother?"

Harry smirked as he slipped into his office attached to his room and hunted around for the gold griffin as Draco and Severus spoke quietly in the other room. It looked like the thing had wandered off again and he cursed.

"Draco can you call it?" Harry called out. "I can't find it."

When silence only greeted him, he ducked back out of the room.

"Can you call it?" Harry repeated. "It's wandered off."

Severus snorted and sat back in his seat as he crossed his ankles before him.

"Maybe you should you check the greenhouse?" Severus drawled and Harry paled.

"Oh, god." Harry muttered and rubbed his head. "I can't face Professor Sprout again."

Ry, Ron and Hermione looked through the open door into the room.

"Hey, Dad." Ry said with a smile. "Why is your door open?"

Severus sighed.

"Come in you lot," Harry called as he moved to the bedroom to look for the griffin.

"Blake," Severus warned.

"What?" Harry asked. "Did you find it?"

Ry paled and backed up towards the door, with Ron and Hermione looking after him puzzled.

"What did you lose, Mr Sun?" Hermione asked.

"Is it something that we want to find?" Ry asked his father and Harry grinned.

"The griffin," Harry replied. "It's walked off."

Ry paled even more as he stepped out of the room.

"Bye, Dad." Ry called over his shoulder.

Ron and Hermione shared a look.

"Have you tried summoning it?" Hermione asked and Severus snorted.

"You can't summon it," Harry said from the bedroom. "It's glass. It reflects spells."

"You two should probably leave," Severus said mildly to Hermione and Ron.

"Yes, sir." The pair said as they left, closing the door behind them.

Severus and Draco looked over when they heard a bang and a curse from the bedroom. Draco's eye caught on a glint of gold as the griffin poked its head around the office door and looked around. Draco pointed it out to Severus.

"Blake," Severus called over his shoulder.

The griffin looked over at his voice and then it saw Draco and bolted over with a squeak.

"Oh, you found it." Harry called as he came into the room. "Well Draco, enjoy, it's all yours."

Severus paled as the griffin landed on his godson's hand.

"Is that safe, Blake?" Severus asked.

"What?" Harry asked, as he came back into the room. "Why wouldn't it be?"

"Well," Severus drawled. "It did tear through some death eaters and grow to quite a large size."

"Nah, it's perfectly safe." Harry said with a grin. "It's mostly out of magic now anyway. Never know, Mr Malfoy. It might save your life one day."

Severus and Draco shared a look as the griffin rolled onto its back with its legs in the air on the boy's palm.

"Why does the glass not cut?" Draco asked in interest.

"The beak does," Severus muttered.

Harry laughed as he moved towards the kitchen.

"It feeds off magic, so it needs to be around people and magic to charge up, you could say. Would be pointless if it cut you every time it moved." Harry called back. "It took over a year of absorbing magic to grow to the size it did and I boosted it with as much magic as I could as well. It's only dangerous in its other form…well except for its beak. Could never work that bit out."

The griffin had jumped up onto the lounge and curled up on the back of it and fallen asleep while Harry made a coffee. He casually scooped up the figurine up in his hand as he moved back into the room and held it out to Draco.

"I, Blake Sun." Harry said with a wink at the boy. "Pass this onto Draco Malfoy."

The magic settled around them as Harry dropped the griffin into the boy's open hand. The griffin opened an eye and looked up at him before curling back up.

"And all the responsibility that entails," Severus muttered.

Harry barked a laugh as Draco looked a little pale but his grey eyes glinted as he looked down at the griffin in his hand.

xXx

Harry placed another file on the pile to the left of him. He frowned down at the table in puzzlement. He had been working through reports from Dracka about Graham Simpson's movements and the attack on Dracka's Coven without any luck. He was trying to find a connection between the man and Voldemort but nothing was jumping out at him and he was getting a little frustrated.

His mind just kept coming back to the attack, it was too well funded and worked out for the level that Simpson should be at. The man was nothing special, yes, he was a powerful wizard, but he wasn't a Dark Lord and he hadn't gone through any rituals to increase his power and yet had three giants at his disposal and other dark creatures including vampires.

Harry tapped his pen against the table as he read through a file written in German from the Ministry of Magic over there. Why did Simpson leave the country to attack the Council in France? Nothing made sense. Harry knew nothing about the man, he was unknown factor in this war and it scared him.

"Come in," Harry called at the knock at the door.

Dracka walked into the room with a few more files in his hand.

"Thanks," Harry said taking the files.

"Form my spies in Germany," Dracka said as he took a seat. "As far as we can tell Simpson has gone to ground."

"After the attack on the Council?" Harry muttered. "How did he have so many people and creatures at his disposal? Why did he attack the Council?"

Dracka just shrugged his shoulders as he sat back in his seat. Harry looked through the reports. Both men glanced up as Severus came through the door. He took one look at the files scattered across the table and went straight to the kitchen while Dracka smirked after him.

Harry picked up his phone sitting on the table and dialled the Headmaster.

"Albus Dumbledore," The Headmaster answered.

"Do you have those files on the Dark Lord's movements before he was reborn?" Harry asked.

"No," Albus replied. "I'm still compiling them together. I have the files of his movements after he was reborn. I was going to bring them down to you."

"Thanks, Albus." Harry said hanging up.

"Do you think there is a connection?" Dracka asked as Severus moved back into the room with three mugs.

Harry tapped his pen a couple of times in thought.

"I don't know," Harry said quietly. "He seems to have gotten too much support too quickly."

"Could the Dark Lord have supplied it to split our attention?" Severus asked.

"Do you think that the Council would have been able to hold back the attack without our support?" Harry asked Dracka instead of answering Severus as he thought through the man's question.

"We would have put up a good fight," Dracka said with a toothy grin.

"So, that's a no." Harry answered for him. "So, Severus you might have a point maybe it was a distraction or to see how we would react…or even to see if we would honour the Treaty. If the Council had fallen it would have left a lot of groups scattered as well, which a Dark Lord would have enjoyed coming along and picking up."

"You think the Dark Lord was testing us by sending Simpson to attack the Council?" Dracka asked.

"Bit of a stretch?" Harry asked, sitting back in his seat.

"Possibly," Dracka replied.

Harry turned back to his files and reports as Severus and Dracka moved over to the lounge. The two men's quiet conversation calming him as he read through the new reports from Dracka. He nodded at the Headmaster as he came in with the files Harry wanted. Something wasn't making sense to him.

"Professor Quirrell," Harry said suddenly.

"What was that, my boy?" Albus asked.

"Professor Quirrell," Harry said turning to the other men. "He picked up the spirit of the Dark Lord. Do you know where he was when he did that?"

Albus sat back in his seat thinking.

"Somewhere in Europe?" Albus said slowly. "Severus?"

Severus nodded in agreement, which didn't narrow it down any in Harry's mind.

"This was before Ry started school," Harry said voicing his thoughts. "So, his spirit could have been floating for a while. Do we know when Simpson was exiled from the states? Was he born there?"

"He first appeared in Germany in the late eighties," Dracka replied. "He didn't start making waves until later."

"Albus," Harry asked softly. "Would you be able to look into whether he went to school at one of the magical schools in America?"

"I can do that," Albus said with a smile.

"You don't have contacts in America, Blake?" Severus asked in interest.

"Um, not really." Harry said distracted. "They are a little closed when it comes to magic. Only worked at the Gringotts branch a few times and they only reluctantly gave me those contracts when they couldn't find a master curse breaker there to do the work."

"Do you think that Simpson may have come across the Dark Lord's spirit?" Albus asked.

"I don't know," Harry replied. "I just have a feeling that there might be a connection."

"That is concerning," Dracka said.

"None of the files here say that either man have met or even corresponded." Harry said throwing his pen down in frustration.

"What makes you think there is a connection?" Severus asked.

"The fact he had three giants," Harry said grabbing one of the files of the battle. "He had too much support. Before the battle, your spies Dracka report that he only had a few people following him and yet when he attacked the Council he had three giants and vampires on his side. Not to mention the number of wizards and witches."

"Do we know why he attacked the Council?" Severus asked.

"Nope," Harry said. "And with that curse breaker he would have gotten through the wards I placed if I wasn't there. Did the Dark Lord make a move while we were fighting Simpson, Albus?"

"Not that we are aware of," Albus said rubbing his beard in thought.

"Then Charmling went straight for me before he tried to kill you Albus," Harry said thinking back. "He took me out first. He knew to act quickly."

Severus paled at Harry's words as the image of the bleeding body of his lover laying lifeless on the stones of Hogwarts came to his mind

"He knew you were the biggest threat," Dracka said quietly.

"Exactly," Harry said. "He knew for his plan to work, he had to take me down, not only first, but fast as well. He didn't go for you Severus or McGonagall or even Flitwick. He went straight for me and took me out before I could react."

"He must have known about the battle," Dracka said slowly.

"Or it was your classes, Blake," Severus added in.

"Maybe," Harry replied. "I'm leaning more towards him knowing I took out a giant and boosted the wards and yet when I questioned him he didn't react to Simpson's name."

The three men sat back in their seats as Harry tapped his pen against the table.

"If they are working together," Albus said slowly. "Simpson would have to be taken out before Voldemort."

"That," Harry said, pointing his pen at the Headmaster. "Might be the point."

"He is just a wizard," Dracka said darkly.

"That we know of," Harry said in agreement. "He is not a Dark Lord, I would have felt it that day of the battle."

"But if he has come into contact with the spirit of Voldemort…" Albus said slowly.

"He may know how to take that next step," Harry finished for him, which was a sobering thought.

The last thing they needed were two Dark Lords working together against them. It could bring down the magical community and not just in Britain.


	19. Chapter 19

"I need Severus to identify some death eaters," Albus asked.

"Why are you asking me and not him?" Harry asked with a frown as he took a sip of his coffee.

They were in his rooms at the school and Harry's bag was already on the table ready to go in two days' time.

"I thought I should run it passed you since you are heading out of the country," Albus said. "And I would need him to be close to the death eaters to identify them."

Harry leaned back in his seat and pulled out his mobile phone and called Severus's number.

"Yes?" Severus drawled.

"Can you come down to my rooms, please?" Harry said into his phone, his eyes not leaving Albus's. "Albus has a mission for you."

"Why are you calling me then?"

"I believe that Albus is asking for my blessing," Harry replied as Albus snorted into his tea.

"Oh, god." Severus replied.

Harry hung up the phone and placed the device on the table as they waited. Severus walked in through the door and looked over at the two men at the table and Harry's bag then sighed. Harry waved his hand to Albus and the man looked at him in amusement.

"Severus," Albus said with a smile. "I need you to identify some death eaters."

Severus frowned as he took a seat at the table and eyed off Harry's bag.

"Okay, explain." Severus replied.

"I'll need you to go out with a team to where Voldemort is hiding," Albus explained. "You have the best knowledge of his original death eaters. We are hoping you can tell us who is new to his ranks. We think that some of them will be past students of this school."

Severus frowned at the Headmaster before looking over at Harry.

"When?" Severus asked.

"Saturday night," Albus replied. "I just got word that he is calling a meeting at the Riddle house."

"Blake?" Severus asked as he looked at the bag on the table.

"I'll be in Russia," Harry replied. "I'll be leaving Thursday lunch time until Monday. They need a curse breaker to break down some wards on a house that Gringotts are claiming."

Harry watched Severus lean back in his seat and look between Harry and the Headmaster. Harry gave him a smile as he picked up his coffee, letting the man think it through.

"If you run into trouble," Harry said softly. "It will take me time to get back here. You will have to trust the Order to come to your aid."

"We will back you up the whole way, Severus." Albus said calmly. "We'll be using the scopes that Blake managed to get for us."

"Is this a marking?" Severus asked softly.

"We think so," Albus replied.

Harry frowned and his hands clenched around his cup.

"So," Severus drawled. "There is more of a chance that the new death eaters will not be wearing masks and the inner circle being there. You know he will have a lot of his followers there if this is a marking, Albus."

"Yes," Albus said in agreement and his eyes flicked to Harry.

"Did you want me to leave?" Harry asked.

"No," Albus and Severus said at the same time and Harry smiled.

"Could you reschedule, Blake?" Severus asked.

"No, sorry." Harry replied. "I've already signed the contract with the goblins."

Severus sighed.

"Very well," Severus said softly.

"Thank you, my boy." Albus said with a smile. "We'll met in my office after lunch on Saturday. Good afternoon, boys."

"Good afternoon, Albus."

Albus gave them a smile as he left the rooms leaving the two men alone. Severus turned to Harry and raised an eyebrow in question.

"Why did you ask to leave?" Severus asked with a frown.

"Order business," Harry replied. "I'm not in the Order Severus."

"Dracka?" Severus asked.

"Is not part of the Order," Harry replied. "As far as I know."

Severus frowned and Harry sighed.

"Albus is the Head of the Order of the Phoenix, Severus." Harry said. "It is up to him the way that he works with the members of the Order and it is up to you about what you do."

Severus's eyes fell on Harry's bag again on the table. Harry reached over and placed a hand on Severus's arm.

"If you get into trouble," Harry said softly. "I will head back as quickly as I can Severus."

"That would break your contract?"

"Yes," Harry confirmed then gave him a smile. "You'll be fine. Albus is good with planning and I'm sure that Dracka can have some men on hand."

Severus groaned.

"I'm not a child," Severus spat.

Harry smirked and raised an eyebrow in amusement.

"I'm not saying a word on that subject," Harry replied mildly.

Severus glared at him.

xXx

Severus was sprawled out on his stomach on the ground, on a slight hill, overlooking the Riddle house with five other Order members further back behind him as he lifted the scope and looked through it to see Voldemort and his followers out the back of the Riddle mansion. He held the scope still as he wrote down names on the piece of paper next to him on the ground. He could easily pick out the original members of Voldemort circle and a few students that he had taught over the years.

None of the newer members coming forward were current students and he sighed. He was also glad for the fact that there was a silencing charm around the mansion and grounds as people were led forward and he was sure that he would have been able to hear screaming from here as the marking went ahead.

Remus crawled up beside him and Severus passed the scope over to him. The man glanced through it then paled and handed it back.

"Have you seen enough?" Remus whispered.

"More than enough," Severus replied. "But give me another half an hour for every one of them to be marked."

Remus patted the man's shoulder and crept back as Severus turned back to the scope and the notebook. Over half an hour later he crept back to the other Order members and they moved away from the mansion silently. From the looks on the men and women's faces they would have liked to have raided the mansion instead of letting the marking go ahead but there had been nothing they could do with Voldemort on the scene.

"How was Blake about letting you be here?" Remus asked quietly.

"I think he would have like to have been here to back us up," Severus replied, making sure they couldn't be over heard. "He's in Russia."

"What's he doing there?" Remus asked in interest.

"Something for the goblins," Severus replied.

xXx

Harry cursed as he looked around at the ghost hounds circling him and wondered how he'd gotten into this situation as he glanced over at the heavy-set blonde man beside him.

"Orders?" Ivic asked in Russian as he looked around.

"Stay still," Harry ordered also in Russian. "Do not move or attack."

"That is your plan?"

"It is at the moment."

The man glared over at him as Harry held his silver sword out in front of him hoping that Severus was having better luck than he was as one of the ghost hounds snarled at him.

xXx

"Duck!"

Severus dropped with Remus beside him as the death eater stepped out from behind a wall and sent a spell hurling in their direction. Remus pushed him as they felt anti-apparation wards fare up and Severus cursed. They quickly moved further down the street as more death eaters started to appear. Severus shot a spell over his shoulder as Remus forced a door open of one of the houses.

They tumbled into the dark house and dashed straight through to the back and quickly over the fence of the property next door. Remus went to climb the next fence when Severus pulled him back and behind a small shed. They huddled down behind the steel shed as they heard voices and movement as the death eaters sprinted through the yard then it went quiet.

Severus peered around the side of the shed to see the empty garden and pushed Remus back towards the fence they had first gone over. They made their way back into the house and back out onto the street. Severus shrugged out of his robes, shrunk them and placed them away in his pocket. Remus quickly did the same, the werewolf looking to the spy for direction.

Severus grabbed the man's hand and stepped closer to him and Remus looked over in surprise as they passed a few people on the quiet streets. They were heading away from the Riddle mansion and Severus hoped they could make it to the edge of the wards without being spotted again.

"Do you think it was a scouting party?" Severus asked as he leaned close to the other man.

"I'm not sure," Remus replied, tense under his hand. "We scoped out the area over the last two days."

Severus cursed, surprising Remus.

"Then there is more of a chance they picked up on you," Severus replied.

Shouting sounded and Severus pushed Remus up against the wall. The other man squeaked as Severus covered his body with his taller frame and looked down into the wide eyes of the werewolf. Severus gave him a wink and leaned forward.

"Keep an eye out," Severus whispered into his neck.

He felt Remus nod as Severus held him still.

"Two death eaters to the right," Remus whispered. "There's a vampire coming up to them."

"Let's hope it's one of Dracka's men," Severus muttered.

Severus glanced over before stepping back from Remus as the vampire tore into the two death eaters. Remus paled with his eyes wide as the vampire took down the last death eater and moved towards them. Severus tensed as he took Remus's hand again and pulled him forward.

They could see the vampire's red eyes shining from here and Severus could feel how tense the man was beside him. The vampire leered as he got closer, he had long brown hair and his eyes were blue, once he got control of his demon.

"Order, _oui_?" The man asked with a strong French accent.

"Yes," Severus confirmed and released Remus's hand.

The man pulled out one of the message stones and turned it for Severus to see.

'How many in your team? Dracka,' was written on the stone in Dracka's curving script.

"Six," Severus replied. "Including us."

The vampire handed him the stone.

"Think Dracka and message," The man said.

Severus did as he was ordered and the message came up on the stone as if he'd written it. He passed it back to the vampire, who leered at him and gave him a nod. The man looked back down at the stone.

"Follow me," The man said and moved off, without waiting for a reply.

Severus went to follow when Remus grabbed his shoulder.

"Is it safe?" Remus hissed.

"Yes," Severus said with a small smile. "He's one of Dracka's men."

There would have been a time in his life that following after a vampire when there were death eaters around, with a werewolf at his side and the Riddle mansion a few streets away. Would have been a situation that Severus didn't think he would have found himself in. That was before Blake came into his life. The vampire waved his hand at the next corner and they hugged the wall and waited.

Suddenly two death eaters appeared from around the corner running and the vampire grabbed the closest one and plunged his fangs down into the man's neck before he could cry out. The wizard winched at the sight before moving into action.

Severus quickly sent a spell at the other one while Remus's spell followed his and the man fell hard to the ground. The vampire let the person in his grip go and looked over his shoulder at the two wizards and Severus shivered at the sight of the red eyes and blood dripping down the man's chin.

Severus grabbed Remus's wrist and pushed his wand down.

"No cursing the vampires," Severus hissed, then realised that he sounded like Blake and smirked.

The vampire waved his hand and they moved closer. The vampire crouched down and peered around the corner quickly.

"Back other way," The vampire hissed when he got to his feet and the three men were running.

Shouting sounded behind them as they skittered around a corner and Severus quickly pulled a piece of chalk from his pocket and ran a line from one wall to the other.

"Severus!" Remus hissed.

Severus ignored him as he brought up a protection ward and the chalk line flared. It wouldn't be as powerful as a circle but it should hold as he poured as much power into it as he could and the barrier flared blue in colour before he ran after the other two men.

xXx

"This plan is not working," Ivic snarled as the beasts started to circle around them as Harry held his silver sword out.

"Do you have a better one?" Harry asked as he watched the beasts.

"You have magic," Ivic hissed. "Use it!"

"Against what!" Harry hissed. "They don't have a form! Plus, me using magic is what made them to appear to begin with!"

"You can't do something about that?"

Harry paused, since the ghost hounds had no form they couldn't be killed but from the pain in his arm and leg from where one had latched onto him they could cause pain, but no physical damage. Harry and Ivic had been separated from the rest of the team when they had stepped through a doorway that had taken them to another part of the house and now they stood in some kind of indoor garden with the ghost hounds snarling at them.

Ivic was the closest relative to the woman that had owned the house but he didn't have magic so the house didn't recognise him as the owner but he did share the same blood which had gotten them through the door. It had gone downhill quickly after that.

"Tell me about your mother?" Harry asked instead.

"She was a kind woman," Ivic said, as he looked at the beasts. "Then about six months ago something changed. She closed up the house and wouldn't let anyone into it. She used to open it on weekends to tourists. It is a very old house, people would have weddings here."

"Was it a sudden change?" Harry asked, as he swiped his blade when a beast got too close and it backed off.

"She stopped calling me," Ivic said quietly. "She would call me at least once a week maybe more. Then stopped."

Harry started to have a sinking feeling in his stomach.

"You were born without magic?" Harry asked softly.

"Yes," The man confirmed. "I work in an office building in Moscow. My mother set up an account for me so that I would inherent her money after she passed. It did not feel right to get money without working."

Harry grinned over at the man and he returned the smile. Suddenly his walkie talkie crackled and Harry slipped it off his belt.

"Sun," Harry said into it, but it just crackled.

His phone was useless as well, whatever magic was on this house was blocking communication spells and he couldn't pick up a muggle phone tower. He flicked his sword out when one of the hounds jumped forward and pushed it back.

"Tell me more," Harry said softly. "What did your mother like?"

"Her garden," Ivic replied.

Harry looked around the garden, seeing the neat garden beds but the plants had over taken it now.

"And her dogs," Ivic said softly and looked at the beasts.

"Afghan Hounds?" Harry asked as one of the ghost hounds snarled at them.

"Yes," Ivic replied. "And Mastiffs."

Harry's eyes widened when he could only see hounds milling around but the animals seemed to be calming as Ivic spoke.

"Tell me what she was like?" Harry said softly. "What type of flowers did she like?"

"Roses," Ivic replied as he looked around. "She liked orange roses."

Harry's radio crackled again and he could start to hear parts of words coming through the static.

"Keep going," Harry said, then stepped to the side as a hound tried to take a bite out of his leg. "Did she show her dogs?"

"Yes, yes." Ivic replied with a smile. "She did very good. I don't know where they are now."

One of the beasts snarled at them.

"I can guess," Harry said softly.

xXx

"You did magic?" The vampire asked thickly.

"Yes," Severus replied as he caught up with the other two. "Should give us some time."

"I no magic," The vampire said. "Too young."

Severus and Remus looked at the other man in interest as they ran but they were running out of streets as the houses started to thin and yet they couldn't apparate or portkey until they got passed the wards which seemed to just keep going.

"Where is Dracka?" Severus panted.

"Outside wards," The vampire replied. "You want me to call?"

Severus yelped and ducked as a spell sailed over his head and tripped on the sidewalk as the vampire pushed Remus to the side and down an alley.

"I call!" The vampire called as Severus scrambled along the ground as spells crashed around him and he quickly pulled up a shield but that just made them start throwing the killing curse which just went straight through.

Severus finally made it into the alley and Remus pulled him until he was behind cover as the vampire held the message stone in his hand. Then Severus stomach dropped as he felt something along the connection with Blake.

"Dracka come," The vampire hissed as he crouched down, his red eyes shining as he peered around the corner. "They have vampire."

Severus shivered at the man's words as he felt the link with Blake indicating that something was wrong. Severus pulled his phone out of his pocket and called Blake's number but it just beeped at him and he paled even more. That had never happened before when he'd called Blake's number. He looked up at Remus.

"What's wrong?" The man hissed.

"Blake," Severus replied. "Come on."

Severus grabbed the man's shoulder and they were moving further down the alley with the vampire watching them but not moving from his place on the corner. Severus waved at him but the vampire just flashed his fangs in his direction.

Severus and Remus paused as a man swung around the corner with a wand out and Severus had to grab Remus's wrist as the man looked up with red eyes. Dracka leered at them and barked something at the other vampire that had the man running towards them.

"We can't go that way," Dracka said quickly as the vampire drew even with them.

Dracka grabbed the man by the back of the neck and pulled him close, whispering something in his ear, the position looking very intimate as Dracka held the man. The man nodded and dashed back down the alleyway to where he'd been before. Severus quickly pulled out his piece of chalk and ran a line over the entrance to the alley and brought up a protection ward.

"The other way doesn't look great either," Severus said as he moved towards the vampire and he flashed his fangs at him and Severus just smirked.

Dracka lifted his nose into the air before turning to Severus.

"The Dark Lord has moved into town," Dracka said. "Everyone else is out. It's just us. Come on."

The three men moved back to the younger vampire and Dracka knelt next to him and they spoke quietly in French as Severus and Remus kept an eye out.

"Dracka," Severus called.

The man looked up in question.

"Can you call Blake?"

"Blake?" Dracka asked as he looked around.

"His number isn't working," Severus said quickly.

"We have enough problems, Severus." Dracka said quickly. "Let's get out of this first then deal with Blake. He can look after himself."

Dracka turned back to the vampire next to him and said something in French and the man nodded and looked up at the second story window across the alley. The man quickly dashed across the alley and Severus watched in amazement as the man quickly scaled the side of the building and broke the window to get in as glass rained down.

"Can you all do that?" Severus asked Dracka, whom gave the man leer before peering around the corner.

"Your ward is holding Severus," Dracka hissed. "Liam is going to try and take them from the other side. We need to move into place."

"Okay, lead the way vampire." Severus snapped and Remus snorted.

Dracka flashed his fangs at him and moved out of the alley with Severus and Remus following behind. Remus stayed further back as Severus and Dracka took point. There were four death eaters using spells to smash into the barrier Severus had placed. Dracka cocked his head to the side as he looked at it and glanced over at Severus.

"Have you been taking lessons from Blake?" Dracka drawled.

Severus just smirked at him as they took cover behind a steel bin and waited for Liam to get into place behind the death eaters.

"Severus, get ready to drop it." Dracka said softly as he looked down at the message stone in his hand.

xXx

Harry cried out as a beast lunged at him. He wasn't quick enough to get his sword up as it latched onto his arm and he dropped his sword with a curse as Ivic scrambled back across the ground. Pain shot through Harry's arm and he instinctively lashed out with dark magic. That just made the beast more solid as it ripped into him and the pain increased. There was no real damage but Harry could feel the pain of the beast's jaw tearing into his skin.

"Keep talking about your mother!" Harry called out as he tried to get the beast off his arm as other beasts circled around.

"Why?"

"This is your mother's house!" Harry yelped as the beast pulled him forward. "You are her son!"

"She gave me one of her dogs," Ivic stuttered as the beasts circled around him. "A beautiful tri coloured bitch, just because I said I liked her."

The beast stopped pulling Harry forward and he gritted his teeth at the pain in his arm.

"What did your mother look like?" Harry gasped.

"She had long blonde hair that was straight," Ivic said as his eyes flicked around at the beasts. "And bright blue eyes and had such a beautiful smile. She would light up a room."

The hound released Harry as Ivic spoke and he quickly summoned his sword between them and the hound jumped back.

"Father was a hard man," Ivic kept going. "Very rough but mother would always have time for us."

The beasts started to back up as the young man spoke.

"When father died, I came to live here for a while." Ivic said softly and looked around at the over grown garden. "It didn't look like this before."

Harry sighed as the ghost hounds started to lose their forms as Ivic spoke and he pulled back his magic completely and held it close. The radio crackled and Harry could pick out his name being called over it amongst the static.

"Did she spend a lot of time here?" Harry asked as he pulled himself to his feet and winched at the pain in his arm and leg.

" _Da_ ," Ivic replied. "She would say that magic had a life and so did plants. You have to work with them and take care of them for them both to grow."

"I would have liked your mother," Harry said softly as the ghost hounds lost their forms completely and they were alone in the garden again.

"What did you do?" Ivic asked looking around.

"That wasn't me." Harry said and clapped a hand to the young man's shoulder. "That was you. Your mother is right. Magic has a way of making a life for itself."

"Sun?" A voice crackled over the radio.

"Sun here," Harry replied to the radio.

"Where the hell are you?"

"Tell everyone to pull back," Harry ordered. "This house already has an owner. The goblins can't claim it."

"What! Sun!" Static overtook the man's words as the radio crackled.

Harry looked over at Ivic and the man just looked puzzled.

"Your mother's last gift," Harry said softly. "We just need to break the dark curse that killed her."

Ivic flinched back as a roar sounded through the house and Harry sighed. Some days just weren't worth getting out of bed for as the walkie talkie died in his hand.

xXx

"Okay, Severus." Dracka ordered and pulled his steel sword. "Drop it."

Severus broke his ward just as a death eater spell smashed into it and Dracka rushed forward with his sword as Severus and Remus covered him. Liam came up behind the death eater at the back of the group and quickly took him out. They very quickly took out the group of four death eaters and Severus flinched when Dracka sunk his fangs into one of the men's throats quickly before stepping back. He grabbed Liam by the back of the neck and dragged him back towards the two wizards.

"Come on," Dracka hissed and they were moving.

Liam suddenly flashed his fangs at Severus and Dracka growled low in his throat. Liam's eyes flicked to Dracka before he quickly stepped back and tilted his head slightly before falling back another step. It wasn't until moments like this that Severus remembered that, even if Dracka acted like a wizard, he was still a dark creature as Liam moved to the back of the group while Dracka moved forward. Not a word spoken between the vampires.

"Is this what happens when groups of werewolves come together?" Severus whispered to Remus.

Dracka snorted loudly, having over heard him while Remus gave the man a grin without answering. Liam called out something in French and Dracka stopped them and glanced over his shoulder. Severus's eyes widened when a dark beast, shaped like a large cat, appeared behind them and he froze as the thing's red eyes locked on them.

Dracka jumped forward in front of Severus and Remus with Liam at his shoulder as he held the steel sword out before him.

"We could do with Blake's silver sword about now," Dracka called out. "That thing is made out of dark magic."

"Would a silver knife help?" Severus asked smoothly as he pulled out the silver knife he'd taken from Charmling and held it up for the vampire to see.

Dracka gave him a smirk as the beast started to prowl forward smoothly. Severus moved up towards Dracka as Remus watched their backs.

"How far are we from the edge of the wards?" Severus asked.

"Two more streets," Dracka replied quickly. "We can't outrun that beast. It will take us down."

"Did the Dark Lord cast it?" Severus asked softly.

"I would say so," Dracka replied. "He's getting closer, Severus. We have to make this quick. Liam left side, Severus if you get a chance stab in the heart or head. Try not to let that blade touch us."

Dracka and Liam moved forward with superhuman speed as the beast yowled loudly. The beast swung for Liam first but the man danced away as Dracka attacked its right flank with the sword and the beast turned on him and lunged taking the vampire down. Severus darted forward as quickly as he could as Liam crashed into the beast's side. The vampires tangled with the dark beast as Severus darted in and stabbed his silver knife into its hind leg and it screamed and lashed out with its claws but Severus jumped back, stumbling slightly.

Dracka growled and lashed out at the large cat and it jumped back, swiping its claws out at Liam. The man moved so quickly that if Severus had blinked, he was sure that he would have missed it, as he jumped and twisted in the air before landing on all fours and crashing into the animal's side as Dracka grabbed it around the neck. Severus quickly moved in but before he could attack the beast, it threw Dracka and the man hit the wall on the other side of the alley hard.

Liam lost his hold as Severus darted in and swiped the blade at the thing's left flank. Liam yelped as the blade nicked his arm slightly, burning his skin, and barred his fangs at Severus but the wizard was already turning the blade and digging it in deeply into the beast's chest. The animal screamed and lashed out.

Severus stumbled back as Liam jumped free of the beast.

The younger vampire turned on Severus as the cat screamed and he felt a bolt of fear run through him as the man stared at him with feral red eyes as he moved forward.

"Sorry," Severus gasped.

Liam snarled and lunged forward but Dracka was there and pulling the other man to the ground and getting in the younger vampire's face with his fangs barred and a growl in his throat.

"Finish it," Dracka snapped and Severus bolted for the cat.

Severus quickly plunged the knife into the thing's side and it puffed away into dark mists. He glanced over his shoulder to see Dracka pulling back from the younger vampire and Remus looking very pale. Liam had his head tilted to the side and Severus could see fang marks on his throat and he shivered.

"Move," Dracka snapped and they were running.

Dracka leading the way with Liam two steps behind. Severus and Remus brought up the rear as they crossed the wards and Dracka held out a portkey for them. Severus locked eyes with the vampire over the portkey and he flashed his fangs at him with dark eyes before activating it.

Severus looked around the stone room and sighed, they were safe. Dracka growled slightly and Severus's eyes flicked to him sharply but he was looking at Liam. The younger vampire looked at Severus and tilted his head slightly, making Dracka huff a laugh and hiss something in French.

"Sorry," Liam said in his thick accent. "I am still young. Sorry."

Severus nodded his head and flicked his eyes to Dracka and the man gave him a smile before grabbing Liam's shoulder and moving to the door to the stone room.

"Remus!"

Everyone looked up as Tonks flew across the room and took Remus in a tight hug. The man grinned and hugged the woman back as Dracka huffed a laugh and pushed Liam towards his men to the right of the room. Severus gave them a smirk as Remus and Tonks shared a kiss before he moved towards the Headmaster's desk. The Order were looking over at Dracka's men but Severus could see the respect in the eyes as Dracka spoke quietly to the men and women under his command.

"Are you okay?" Albus asked running his eyes over him.

Severus placed the notebook on the table.

"Yes," Severus replied. "I wrote down all the names, but I think the vampires might have snacked on a few of them."

"I don't think they will be missed," Dracka said from beside him and Severus glanced over at the man.

"How's your head?" Severus asked mildly.

Dracka flashed his fangs at Severus which just made him smirk.

"Just remember vampire healing," Dracka replied with a leer. "Try calling Blake now?"

Severus swore and quickly took out his phone.

"Blake?" Albus asked with a frown.

Severus's phone just beeped at him as Dracka pulled out his phone with the same results.

"Can you call Blake with your landline?" Severus asked and he shared a look with Dracka.

Albus picked up the phone and called him.

"It just beeped twice," Albus replied and placed the phone down. "Should we be concerned?"

Severus focused on the ring and felt unsettlement and the feeling that something was wrong coming through.

"I'm not sure," Severus replied. "I've never had his number fail?"

"Neither have I," Albus replied in concern. "Dracka do you have men in Russia?"

"Not many," Dracka replied. "He is due back Monday?"

"Yes," Severus replied as he looked around at the Order members and the way that a few of the vampires had moved to talk to them, especially Remus and Tonks.

"Could it just be the connection spell in his phone?" Albus asked.

"No," Severus said softly. "I felt something over the connection with the ring. He was in trouble."

Albus sat back in his seat looking a little pale as he glanced around the room.

"I'm not sure what we can do, Severus." Albus said. "He's in Russia. You need approval to go to that country."

Severus ran a hand over his head in agitation and Dracka placed a hand on his shoulder.

"I'll try to get in contact with the men I have over there," Dracka said softly and moved away from the two men.

"I'm sorry, Severus." Albus said with sadness his eyes.

"You know he would drop everything to help us, Albus." Severus hissed as he glared at the old man and the noise in the room dropped.

"And we would for him," Albus replied. "But he's in Russia, not here."

"The goblins," Severus said and turned to Dracka. "Dracka, the goblins."

The man nodded as he spoke on his phone.

"What's going on?" Sirius asked as he moved closer to them with Remus beside him.

"We have lost contact with Blake," Albus said softly. "Severus thinks he's in trouble."

"Can we do anything to help?" Remus asked.

"He's in Russia," Albus replied. "We can't cross the border without approval."

"The goblins lost contact with Blake and his team on Thursday," Dracka said as he moved over to the others. "They have sent a backup team there but they can't get into the property. The grounds and the house went into lock down after they stepped over the wards. They have a curse breaker there now trying to get in."

"Can they get us into Russia?" Severus asked.

"They are working on it," Dracka replied. "Should have an answer tomorrow morning."

"If you need back up, Severus." Albus said softly, "We'll back you up."

Severus sighed and looked down at the floor, he was concerned for his lover and he hated this feeling of helplessness. He pulled his phone again and tried Blake's number without success. Dracka land a hand on his shoulder.

"Get some sleep, boys." Albus said softly. "Hopefully we'll have some news in the morning."

Everyone broke up after that and Dracka fell into step with Severus as they worked their way down the school.

"Blake can look after himself, Severus." Dracka said softly. "And you know he can't die."

"And if the hallows fail?" Severus hissed, his eyes flashing and Dracka sighed.

"The magic of the hallows are entwined with his own Severus," Dracka replied softly. "I think it would be near impossible for that to change."

"But the possibility is still there," Severus stated.

"let's hope it isn't."

xXx

"Where did your mother die?" Harry asked softly as they moved through the house.

His walkie talkie had failed again and Harry had clipped it back on his belt as they moved through hallway after hallway and room after room. The magic in the house turning them around and Harry was sure they'd moved through the same dance hall four times already.

"She jumped from the tower," Ivic said softly. "I hadn't heard from her in a long time. Then the police called me through the Ministry of Magic."

Harry groaned when he opened the next door to find the dance hall again and he moved to the stage and took a seat on the steps with Ivic beside him. Harry glanced at his watch then the windows, his watch stated it was one am and yet sunlight shone brightly through the windows and into the hall.

"This house, just keeps turning us around." Harry said as he rubbed his head. "The dark magic has soaked into the foundations and the walls. Did your mother have dark magic?"

"I don't know," Ivic replied. "How can a house be working against us?"

"It's what your mother used to say, Ivic." Harry said tiredly. "Magic has a way of finding a life for itself. Come on, we'll find a room and get some sleep."

xXx

Severus didn't sleep well that night and every time he woke he tried to call Blake without any luck and he felt a sinking feeling in his stomach. At five in the morning he gave up and dressed, it was Sunday morning and the castle was empty when he moved to the front doors and looked out onto the front lawn as he reached for the connection with Blake.

The connection was there and he could feel unease passing over it but nothing else and he sighed and released it as he watched the sun climb on the horizon, from the shadows of the castle.

"Couldn't sleep?"

Severus glanced over at Dracka and he could see that the vampire looked just as tried as he felt.

"No," Severus replied. "Any news?"

"Nothing," Dracka replied as he stepped closer to Severus. "The goblins should be contacting me soon, hopefully with portkeys booked."

"What do you think went wrong?" Severus asked softly.

"Could have been anything, Severus." Dracka replied, "He's a Master Curse Breaker. If he can't break through the wards around this house…"

Severus paled at the thought, if Blake couldn't break through the wards then who would be able to?

"Another Master Curse Breaker?" Severus asked softly and Dracka snorted.

"There's a reason that Blake is always in demand, Severus." Dracka said softly. "It's also the reason that the goblins came over to the Treaty with the Council when Blake asked. They can't afford to lose his talents."

xXx

Harry woke with a start when a roar sounded somewhere in the house and the bed under him shook with the sound. He rolled from the bed and landed in a crouch with his silver sword out as his eyes darted around. Ivic sat up on the lounge with wide eyes as Harry looked around but couldn't find any danger and he dismissed his sword.

"Well," Harry said in amusement. "That works well for an alarm."

"I would rather a kiss from a beautiful woman," Ivic quipped back and Harry grinned over at him. "Maybe more?"

"Always a good way to start the day," Harry agreed. "Bodiless roaring, not so much."

"You have a wife?" Ivic asked.

"I did, once." Harry replied. "Not anymore."

"I am sorry," Ivic replied. "My wife is due with our second baby in a couple of months."

"Have you been married long?" Harry asked in interest. "Any magical babies?"

"About four years," Ivic replied. "My daughter is only two, so we don't know yet. Little Alissa."

Harry froze at the name.

"Alissa?"

" _Da_ , Alissa Smirnov." Ivic said, with a smile. "My wife is English and a witch."

"Ah." Harry said, still feeling a little faint from hearing the girl's name. "Does that mean I can start talking English instead of Russian?"

Ivic barked a laugh and Harry gave him a smile.

"You speak Russian like a native," Ivic said, in amusement. "My English is not as good."

Harry gave the man a grin as he looked around the room before sitting on the bed, to take some weight off his leg.

"Your family are purebloods?" Harry asked carefully.

" _Da_ ," Ivic replied. "Father was not happy when I did not have magic but I was youngest of three."

Harry looked down at his hands, he knew that the man's other siblings were dead and he was the only one still alive and that was due in part to the fact that he didn't have magic.

"Not having magic, saved you Ivic." Harry said softly.

" _Da_ ," The man said as he looked over at Harry. "Any yet, we are trapped here."

"For now," Harry said with a lopsided grin.

xXx

Dracka slipped into his seat next to Severus at the Head Table with a grin.

"Goblins came through," Dracka said. "They have a portkey ready for us to pick up at nine. Bill Weasley will be meeting us at the house."

Severus went to stand but Dracka grabbed his arm.

"The Goblins told me that they only went into the house with food for the day, Severus." Dracka said softly. "That was on Thursday."

Severus paled, three days without food wasn't the concern. It was three days without water. Severus nodded sharply and Dracka let his arm go.

xXx

Harry passed his water bottle over to Ivic to take which was the last of their water. They would have to get out of this house soon. Harry picked up his walkie talkie but it was dead now as well as his phone. The charge having run out. He sighed and placed both away.

"What about the rest of the team?" Ivic asked softly.

"I don't know," Harry replied. "We just need to focus on breaking through the dark curse, which means we need to find the tower."

"How?" Ivic asked as he finished the last of the water. "We walked in circles for hours yesterday."

"Keep a look out," Harry said softly as he slipped out of his shoes and jacket and sat on the bare stone floor. "I'm going to try something."

"Those hounds appeared last time you tried something," Ivic pointed out.

"I know," Harry confirmed. "So, keep a look out."

Harry closed his eyes and opened his mind to the magic in the house tiredly, he was not in the right state of mind to be working like this but didn't have much of a choice. He opened his eyes and Ivic started back from him as he looked into the magic of the room as mists swirled around his vision.

"Your eyes glow," Ivic said softly.

Harry gave him a grin as he pulled himself to his feet, Ivic picked up their gear as Harry stepped out of the room. He had lost his cane somewhere and his leg was not impressed with taking his whole weight as he moved through the house. He had been improving with his potions but one of those ghost hounds had gotten him a good one in the leg. It also didn't help that he didn't have any potions to help him now.

Harry stopped in the hallway and looked into the magic around them, if he wanted to he could have focused in and picked out the spells in the items around him but they were unimportant. He limped along for a while, until something caught his eye and he stopped. It was a door, which looked the same as all the others and yet, the mists around it were lighter in colour.

He reached forward and placed his hand a couple of centimetres away from the wood and looked at the spells closer. A wizard had crafted the door a long time ago and had placed spells on it to keep it looking new and to stop wear. He turned his mind away from the older spells and looked at anything newer.

"That was my old room," Ivic said softly.

Harry started and looked over to the man.

"What?" Harry asked.

"That room," Ivic repeated. "That was my old room."

"Can you place your hand on the door?"

Ivic placed his palm on the door and Harry watched in interest as the spell work parted under his hand, then shivered as something roared. Harry looked around the hall but nothing lunged at them as they stood there.

"Can you open the door?" Harry asked softly.

He could feel something coming as Ivic opened the door and it swung inwards silently. The room beyond was completely dark, not just in shadows, but just darkness. Harry kicked up his magic sight until he could see only the magic and not the real world anymore but it was still just darkness and he pulled back and rubbed his eyes.

"Can you remember your old room well enough to walk through it without opening your eyes?" Harry asked the other man as his eyesight went back to normal.

"It has been a long time," Ivic replied, in amusement. "The room doesn't lead anywhere."

"Is there a bathroom attached or a cupboard?" Harry asked quickly, feeling a darkness coming towards them.

" _Da_ ," Ivic replied. "Both."

"Which one could you lead us too?" Harry said as he summoned his silver sword and Ivic stepped closer.

"Bathroom," Ivic replied. "What is coming?"

At the end of the hallway something was gathering and Harry looked at it with large eyes. Something was there but if he looked at it directly it would slip away from his sight. It was like something was keeping to the corner of his eye and Harry shivered.

"Close your eyes and lead us to the bathroom," Harry ordered as he held out his hand.

His blood froze as the thing at the end of the hall roared as Ivic took his hand and pulled him into the darkness

xXx

Severus and Dracka looked around the tents that had been set up around the front of the mansion with interest. Dracka huddled down in his thick coat and moved closer to the shadows. The tents were scattered everywhere and they could see both goblins and humans moving around.

"Severus."

Severus looked up to see Bill Weasley waving at them with a brown headed woman next to him as he moved over to them. Severus took Bill's hand and the man pulled him in for a hug which surprised the Slytherin before he stepped back.

"This is my partner Elizabeth Weathermore," Bill introduced. "The goblins called us when they couldn't get into the house. We were in Romania."

"Severus Snape," Severus introduced as he took Elizabeth's hand. "And this is Rolf Dracka."

Dracka gave a nod but wouldn't move from the shadows as he huddled deeper in the thick coat.

"The vampire that is teaching Defence?" Bill asked as he looked Dracka over.

"One and the same," Dracka replied with a grin showing fangs. "Severus tells me that I missed out in teaching the Weasley twins."

Bill barked a laugh.

"They would have liked to have had a teacher that's a vampire," Bill said in amusement. "I'm sure that Blake can introduce you. Since Ry and him are silent partners in my brothers' business."

Severus groaned at the reminder and Bill gave him a wink before he looked back at the house.

"The curse breaker is having no luck getting in," Bill undated them. "She says whatever they tripped, needs to be fixed from the inside. All lines of communications have been cut and the batteries are probably dead by now anyway. We got one message from Blake after the communications were blocked he said: 'To pull back and that the house already had an owner and that the goblins couldn't claim it.' The goblins were not happy, but they are just focusing on trying to get them out now."

"They must respect Blake," Dracka muttered. "For them to worry about him more than profits."

"Yes," Bill answered and Severus felt like he was missing something. "They are here in force. I think they are thinking of putting their magic against the house at this stage."

Dracka paled at the words.

"But that could destroy the house," Dracka yelped.

Bill nodded and Severus's eyes widened.

"We've talked them out of it so far," Elizabeth said softly. "The curse breaker is still picking through the wards. This house is very, very old and the wards have stood for over a thousand years. We are not sure if they tripped an old ward or a new one at this stage."

"What was Blake doing?" Dracka asked.

"The owner of the house committed suicide two weeks ago," Bill said. "She has no living relatives with magic and one son that's a squib. The goblins wanted to claim the house and the son agreed to use his blood to give them permission to enter, which would have been standard."

"What went wrong?" Severus asked softly.

"We think there was a dark curse at play," Bill replied.

Dracka swore as he looked up at the house and Bill nodded.

"Blake and the team stepped over the wards," Bill explained. "The blood from the son allowing them to pass over. That's when we lost communication with them."

"The dark curse flared up," Dracka finished for him. "After they had stepped over the wards, trapping them?"

"Correct," Bill confirmed. "They have a chance, since Blake is with them."

Severus glared at Bill and the man stepped back.

"It's more than they would have had, if he wasn't with them." Bill said quickly.

Dracka laid a hand on Severus's shoulder and the man calmed down.

"I'll show you to a tent," Bill said softly.

xXx

Harry tightened his grip on the hand in his as darkness surrounded him. He couldn't even see Ivic beside him as he was pulled along and his feet seemed to land on something springy and he felt panic spike through him. He never liked the feeling of helplessness, as Ivic led him and all he could do was follow, as the feeling of dark magic brushed against his arms and he shivered.

He focused on the other man and kept a tight grip of the hand in his. Knowing that if he let go, that he would be lost.

xXx

Severus paced up and down the tent, feeling unease and panic coming from the link he had with Blake and the ring. Now that he was closer he could feel the connection more and the direction that Blake was in but he couldn't help him as he was held back by the wards of the house like everyone else.

"Severus," Dracka growled, his eyes flashing red. "Please sit down!"

Severus glared over at the other man and stopped pacing.

"I can't help it," Severus replied softly. "Something isn't right."

Dracka sighed and pulled himself to his feet to stand in front of the taller man and grabbed his shoulders.

"The spell in the ring?" Dracka asked.

"Yes," Severus snapped, on edge.

"Is that spell supposed to act like that?" Dracka asked with a frown.

"No," Severus said with a smirk. "It didn't when I cast it."

Dracka frown then laughed.

"Blake," Dracka stated in reply.

"Yes," Severus said with a fond smile.

"Ha!" Dracka said with a grin of his own. "He can't leave spells alone. You should see him whenever he comes to my Coven. He just has to play with the wards…every time. He will even stand out in the pouring rain while he fiddles with them."

"Yes," Severus said in agreement. "You should hear the Headmaster after Blake has decided to look at the wards of the school."

Dracka barked a laugh.

"What did he do with the spell in the ring?" Dracka asked.

"I don't know," Severus replied. "He said he picked up the connection after it was broken when Charmling stabbed him."

Severus looked away as he remembered that night and Dracka's grip on his shoulder tightened pulling his focus back.

"We'll get him out, Severus." Dracka said softly.

"I hope so," Severus replied softly. "Because starvation is not a good way to go."


	20. Chapter 20

Thank you for all the reviews, comments and kudos. I love hearing about what you think of the story so far and your speculations. If you get a spare minute and are loving the story, please let me know. :-)

xXx

The German and some Russian translations are by: Averagefish on FanFiction.

xXx

Harry stumbled and fell to his knees as they made it out of the room and Ivic held his hand tightly as he tried to catch his breath. He looked up to see they were in a large tower overlooking the grounds with only the moonlight coming through the windows to light the room.

"Is it night?" Ivic asked as he looked around and released his hand.

Harry glanced at his watch.

"No," Harry replied. "It's eleven in the morning."

Harry pulled himself to his feet and limped over to the window and looked out at the grounds. The full moon shining down, lighting up the grass and shining off the pool of water from the fountain, turning it silver.

"It's also not a full moon tonight," Harry said as he frowned.

Harry stopped at one of the windows and held out his hand and could feel the magic under his palm but it wasn't time magic he was feeling.

"It was a full moon two weeks ago," Harry said softly.

"When mother died?" Ivic asked softly as he moved closer to Harry.

"Yes," Harry replied and looked around the room.

He could see no way in and no way out of the room. There were no stairs leading up or doorways. It was just a very large circular room with panel windows going all the way around. The crackling of Harry's walkie talkie startled them them and he pulled it out with a frown.

"I thought you said the battery was dead?" Ivic asked.

"It is," Harry replied, then into the radio. "Sun."

"Ivic, my son." A female voice came across the radio and Harry shivered. He passed the device to the other man.

"Mother?" Ivic gasped, as he pressed the button on the side.

"My boy," A woman's voice purred. "My beautiful boy."

Harry felt a shiver go down his spine again as he moved away from Ivic as goose bumps came up on his arms.

"Why, mother?" Ivic gasped.

Harry moved across the room to give the man space as he felt out the magic in the tower. Feeling the darkness and yet light magic swirling around. Something bad had happened here and yet the light magic brushing against him gave him hope. He could feel no time magic so whatever had changed the time outside had nothing to do with the room they were in and more to do with the dark magic he could feel.

"Sun!" Ivic called.

Harry looked over to the man, he hadn't realised that he had moved so far away or how large the room was. Harry limped back to the man, ignoring the pain.

"Mother said that something dark attacked her and she had to jump to save herself," Ivic said softly as Harry came up to him.

Ivic held the radio out, his eyes red and Harry took the device from him. He looked down at it but the light was dead on it, there was no power in the device and he felt a chill. Just more ghosts in this cursed house.

"Do you know this room?" Harry asked looking around.

"No," Ivic replied. "It looks similar to the tower but not."

"What looks the same?"

Ivic moved over to a window and pointed.

"This window is the same," Ivic replied. "It overlooks mother's favourite part of the garden."

Harry moved over to stand next to Ivic and held his hand out towards the window palm out. He could feel the magic brush his hand and the wards under his palm. It felt like everything was tied into this one spot. This was probably the window that Ivic's mother had jumped from.

Harry and Ivic started when a growl sounded and Harry quickly summoned his silver sword as a dark beast started to appear on the other side of the room, dark mists swirling around it as it gathered a form.

"Here," Harry said and held out his sword to the other man. "Hold it back while I work on the wards."

"I don't know how to use this," Ivic snapped, as he took the sword in his hand.

"Just swing it around and try not to cut yourself or me," Harry replied and pushed the man gently forward.

Harry quickly pulled a piece of chalk from his pocket and painfully crouched and ran a line over the ground in a rough half circle before them and pulled up a protection ward. It shimmered before turning silver and Harry frowned. That was not the colour that it should have turned but at least he didn't have ghost hounds snarling at him this time.

"Hopefully that will keep it back," Harry said to the frozen Ivic who stood with the silver sword in his hands nervously.

"And if it doesn't?" Ivic asked, with wide eyes.

"Start swinging." Harry suggested, with a smile as he moved back to the window.

The creature snarled and Harry glanced over at it. Its form had started to even out around the edges and it looked vaguely human, as long as you thought outside of the box. It had a round head, two arms and two legs but that's where the similarity ended. It had glowing red eyes as it swung its head around and Harry shivered as it moved forward in jolting steps. It dropped down onto all fours, its arms as long as its legs, and its hands and feet ending in claws. It was a thing of nightmares.

It prowled forward as dark mists spun away from it. It was a dark curse given form and Harry knew that the claws would slice through human skin without a problem as it moved closer. He'd faced something similar before and was happy that he had his silver sword, well Ivic had his silver sword this time.

Harry turned back to the window and quickly opened his mind to the magic as his head pounded slightly since he hadn't centred himself but he didn't have time as the beast snarled and Ivic whimpered. He picked up the wards as quickly as he could and they burned his hands as he grabbed them harshly, the light magic bitting into his skin. He gritted his teeth and tore into the wards, they did not have time for him to pick through each one.

xXx

"Severus!"

Severus and Dracka looked up as Bill's face appeared at the flap of the tent. Severus moved quickly towards the man, leaving Dracka behind in the tent as Bill quickly weaved through the tents.

"Blake is working on the wards," Bill said quickly. "He's just tearing into them."

Severus looked over at the other man and he noticed how pale the man looked under the freckles on his face.

"Is that good?" Severus asked.

"No," Bill said. "Not good at all."

Severus paled as they came to the mansion's front gates and he could see a dark-haired woman standing alone before the gates. She was the Head curse breaker, a Russian called Galina. She normally did a lot of the warding work for Gringotts, but had been on leave so the contract had fallen to Blake. The woman looked over at them as they moved towards her.

"Are you the apprentice?" The woman asked with a thick Russian accent.

"No," Severus replied. "His partner."

"Close enough," Galina said. "He is slicing through the wards. He has skill but the magic is building. I hope he knows what he is doing."

"He knows," Bill replied, with conviction.

"Do you have a connection?" Galina asked Severus.

"To Blake?" Severus asked.

" _Da_ , yes." Galina said quickly.

"Yes," Severus confirmed and Bill sucked in a breath with wide eyes.

"You will be able to find him?" Galina asked.

"Once we are passed the wards, yes." Severus said as he stood up straighter and crossed his arms over his chest.

Bill and the woman's heads flicked back to the gates and they stared at them for a couple of minutes with matching frowns.

"What's he doing?" Bill asked softly.

"Not sure," Galina answered. "Time loop?"

Severus paled even more.

"Time magic?" Severus asked softly.

Bill glanced over at him before focusing on the gates again and Severus felt even worse. They had been so concerned with getting Blake out, that the thought that time magic could be at play terrified him. His lover had already stepped through a time rip to come here. He wouldn't think to do the same thing now, to escape the house?

xXx

Harry tied the wards he could into the house as he sliced through others as the creature roared and he shivered. He could hear the thing's claws crashing against his shield and he glanced over his shoulder, to see sparks flying. His eyes widened as the beast snarled and slammed its shoulder into his ward and he shivered as cracks started to appear.

"It's not going to hold!" Ivic squeaked.

Harry turned back to the window and grabbed the magic that had been building when he hadn't been watching and pushed it into the ground roughly. The power in the wards forcing him to his knees as he tried to tie what he could back into the wards of the house. Then he made a mistake and cursed. He jumped back and lunged at Ivic and pulled the man to the ground as his silver sword spun away from Ivic's hand and straight towards his protection ward. Harry's eyes widened as his sword hit the ward with a ringing sound as he pulled up a shield up around them.

xXx

The ground shook and Severus stumbled as Bill and Galina jumped back with wide eyes. The three looked up at the mansion but couldn't see any damage as the ground rumbled.

"He made a mistake," Galina said as she looked back at the wards.

"Blake made a mistake?" Severus said slowly.

" _Da_ ," Galina said. "He cross wrong ward. There would have been bad backlash from that."

"He's never made a mistake," Bill said softly.

"Well," Galina said softly. "He make mistake this time. He stop working on wards. They are still holding, I'll call if anything happens. After that, he probably won't be working on them for a while."

Severus and Bill shared a look before moving away from the woman.

"Blake has never made a mistake with wards, Severus." Bill said softly, looking pale.

Severus looked at the mansion and reached out to the link with Blake. He could feel the connection but nothing else.

"I better update Dracka," Severus said. "Before he burns himself…again."

xXx

Harry held the shield around them as the magic swirled and the beast roared as he covered Ivic's body with his own, hoping the magic would settle soon. He winched as the beast claws smashed into the shield, just above his head, before the light magic around them forced it back and pushed against his shield harshly and Harry had to pour more magic into it.

Then everything went silent except for the two men's panting breaths. Harry lifted his head feeling tired and hungry but he pushed that to the side as he rolled off Ivic and onto his back still within his shield.

"Is it over?" Ivic asked as he tried to look through the shield without luck.

Harry tilted his head back and with a thought the shield turned clear. The beast was gone and the room was clear of magic and Harry dropped it. He rolled until he was on his hands and knees and Ivic helped him up. Harry stumbled slightly as he got his feet under him.

"Are you okay?' Ivic asked in concern.

"Just tired," Harry replied and moved to the window.

He tried to pick up the wards again but they just slid through his fingers and he gave up and turned away. Instead he picked up the connection with Severus as he leaned his back against the wall, before sliding down to sit on the floor as Ivic watched him. He sighed in relief when he could tell the man was okay then he frowned. He was close, why was he close?

Harry rubbed his head as his headache made itself known as Ivic moved towards him and sat on the floor next to him. The two men sat shoulder to shoulder as they looked out at the bare room before them.

"What do we do now?" Ivic asked softly.

Harry looked at his watch, it was heading into Sunday afternoon. They'd run out of food early on Friday and had had the last of their water that morning.

"I need to rest," Harry said. "Then I'll try the wards again. I don't think that creature will be back for a while. It's probably full."

"Full?" Ivic asked.

"It eats magic," Harry said as he laid his head back against the wall. "It would have taken it's fill from my mistake. Wake me if it comes back."

xXx

Harry started when Ivic grabbed his shoulder and his eyes fell on a small patch of dark mist rolling along the floor and he frowned. He glanced at his watch to see that it was one in the morning.

"What is that?" Ivic asked.

"Dark magic," Harry replied and pulled himself to his feet stiffly.

He limped across the room and knelt down and touched the dark mists. It swirled over his fingertips, slightly cold to the touch and he grabbed a hold of it. It brushed against his hand and arm and he grinned tiredly.

"Sun!"

Harry threw up a shield just as a dark blade crashed down towards him and he rolled to the side as he summoned his silver sword. He stumbled slightly as he got his feet under him as Ivic backed away. Harry faced the creature and brought his silver sword up in front of him warily.

The magic had changed the beast from before into something more human shaped as it held a dark sword out in front of it with burning red eyes. Harry circled it slightly and it watched him as he kept most of his weight on his left leg. The creature swung the sword and Harry brought up his blade against it, then yelped and dropped to the ground hard, as the creature's dark sword just parted around his silver sword and kept going. The damn thing was learning.

Harry gasped as the breath was knocked out his lungs and he rolled out of the way of the blade as his silver sword clattered across the floor. He jumped to his feet and summoned a light blade instead, made completely from light magic. Harry hated using light or dark magic for blades, it always drained his magic so much quicker. The creature paused at the use of light magic before stalking forward. Harry swung the blade towards the beast and it brought its dark blade to bare and the two swords rang out with a sharp crack.

Harry stumbled back and flicked the sword the other way and smashed his sword into the thing's side. The impact travelled along his blade and Harry gritted his teeth as the beast howled and lashed out. Harry brought a light shield up and the thing's claws skittered across the shield with a squeal. Harry smashed the shield into the beast's head as he swung his sword around and connected with the creature's side again and it fell back. It may have a human shape and sword but it did not have the skills of a swordsman.

Harry could tell it was starting to lose its form as he pushed forward. Using his sword and shield to drive it back towards the edge of the tower. He skipped back a step as the creature swung its blade and winched as he came down hard on his right leg as he pushed forward again. The beast snarled as Harry's sword crashed into its side and it darted to the side quickly with a deep growl.

Harry grinned and lunged with his shield out and pushed the beast back…and through the window behind it.

It screamed as it tumbled back and over the windowsill and Harry's eyes widened.

"Get down!" Harry yelled as he hit the floor.

Harry quickly brought up a shield over Ivic before pulling one up in front of him as the magic built then spun out around the tower before igniting around them in flames of dark and light.

xXx

Severus and Dracka jolted awake as the ground rumbled and they could feel magic flaring out around them. They were running before they realised they were moving and Severus was glad for the fact that they had worn their clothes to bed that night. The camp was alive with people and goblins as Severus and Dracka pushed forward towards the gates, where Galina and Bill waited for them.

"Wards are down!" Bill yelled when they got closer. "It's a mess."

Severus looked up at the mansion and could see nothing different except for the open front gate.

Galina nodded at Severus and the others as she moved forward carefully.

"Stay behind the main team," Bill ordered as a couple of other people moved forward with Galina at the front. "You need to guild us to Blake."

Severus nodded as they moved forward, with Dracka's eyes shining red in the night. Severus kept in step with the vampire as they moved. The team smashed through the front door and into the entrance hall.

"Two down!"

Severus, Dracka and Bill moved forward to see two bodies sprawled out on the marble tiles. They had been ripped apart and Severus swallowed back the bile at the back of his throat at the sight.

"Which way, Severus?" Bill asked softly.

"Up the stairs," Severus replied and they moved passed the bodies, there was nothing they could do for them.

They moved further into the house and could see the damage that something very large had made and his eyes widened at the sight. Dracka suddenly sneezed next to him, startling the team.

"Sorry, dark magic," Dracka replied. "It has settled."

" _Da_ ," Galina replied. "And light."

"Blake?" Severus hissed.

"No," Dracka replied.

They moved down the hallway until Severus frowned and stopped. Bill called out to the team and they moved back towards them. Dracka had his nose in the air and was sniffing.

"That way," Dracka and Severus said at the same time.

The two men glared at each other as they pointed to the left-hand hallway. Bill snorted and they turned on him.

"That way," Bill said to the team and they moved forward until they reached a staircase and they moved up to the third floor.

Two move bodies greeted them and Severus shivered. They didn't have a mark on them but the medic confirmed them as dead.

"Killing curse?" Severus asked softly.

" _Niet_ ," Galina replied. "Ghosts."

Severus shivered.

"Russian ghosts," One of the Russian men said softly. "More beast, they feed on magic."

Severus and Dracka paused outside a door, before pointing at it and moving back. The team moved forward and smashed through the locked door. They walked out into a large dance hall and looked around. This house was huge as they walked into the hall and spread out.

"Another one," A woman on the team called. "Alive."

Severus rushed over but it wasn't Blake as the medic moved forward and looked the woman over. He pulled out a walkie talkie and spoke quickly in Russian and a medic team appeared and stretchered the woman out. Severus moved back out into the hall with Dracka by his side and paused at a door tucked behind a curtain.

"That way," Severus said softly.

Galina and her team moved forward and opened the door, a narrow staircase was on the other side and they would have to move up in pairs. Galina nodded and two of her team moved forward and up the stairs.

"Clear. Medic."

Galina and the rest of her team moved forward with Dracka, Severus and Bill bringing up the rear of the group. Dracka snarled and surged forward when they got to the top of the stairs to see a blonde-haired man crouched over Blake.

" _Niet, niet!"_ The man yelped as Dracka surged forward. "He fine!"

Dracka paused as the man held his hands up and away from Blake and Severus moved forward quickly, his heart in his throat, as he fell to his knees next to Blake. His lover was on his side and slightly curled up with his arms outstretched. Severus placed his fingers on his throat and he could feel a pulse and he sighed.

"Who are you?" Dracka demanded, his eyes red.

"Ivic Smirnov," The man said. "This is my house."

Severus shivered as the magic settled around them and Blake jolted under his hand slightly.

"Blake?"

Blake groaned and rolled onto his back and peered up at Severus and frowned.

"Severus," Blake said softly, then grinned. "How was your weekend?"

Dracka snorted as Blake looked up at them and Severus wasn't sure if he should kiss the man or strangle him.

He didn't get a chance to do either as the medic rushed forward and ran his wand over Blake and Ivic. The blonde picked up Blake's silver sword and held it out hilt first to Dracka and the vampire used a cloth from his pocket to grab the hilt and he held it by his side. Severus grabbed Blake's hand and the man looked up at him looking tired.

"Give me a hand up?" Blake asked.

" _Niet_ ," The medic replied. " _Ostavaysya tam_."

" _Niet,"_ Blake snapped and Ivic grinned.

" _On v poryadke_ ," Ivic said softly. "He is fine, let him up."

The medic nodded sharply and moved off as Severus and Dracka got under Blake and got him to his feet. Severus frowned when the man took his weight off his right leg.

"We'll check the rest of the house," Galina announced and they moved out of the room.

Ivic stayed with them as they moved to the stairs and Blake groaned as he looked down at them. Severus smirked and took his weight as Dracka slipped out from under his left side. Blake was sweating and swearing under his breath by the time they made it out of the house and Severus was concerned that he wouldn't put any weight on his right leg.

"Ivic!"

Severus looked up as a heavily pregnant woman with straight black hair yelled out and Blake tensed beside him. Ivic ran forward and embraced the woman and Severus looked down at Blake, the man was pale and his eyes were wide as they looked at the woman.

"What is it?" Severus whispered as Dracka moved in front of them with Blake's silver sword.

" _Prizraki_ ," Blake whispered.

"English, Blake." Severus said in amusement.

Blake grinned up at him and went to step forward on his right leg then hissed as his leg gave out under him. Severus grunted as he took the man's full weight.

"Sorry," Blake breathed.

"All good," Severus said with a smirk.

Blake smiled up at him but Severus saw his eyes stray over to the couple again as a small child squealed from the arms of another woman that looked like she might be the other woman's sister. Blake's eyes clouded over with pain as he looked at the child and Severus frowned at him.

"We should get you to the tent," Dracka said softly from beside them.

" _Da_ ," Blake said softly, as he watched the family. " _Da_."

Severus sighed and helped Blake to the tent, as soon as he helped the man to the camp bed, he was out and Severus ran a hand over his head fondly. Dracka collapsed on the other bed and placed the silver sword on the ground beside him. Severus looked down at the man before curling up along his back on the small bed and ignoring Dracka's leer and was soon out as well.

xXx

"Mr Sun?"

Harry turned and limped slowly towards Ivic with the help of a cane they had found somewhere. The blonde-haired man had an arm around his wife.

"Ivic," Harry said with a soft smile. "You know you can call me, Blake."

" _Da_ ," Ivic said with a smile. "My wife Katelin."

Harry kissed the woman's fingers with a smile.

"Nice to meet you," Harry said softly.

"Thank you for saving my husband," Katelin said with a strong English accent. "You are English?"

"I am now," Harry replied with a grin.

Ivic laughed and placed a hand on Katelin's stomach.

"We wish to call our child after you, if it is a son." Ivic said softly with a thick Russian accent.

Harry's eyes widened in shock as Severus moved towards them.

"My son's name was Nikolai," Harry said softly. "I would be honoured if you would consider that name?"

" _Da_ ," Ivic said quickly. "You saved my life and I have family home. All because of you."

"Thank your mother," Harry said softly. "Even with that dark curse, she thought of you."

" _Da_ ," Ivic said softly. " _Prizraki_."

" _Da_ ," Harry said in agreement.

Severus moved up to his shoulder and Ivic nodded at them before turning away as he hugged his wife close.

"What does that word mean?" Severus whispered.

" _Prizraki_?" Harry said softly and Severus nodded. "It means ghosts."

Severus shivered at the words and grabbed Harry's hand.

"Let's go home," Harry said softly then looked over at the tent and Dracka in the shadows. "Well, after the sun goes down."

"We could leave him here," Severus muttered in his ear and Harry snorted in amusement while Dracka glared at them.

"But then one of us would have to teach Defence," Harry said blandly.

They could both hear Dracka's growl from where they stood and they smirked over at the vampire as the sunlight warmed their skin.

xXx

Dracka watched in amusement as Severus moved around the Great Hall handing out pieces of paper from Blake. The man had cancelled any classes he would have had this week and even Dracka was concerned. Severus paused behind Potter before hissing something in his ear and the boy looked up at him with wide eyes before bolting for the doors and Dracka frowned as his demon took notice.

Suddenly a large man appeared in the doorway and Potter yelped and tried to pull to a stop but the big man just grabbed the boy by the arm. Dracka jumped to his feet and he even saw Albus pull his wand from its holster.

"You set me up!" Potter yelled at Severus.

The large man's laughter had Dracka calming but he could still see Albus holding his wand. Severus smirked as he moved towards the two as Ry glared at him.

"And why would you think that, Mr Potter?" Severus purred.

"You knew he was coming!" Ry spat then yelped as the large man shook him.

"Manners, little Potter." The man rumbled.

"Sorry, Albert." Ry replied and the man released him.

Ry stumbled a step as he was released and Dracka made his way towards them. Albert looked up at the vampire in interest as he drew closer.

"Albert Greenburg," Severus said softly. "This is Rolf Dracka, he is teaching Defence Against the Dark Arts this year."

"Ha!" Albert laughed. "A vampire teaching Defence. Very funny."

Dracka pulled back and took a sniff of the man then grinned and held his hand out. The large man took his hand in his large one and gave it a shake. The man was even bigger close up as he looked down at Dracka with a grin. He could have rivalled Hagrid in size alone but there was a kindness around the man that seemed to soften his bulk as he looked around the hall in interest.

"Albert is here to see Blake," Severus explained.

"I'll just be-" Ry tried to say but Severus clamped a hand down onto the boy's shoulder.

"Finish giving these out for your father," Severus cut in and handed Ry the pieces of paper in his hand. "The name, year and house of the student is on the front, if you don't know them, give them to the student's Head of House."

Ry pouted but took the papers and Severus released him.

"I feel like a pin ball," Ry muttered as he walked off and Albert grinned after him.

"Severus?" Albus asked softly as he moved towards the group.

"Albert this is Headmaster Albus Dumbledore," Severus introduced. "Albus this is Doctor Albert Greenburg."

Albus smiled and held his hand out to the man.

"Oh, yes." Albus replied. "Blake has spoken of you before."

"What has that _Dummkopf_ gotten into now?" Albert cried as the hall watched them in interest and Severus grimaced.

"Follow me, Albert." Severus said softly as he glared at the students close by before leading the large man out of the hall.

"You look unwell, Severus." Albert said loudly, as they moved out of the room. "You need to eat more! You are too skinny!"

Dracka barked a laugh as a few students giggled.

"No, excuse!" Albert's voice floated back to them and Dracka sniggered. "You run faster with good food."

Potter sniggered from beside them and Dracka and Albus turned to the boy.

"He's found a new target," Ry said with a grin. "Serves him right for setting me up."

"Now, Mr Potter." Albus said with a twinkle in his eyes. "I'm sure Professor Snape did no such thing."

"No," Dracka disagreed, with a smirk. "Sounds just like him."

"Or Dad," Ry said with a grin. "Sounds just like Dad. I bet he put Snape up to it."

Dracka barked a laugh as he clapped a hand to Ry's shoulder and the boy grinned.

xXx

Harry could hear Albert coming well before the man opened his door.

"You don't look well," Albert said loudly as he came into the room.

Harry looked up at the large man in the doorway with Severus behind him. Harry was sprawled out on his stomach on the bed and he could see the concern in Severus's eyes as he looked down at him.

"Don't feel that great either," Harry replied.

Albert pulled his wand as he moved closer and Severus shut the door behind them before moving to the chair in the room. Albert moved the covers to uncover him as he looked him over. He was only wearing underwear as he lay there.

"What did you do?" Albert asked, keeping their conversation in English for Severus's sake.

"Dark curse locked down a house," Harry said softly. "Ghost hounds and the manifestation of the dark curse."

"Ah yes," Albert said as he muttered a few healing charms under his breath and Harry shivered as the magic worked into his system. "Roll onto your left side."

Harry did as he was ordered and winched as the pain flared in his hip and leg. He relaxed quickly under Albert's spells and was starting to drift off to sleep.

"No sleep, Blake." Albert rumbled.

"No sleep," Harry repeated and the man laid a large hand on his hip.

"Severus come here," Albert ordered. "Do you have muscle balm for him?"

Harry didn't take offence at being talked about like he wasn't there, he was used to it.

"Blake, pants off." Albert said softly and gave him a hand to get his pants off.

Albert moved him back to his left side where the damage from the snake bite was on show. Harry shivered when the man placed the balm on the damaged area and up to his hip and further down his leg.

"Work the balm in like this," Albert said, showing Severus how to work it in while Harry gritted his teeth against the pain as he hugged the pillow tight to his stomach. "Right, Blake?"

Harry could only nod his head.

"Relax," Albert snapped and eased off on digging his fingers into his hip and Harry gasped.

"Easy for you to say," Harry panted.

"Don't be baby," Albert snapped but his hands were gentle as they worked the balm into his leg and hip.

By the time Albert was done Harry was a mess of pain and Albert patted his hip as he just gasped.

"You'll be fine," Albert said softly. "Give it a couple of days."

Harry nodded as he held the pillow and tried not to move.

"You over did it, Blake." Albert said. "You forget old man."

"Never forget," Harry gasped and winched as a twinge went up his leg and hip.

Albert barked a laugh and laid his hand on his side, he pulled out a pill bottle and placed it on his bedside table.

" _Auf Wiedersehen_ , Blake." Albert said with a chuckle.

Harry just waved his hand and tried to relax as the door opened and closed. Severus pulled the blanket up and over him.

"Need anything?" Severus asked softly.

"Pain potion…and sleeping potion." Harry gasped.

Severus's hand stilled on him and Harry slitted his eyes open to look up at him. Severus must have seen something in his eyes for he quickly left the room as Harry tried to get comfortable under the covers. Severus returned quickly and Harry struggled up enough to take them with the other man's help. The potions took effect quickly as Harry sprawled out on his stomach and was out quickly.

xXx

Severus looked down at Blake as he held the two empty potion vials, Blake had never asked for a sleeping potion before and he couldn't recall the man ever taking one and it concerned him. Whatever had happened in that house it had pushed him too far. A soft knock at the door had him looking up with a frown.

"Come in," Severus called and Ry poked his head around the door.

"Is he gone?" Potter asked softly.

Severus smirked at the boy and Ry grinned and slipped into the room, then frowned at his father.

"Is he sleeping?" Ry asked. "It's eight in the morning."

"He asked for a sleeping potion," Severus replied as he moved to the chair in the room and conjured another one for Ry.

"That's unlike him," Potter commented quietly.

"His leg," Severus whispered, as he leaned his elbows on his knees.

"Oh," Ry said, as he looked at his father. "It used to be worse."

Severus looked over at the boy sharply.

"When I was younger," Ry said quietly. "He used to hire someone to look after me sometimes when it was really bad. Albert would stay with us as well for weeks at a time. The last few years have been a lot better, I think his potions are getting better. He even started to work with his sword again just before I started school here."

Ry looked up and locked eyes with Severus and he understood why the potions were improving and Potter gave him a small smile.

"How long has he known Albert?" Severus asked.

"As long as I can remember," Potter said. "He used to live in Germany, but moved his practise here a while ago, probably when I started at Hogwarts. I think Dad helped set him up here."

Severus filed the information away, under the label Blake Sun.

"You can't know everything about him, Snape." Ry said softly.

"Albert?"

"No, Dad." Ry said with a grin. "Man of mystery, is what he is. There is always something else that you didn't know about him or something he would say and he would get this look and remember that he hadn't told you something. When I started here I thought everyone worked magic the way Dad does, then I was surprised when it was completely different."

They fell into silence before Potter suddenly chuckled.

"Yes?" Severus drawled.

"The Department of Mysteries, they didn't see him coming." Ry quipped in amusement. "You should see his office."

"He has an office?" Severus asked, again reminded of how little he knew about his lover.

"Do not ask him to see it," Ry replied with a shiver. "That's if you can get through the door."

Severus glared down his nose at the child but Potter just gave him a grin.

"Let's just say," Ry said lightly. "If they don't know what to do with it, they give it a label that says Blake Sun and they shove it into his office. Then they hope that he can work it out or contain the explosion."

Severus snorted and they both looked down at the man in the bed fondly as he slept.

xXx

Harry sighed as he lowered himself into the warm water of the large tub, ignoring the giggling from the girl ghost near the taps.

"Didn't you get enough of the show from Mr Daniels and his partner?" Harry asked the girl as he sunk up to his neck in the water.

"No," Moaning Myrtle complained. "You scared them off too early."

Harry looked over at the ghost as she peered over the lip of the tub at him.

"You know," Harry said softly. "It's a bit creepy with you watching students in a bathroom. Maybe I should put up a ward in here."

The girl pouted at him and Harry gave her a grin.

"It gets so lonely," The girl moaned.

"Ha!" Harry barked a laugh. "You are surrounded by horny students. How is that lonely?"

Harry moved back to the side of the tub and sat on the shelf as he rested his head back on the edge of the tub. He closed his eyes and listened to the slow dripping of the water.

"Not when you scare them off," Myrtle snapped.

"I'm sure Mr Daniels will be back and maybe even with the same partner," Harry replied with a smirk. "I think he likes to give you a show."

Myrtle gave a giggle and Harry looked over at the ghost in amusement.

"He needs the practise," Myrtle said with a smirk.

"Ha!" Harry laughed. "Girl or boy?"

Myrtle giggled and gave Harry a wink.

"Keeping his options open?" Harry asked with a smirk. "Or hasn't settled yet?"

Harry tilted his head back when Severus opened the door behind him and Myrtle yelped softly and disappeared.

"Are you talking to someone?" Severus asked as he moved into the room and shut the door.

"Just talking out loud really," Harry replied and could hear a slight snicker. "Had to chase Mr Daniels and his latest partner out of here first."

"Again?" Severus sighed, as he shrugged out of robes and shirt as Harry watched him upside down. "Who was it this time?"

"I'll have to talk to Minerva," Harry said with a wink and splashed water towards where Myrtle had disappeared to as Severus finished undressing and slipped into the water.

"No taste," Severus muttered.

"Oi!" Harry yelped as Severus smirked over at him.

"What are you doing in here anyway?" Severus asked. "The teachers have their own on the fourth floor."

"What?" Harry said with a smirk. "And walk up all those stairs when there is one on the first floor?"

Harry heard Myrtle snigger quietly and knew the girl had found that bathroom as well.

"I hope you aren't watching teachers, Ms Warren?" Harry called over to the ghost and Severus flicked his head around with wide eyes.

"No," Myrtle whispered as she peered over at them and Severus squeaked.

Harry looked over at him in amusement.

"Bastard," Severus cursed and Harry just grinned.

Harry swum over to Myrtle and the girl looked at him in interest.

"Severus gets embarrassed," Harry said quietly to the ghost and her eyes flicked over to the man and she giggled. "I'm guessing that Mr Daniels probably moved his antics to the classroom on the third floor."

"Oh," Myrtle exclaimed and her eyes lit up.

"Now," Harry said, with a smirk. "I don't want to see you for at least two hours or next time you try to get in here, there will be a ward stopping you. Understand?"

The girl smirked and gave him a wink before disappearing with a squeal. Harry pushed back from the edge and floated on his back as he glanced over at the Slytherin.

"What did you tell her?" Severus asked as he watched him.

"That I'll ward this room against her if she doesn't give us two hours." Harry replied as he moved closer to Severus.

"Ha!" Severus barked with a smirk. "Did you lock the door?"

"Yes," Harry said, as he floated.

Suddenly a bang sounded from the door and Harry righted himself in the water as both men looked over.

"Out of order!" Harry yelled.

"Sun!" Dracka yelled back.

"No vampires allowed!" Harry called back as he moved over to Severus.

Severus grabbed him and pulled him close for a kiss as Harry settled on his lap. Severus's hands curled around his ass as they kissed and Harry tangled his hands in his hair. He tensed when Severus's fingers dipped lower and one moved further.

"No," Harry whispered in the man's ear before kissing his neck and Severus's hands moved back to his bum.

Harry pulled back and looked down at Severus but the man just gave him a smile before pulling him forward and twisting around so that Harry sat on the shelf and he stood between his legs. Harry looked up at the man in amusement.

"Yes?" Harry drawled and was pleased to see a shiver run down Severus's back. "Good to know Daniels won't be the only one seeing action tonight."

Severus huffed a laugh as he pushed Harry's legs further apart as he took him in a deep kiss.

"Did Albus give you the no more sex in the classroom talk?" Severus purred in his ear before taking the lobe into his mouth and sucking on it slightly.

"Yeah," Harry gasped. "And it came with the no dark magic on school grounds speech."

Severus chuckled as he pulled back and looked down at him as Harry let his head fall back on the edge of the tub as he slid forward on the bench slightly.

"He smirked the whole time and his blue eyes wouldn't stop twinkling," Harry said softly. "He only says it cos he has to by law. Oh god."

xXx

Cut scene.

xXx

"Okay?" Severus purred.

"Yeah," Harry replied and Severus moved to his side as he pulled his leg up slightly. "Couple more days and should be back to normal again. It's a pain in the ass until then."

Harry moved off the shelf and went for a lap around the huge tub.

"Why is this thing so large?" Harry called back to Severus.

"Roman times?" Severus replied. "How the hell should I know?"

Harry chuckled as he made his way back to Severus while the other man watched him. Harry tapped into his wizard magic and tapped the surface of the water and a rainbow of colours spread out from him and across the water like oil. Severus started at the use of magic and Harry grinned at him as he added a few bright blue fishes that would dart around and jump out of the water every now and again.

"You just can't leave it alone," Severus drawled and Harry smirked.

"Got to clean the water somehow," Harry replied as he splashed some water in Severus's direction. "There was no way I was getting in here after Mr Daniels had been in here without cleaning the water first."

Severus barked a laugh as Harry floated on his back as he moved back towards the other man. Severus's dark eyes watching him the whole time.

xXx

Harry looked up from his breakfast when Albus placed a file box in front of him a few weeks later. He paused with his fork raised halfway to his mouth as he looked at the Department of Mysteries tape around it as well and the 'Danger: Do not open' tape across the top of it and his name written in large letters.

"This arrived just before," Albus said with a stern look.

"Right," Harry said, drawing the word out. "I didn't request it."

Albus tapped the name on the box with a twinkle in his eyes.

"Your name on this box would suggest otherwise, Mr Sun." Albus replied with a smile.

"It would, wouldn't it." Harry muttered as he pulled out his phone. "You are game to touch that, Headmaster."

Albus snatched his hand back while Dracka snorted. Minerva looked over in interest as Harry pulled up a number in his phone and pressed it. He placed the phone on the table on speaker.

"Dogwood," A gruff voice answered.

"Hey boss," Harry said, with a smirk in Albus's direction. "What-"

"What the fuck do you want Sun!" The man cut across him and Minerva's lips tightened.

"You are on speaker phone, Dylan." Harry said quickly. "In the Great Hall at Hogwarts, I seem to have a box sitting on the table in front of me from the Department."

"Why am I on speaker phone?" Dylan asked.

"So, I have witnesses to your verbal abuse," Harry replied calmly. "Or to improve your language, pick one."

Harry could hear the man cover the phone and faint words before he spoke back into the phone again.

"If you would do your job, instead of playing Professor, Sun!" The man barked. "You wouldn't have that damn box."

"What is my job again, Dylan?" Harry asked in amusement.

"You know damn well!"

"So, this box?" Harry asked as he moved it closer to him and looked over the runes on the sides of it. "Why have you sent it here?"

"Wouldn't fit in your f-damn office," Dylan amended. "If you don't sort your office out I'm just going to start sending the boxes to Hogwarts-no, better yet, your house in London."

Harry groaned, "I'm still paying off that bill to the body corporate from the last time, Dylan."

"Not my problem," Dylan snapped.

"It is, if I send the bill to the Minister," Harry replied and pressed the speaker button as Dylan exploded and Harry winked at Severus as the man smirked at him.

"Sun!" Came through the phone faintly and Harry pressed the speaker button again.

"It's only near the start of the school year," Harry said mildly. "And Professor McGonagall is already looking like she's going to take points."

"You are not a student, Sun!" Dylan snapped. "You are barely a teacher!"

Dracka barked a laugh as a few students close by giggled.

"From his pay cheque, Mr Dogwood." Albus said with a smile. "I would have to agree with you."

Dylan barked a laugh.

"The minster was sniffing around down here the other day," Dylan said. "He was eyeing off your office. I'm thinking he wants to just seal it up and be done with it."

"Fine," Harry snapped. "I'll drop around next weekend and see what I can do."

"I'm not paying you penalty rates," Dylan snapped.

"On the house then," Harry replied as he pulled his dark wand and the teachers shifted nervously and Harry looked over at them with a frown. "But if you tell the Minister I'm there…"

"Deal," Dylan agreed quickly. "But you know he's a crafty old lion."

"Whoever did these runes, needs lessons." Harry replied, as he ran his wand over the box.

"I'll get them to contact you," Dylan growled. "I want you to get down here and do some fu-bloody work."

"Right," Harry replied, distractingly. "I'll look into that."

"Sun!" Dylan barked.

"Bye boss," Harry said sweetly.

"Sun-"

Harry pressed the button on the phone as the other's looked at him in amusement.

"Glad to see you treat all your bosses the same," Albus muttered with a twinkle in his eyes.

"Only the ones I like," Harry muttered, as he looked the box over.

"So," Dracka said as he leaned over and took a sniff of the box and Harry pointed his wand at the vampire casually. "What's in the box?"

"If you get any closer, Dracka." Harry warned, and the vampire flashed his fangs at him.

Harry pulled out a silver knife and Dracka reeled back with a hiss as Harry smirked at him. He placed the knife on the tape.

"Ah, Blake." Albus said, unsure. "Shouldn't you open that in your classroom? Or better yet outside the school wards?"

"Oops," Harry smirked as he cut through the tape. "Too late."

Harry flicked the lid off the box and peered inside with a grin.

"Hello you," Harry cooed and Severus sighed.

"Not a snake then," Severus muttered.

Harry glanced over at Severus with a grin before reaching in and pulling out a ball of fur. The thing was as big as his palm and seemed to have no legs, arms or head. Much like a pom-pom but with mass at the middle of it in a dark brown colour.

"Hey, Hagrid." Harry called down the table to the half giant. "These are right up your alley."

"Wha' do you have 'ere?" Hagrid asked as he got to his feet.

"Small little fur ball," Harry replied as he patted the dark brown fur of the little creature and looked back into the box. "And friends."

Dracka reached in and pulled out a brown fur ball and looked at it in interest. He tilted it a few different ways but it just sat there, or he assumed it was sitting there since he had no idea what way up it was supposed to be.

"Why would the Department send you these?" Dracka asked. "They look cute enough."

"Until they grow up," Harry said in amusement. "I'm sure they will feel at home in the Forbidden Forest, Albus?"

Hagrid had wandered down and reached a hand in and pulled out another black fur ball and was looking at it with a frown. The fur ball looked very small in his large hand.

Suddenly ten balls of fur flew out of the box and rolled along the table and onto the floor as the students started to take notice and the noise dimmed. They were brown, black or white or mixes of those three colours as more fur balls rolled from the box and the children laughed and picked the creatures up as the teachers looked at them nervously.

"Blake?" Albus asked as he moved towards him and looked into the box as more fur balls rolled out. "How many are there in there?"

"Ah," Harry replied and peered into the box. "I'm sure that every student should be able to have one."

Albus paled under his beard as he looked out, as the students started to pick up the fur balls and giggling started up around the hall. The fur balls suddenly stilled and Harry looked up in amusement as they all started to tumble towards the doors of the hall. Harry kept a hold of the one in his hands and it squeaked at him.

"No, stay here." Harry ordered and the animal quieted down as the others rolled out.

"That is creepy," Dracka muttered.

The animal in Harry's hand squeaked again and Harry stroked its back, well a part of it anyway.

"Is that all of them?" Harry asked the fur ball, as he held the last one. "No."

Harry peered into the box and let the one in his hand go as he reached into the box with two hands and pulled a small beast out. The thing squeaked at him and Dracka and Severus pushed their seats back quickly, the chair scraping across the stones. The beast could have been called a cat, if cats had floppy ears and very large claws and teeth. The cat had bright blue eyes as it blinked them open and yawned as Harry gently placed it on the table and it stretched his back.

The animal had a long coat of brown and white and two tails as it flicked its ears and sat looking at Harry. The wizard held out a hand and a ball of light magic pooled in his hand and the beast tilted its head transfixed.

"They grow into that?" Severus asked and he moved further away.

Harry snorted as the beast lunged for the ball of light magic and Harry snatched his hand back before the thing could take his fingers, leaving the ball behind as the beast grabbed it in its paws. Hagrid looked down at it with bright eyes, Harry was sure that it was love at first sight.

"This one's just a baby," Harry replied. "This is a Squirt."

The beast went to jump off the table and Harry quickly grabbed it by the scuff of the neck and it let out a loud yowl.

"Oh, shush." Harry snapped at it.

The beast swung its claws around as Harry held it tightly and the hall had gone silent. Harry gave it a shake and it settled down and glared at him with bright blue eyes.

"You will be allowed to live in the Forbidden Forrest," Harry said sternly. "You will be fair game for anything in there and anything except wizards, witches and members of this school will be off limits. Understand?"

The beast glared at him as it swung from his hand before looking away as more of the fur balls rolled back into the hall and the teachers eyed them off warily.

"Vampires are fair game," Harry said softly.

"Hey!" Dracka yelped.

Harry glanced over at the vampire and smirked.

"Agreed?" Harry asked the creature and held his other hand out towards it.

The beast swung a clawed paw out and it connected with Harry's hand as he wrapped his hand around the furred limb before releasing the creature. The thing landed on four feet and hissed at him before jumping from the table and onto the ground. It shook its coat out and letting the hair settle before glancing over at Harry before strutting between the Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff table towards the front doors with its tails up in the air.

"Oi!" Harry yelled after the creature and it turned. "Any trouble and we'll be having words."

The beast snarled at him showing fangs before bounding from the room as the fur balls rolled after it.

"Well there you go Dracka, enjoy." Harry announced, turning to the vampire.

Dracka eyed him off, then the way the creatures had gone, then Harry again before his lips curled up in a smirk, showing off his fangs. Severus frowned as he looked at Harry.

"Blake?" Albus asked, looking at the man unsure.

"They will keep to the forest Headmaster," Harry replied. "Call it another layer of protection."

Dracka barked a laugh and leaned in close to Harry.

"Cunning bastard," Dracka whispered in his ear.

Harry barked a laugh as he looked over at the vampire.

"Knew there had to be a reason that Dogwood sent that box here," Harry said with a smirk. "Food chain and all of that. Severus, feel like a field trip to the Department?"

Severus glared over at him.

"No?" Harry asked in amusement.

"No," Severus repeated, as he retook his seat.

Harry grabbed up his coffee and looked around the hall and the teachers, everything silent, as they looked at him.

"What?" Harry asked mildly, as he took a sip of coffee.


	21. Chapter 21

Harry waited as the last student made their way towards him. He was leaning on a boulder, down near the shore of the Great Lake, as the sun set casting shadows over the group. His class was a mix of fifth through to seventh year students of all houses. Ry and Granger were the last to dash down towards him.

"Nice of you to join us, Mr Potter and Ms Granger." Harry drawled, then realised how much he sounded like Severus.

"Sorry, sir." Hermione said in a rush. "One of the staircases decided to move on us."

Harry smirked as a couple of students giggled.

"Okay everyone," Harry said to the twenty-three students around him.

He noticed that a couple of other students, not in his class, making their way over once they realised he was holding a class. He didn't say anything about it, he didn't mind if others watched.

"Today we will be working on true light and dark magic…yes Ms Granger?" Harry asked as the girl's hand shot up.

"Isn't dark magic illegal?" The girl said looking pale.

"No," Harry answered simply. "Yes, Ms Granger?"

"But the killing curse?"

"Is illegal," Harry answered. "Yes, Ms Granger?"

"Isn't that dark magic?"

"Now that is an interesting question," Harry smiled. "Okay everyone. Put your hand up if you think the killing curse is a dark spell?"

Every hand went up.

"Anyone think it's a light spell?" Harry asked.

Every hand stayed down.

"Magic in general is neutral," Harry said calmly. "We each have a core of magic in us some are more towards 'dark' magic while other are towards 'light'. Mr Malfoy please step forward."

Draco stepped forward and Harry faced him pulling his cherry wand making the boy's hand twitch towards his own wand.

"If I cast the killing curse right now at Mr Malfoy," Harry said calmly. "With the intent to kill him is that a dark spell? Ms Granger?"

"Yes, sir." The girl said.

"Okay and if Mr Malfoy was lying in a hospital bed in unbearable pain with no outlook of that improving and I was a mediwizard with permission from Mr Malfoy and his Doctors to cast the killing curse to end his suffering. Would that be a dark spell? Anyone?"

No one moved as other students floated over. Ms Granger's hand slowly went up in the air and Harry nodded at the girl.

"So, it depends on intent?" The girl said.

"Now, that is the question," Harry said and waved Malfoy back. "Dark objects are a different story; those things will leak into your core and taint it. But spell work is different since most wizards pull on their core of magic. Ture dark or light power comes from a separate but still interconnected core."

Harry turned to his right and tapped into his dark magic and cast a whispered spell and a lion appeared next to him, its tan coat shinning in the sun making a couple of students gasp and step back. Harry then turned and pulled on his light magic and cast another spell and a large snake curled up on the ground and raised itself up as if to strike. He turned back to the students around him.

"Can anyone tell me which one of these animals was made with dark magic and which with light?" Harry asked leaning on his cane.

Noise erupted around him as the students turned to each other as the lion looked around itself and yawned before licking its paw. The snake curled up on the ground without a care.

"Anyone?" Harry called out. "Mr Malfoy?"

"The snake is dark," The blonde said with a smirk.

Harry grinned and said, "Nope."

He could always count on a Slytherin to pick the snake as silence greeted him.

He flicked his wand and the lion exploded in dark mists swirling around the students gathered before disappearing. With another flick the snake burst into a white mist, which settled along the ground before absorbing into the earth.

"Looks can be deceiving," Harry said softly. "It takes a very long time working with magic to pick up the differences between true light and dark magic. My best piece of advice is if you hear the killing curse you duck! Cos it doesn't matter what type of magic has been used, it will still kill you!"

The students were silent around him.

"If you have creature blood in you, no matter how diluted," Harry went on. "Telling the difference will be easier for you to spot. Now dark objects…"

And the class went on.

"Are your classes always this interesting?" Dracka asked as the students broke up after the class.

"Nah," Harry replied. "Sometimes students fall asleep."

Dracka barked a laugh and clapped a hand on Harry's shoulder.

"You have an interesting way of telling students that they have creature blood by the way," Dracka said with a smirk.

"You caught on to that, did you?" Harry smirked back.

xXx

Harry was working with some seventh year students on breaking wards when a knock sounded on his door.

"Come in," Harry called, watching the Ravenclaw student carefully as he focused on breaking through the ward.

He quickly glanced up to see Severus enter the room before turning back to the seventh year. Harry had a trunk on the floor in the middle of the bronze circle that he had warded and the boy was trying to break into it.

"That's it," Harry said softly. "Now curve the spell to match the lock, think of the magic like a piece of metal twisting into the shape of a key. That's it."

Harry watched the magic calmly as the boy, Billie Coffer, worked on the trunk. If the boy kept up this level of curse breaking he would have a promising job at Gringotts or the Department of Mysteries. A loud click had the other three students clapping softly as Billie pulled the trunk open and pulled out a box of chocolate frogs.

"Well done, Mr Coffer." Harry said and broke the protection charm around them. "We'll meet again in a week. Thank you."

"Bye, sir."

Harry watched the students leave, Billie holding the box out to the others as they left.

"He has talent that boy," Harry said to Severus. "I'll be sure to let the goblins know."

"Just as long as potions are not needed," Severus said dryly.

"He isn't good at them?" Harry asked.

"Not if you want to live, if you take one."

"Ha!" Harry laughed. "Isn't it strange that so many students that are very talented in charms aren't in potions."

"You are talented in both," Severus pointed out then thought it through. "Potter however…"

"Needs a lot of help and very close supervision," Harry stated with a grin. "And a backup cauldron just in case. He is smart and picks up most things easily just not potions for some reason."

"Ha!" Severus barked. "So, you were good at potions at his age?"

"Me?" Harry squeaked. "I was a disaster zone."

Severus bumped his shoulder against him. "Not anymore."

"I had time on my side," Harry said with a grin. "I didn't even finish school."

"What?" Severus yelped in shock.

Harry just grinned at him.

"Now, were you after something or just wanted to see my lovely face?" Harry asked with a wink.

"One of your papers is glowing," Severus deadpanned.

"Really?" Harry said as he moved towards the door. "Great!"

"Is this something I should know about?" Severus asked. "…Or be concerned about?"

Harry grinned at him as he opened his door and made his way to his table and slipped the glowing paper out of the stack of papers and gave it a quick look.

"The message stones I gave to Dracka," Harry explained, frowning at the paper. "I linked a spell in to inform me if one of his spies came across the dark magic of a Horcrux. One of them has."

"Really?" Severus asked moving forward and glanced down at the paper. It was just a list of spells with a number at the top of the page.

"How can you tell where and when they came across the magic?" Severus asked.

"Ah, yeah." Harry muttered rubbing his head. "At the time I didn't have the power to add that in, just a spell to recognize the magic."

Severus barked a laugh.

"Hey!" Harry yelped. "In my defence. I was still recovering from being stabbed!"

"So, you don't know who has the message stone or where that person has been?" Severus asked with a smirk.

"Yeah," Harry replied, then grinned. "But I know who does."

xXx

Dracka looked down at the paper in front of him in dismay.

' _These students have no idea_ ,' Dracka thought as he marked another paper that just made no sense, as he covered the page with his red pen. He felt tempted to just draw a line over the whole page and write 'fail' but reframed.

"Come in," He called at the knock at the door glad to place the paper aside on his desk.

Blake peeked his head around the door and Dracka waved him in. The man walked in with Severus at his heels and quickly sat in the seat across from him leaving Severus standing.

"Have these students had one decent Defence teacher?" Dracka asked.

"Yes."

"No."

Blake and Severus glared at each other, the taller man raising an eyebrow as Blake grinned.

"Remus Lupin was probably the best," Blake said slowly.

Severus snorted.

"Charmling didn't seem too bad a teacher either, well, before he tried to kill me," Blake said with a smirk. "Moody ended up being a Death Eater under Polyjuice. So, I suppose his lessons were from personal experience, the dark arts part anyway, but hey they have a vampire teaching them now, so…"

Dracka just raised an eyebrow and held out the paper. Severus reached forward and grabbed it with a smirk.

"This girl is an idiot," Severus said slowly. "You should have seen the mess she made of my classroom…twice."

"That's why I only deal with the smart ones," Blake said with a smirk. "I let the other teachers weed out the good ones for me."

Dracka barked a laugh.

"Yes," Severus drawled. "You let others do the hard work."

"Yep," Blake agreed. "Then take the credit!"

Severus's lips twitched in a smile before passing back the paper.

"Which is why we are here by the way," Severus pointed out with a smirk.

"Ah," Blake said rubbing his head. "Oh yeah."

"Something I can help you with gentlemen?" Dracka drawled with a smirk of his own.

Blake pulled a paper from his pocket.

"I need to track down the person that has this message stone," Blake explained. "They came across the magic of a Horcrux."

"That was the dark magic you were looking for?" Dracka asked.

"Yes." Blake said.

"Blake, happened to forget to put a tracking charm into the message stones," Severus drawled.

"I didn't forget!" Blake yelped and flicked his cane out.

Severus stepped back calmly and the cane missed the man as Blake glared at him.

"I just didn't have the power or concentration to add in that charm," Blake said. "Do I have to remind you again that I had been recovering from being stabbed?"

"How do you plan to find out who has it then?" Dracka asked.

"Ah," Blake said with a grin. "That's why we came here. I just need one of your message stones, to link it with this paper, then you can send a message to see who has the stone, see easy?"

"Easy?" Severus muttered shaking his head.

Blake grinned and stood up, placing the paper on the table and waited for Dracka to place one of the message stones on top of the paper.

" _Vocationem coniungere_ ," Blake muttered and tapped his wand to the stone.

The paper and stone glowed briefly before Blake passed him the stone. Dracka thought for a minute before turning the stone for Blake to see.

' _The idiot who made these wants to know who holds this stone? Dracka.'_

Severus barked a laugh as Dracka sent the message.

' _Cotton,'_ Came back quickly in reply.

"Man's name is Colin Cotton," Dracka said to the other two men. "He works in muggle London."

Blake smiled and looked over to Severus.

"Feel like having a coffee out?" Blake asked.

Dracka huffed a laugh and set up the meeting.

xXx

Harry sipped at his coffee as he watched people moving on the busy street of London through the glass windows. Severus sat stiffly beside him, adjusting his coat every now and again as they waited for Dracka's man to arrive. Harry just leaned back in the seat enjoying the sounds of people around him on a busy Thursday afternoon.

"I used to bring Ry to a place like this when he was a baby," Harry said suddenly.

"Is that so?" Severus asked.

Harry could tell he didn't like the amount of people around them and it may also be the fact that they were all muggles that was bothering Severus. Harry just sat further back in his seat as the voices rolled over him.

"Yes," Harry said, sipping his coffee. "Ry liked hearing the people, used to send him to sleep. It was the only way I could get work done before he started school."

"He could sleep with this noise?" Severus asked in surprise.

"Yeah," Harry said softly. "Plus, I like to people watch."

Harry gave Severus a grin and turned back to the window.

"Too many muggles for my liking." Severus sneered.

Harry barked a laugh as Severus glared at anyone that would glance over at them. Harry noticed the wizard they were there to meet the minute he walked through the door. The man looked around, his black suit and white shirt well maintained and ironed to sharpness. He had brown hair spiked up in the latest fashion and tan coloured eyes as he quickly focused on Severus and bustled over.

"I'm so sorry I'm late, Mr Sun." The man said holding a hand out to Severus. "I had a meeting that ran late."

Harry huffed a laugh as Severus glared down at the hand and the man started to shift nervously.

"I'm Blake Sun," Harry said softly, taking pity on the man. "This is Severus Snape, please take a seat."

"Oh, I'm so sorry!" The man cried, taking a seat. "I didn't mean any disrespect. I'm a big fan of your message stones, they are so handy and Dracka has spoken about you a few times. The magic in the stones is great! I've even tried to look into them myself without any luck. You must tell me how you made them?"

Harry just stared at the man while the words tumbled out.

"Um," Harry said unsure.

"What can I do for you?" Colin asked with a smile. "I'm not sure what I can help you with, I mainly work with muggles and not wizards."

Severus snorted.

"I mean," Colin continued. "From the look of the message stones you must be a very advanced wizard and I just work in a muggle office so I'm not sure I could help you with anything-"

"Stop," Harry said softly, as he placed the piece of paper on the table.

"I'm sorry Mr Sun," Colin said in a rush. "I start talking when I get nervous and-"

"Stop," Harry repeated as Severus snorted and smirked in amusement. "You came across a certain type of magic that I am looking for."

"Oh," Colin said. "I don't know when I might have done that! I spend most of my day in the office-"

"Stop," Harry snapped. "I want you to look at this list of spells that you have cast while carrying the message stone. See the one I have circled, just after that one you came into contact with the magic I am after."

"Um, okay." Colin said looking over the list, then paled when he saw every spell that he had cast.

"Yes," Harry said with a smirk. "You aren't as innocent as you pretend to be, Mr Cotton."

Severus watched in interest as the annoying man paled and his tan eyes widened and wished that he had looked at the list of spells closer before the man arrived.

"Ah," The man said, looking put out and Harry smirked.

"Gringotts," Colin said after a couple of minutes of thought. "I was getting money out of my vault."

"What number?" Harry asked sitting forward in his seat.

"Um," The man looked nervous and started to fiddle with his hands.

"You will tell me," Harry said softly. "Or I will take it from your mind, Mr Cotton."

The man flinched back and even Severus looked shocked.

"Twenty-three," Colin whispered.

Harry sat back in his seat.

"So, you would have moved past vault twenty-four to get to your vault?" Harry asked softly. "Correct?"

"Um yes…sir."

"Very well," Harry said, eyeing the other man. "You may go."

"Thank you, sir." The man got to his feet, the piece of paper still in his hand.

"Drop it," Harry ordered and the paper fell from the man's hand.

"Oh, sorry." Colin said and moved as quickly from the coffee shop as he could without drawing attention to himself.

Severus reached out and picked the paper up and looked closer at the list his eyes falling straight away on the killing curse before roaming over the other spells.

"That, my love." Harry said softly to Severus. "Is why looks are deceiving."

xXx

Harry limped up the stairs of Gringotts's bank with Severus at his side. The bank shone in the late afternoon sun turning the tiles almost gold as he moved through the doors and into the busy bank. Goblins moved around as a long line of Wizards and witches waited for their turn. Severus groaned beside him making Harry smirk.

Harry limped passed the wizards and witches without pausing and Severus fell into step behind him, as glares were thrown in their direction. Harry walked straight up to a goblin working at one of the desks. The beast looked up at him with a sneer.

"Goldsmith," Harry said simply.

The goblin's eyes widened and he rushed off as Harry leaned back on his cane and looked around. Severus just looked stunned. The goblin hurried back a couple of minutes later.

"Room six, sir." The goblin said before going back to his work.

"Thank you," Harry said and walked around the desk.

"Blake?" Severus hissed.

Harry winked at the taller man as he led him through the corridor behind the tables and out the back of the bank, goblins moving around him. He led Severus down another hallway until they reached room number six. Harry knocked once then moved inside without being told.

"Mr Sun," A goblin greeted behind a fancy dark wood desk. "What can I do for you?"

"I wish to access vault number twenty-four," Harry said calmly, taking the seat in front of the goblin's desk and waving Severus to the other one.

"Do you have a key?" The goblin sneered.

"Do I need one?" Harry counted. "I believe that vault holds a Horcrux."

The goblin pulled back in his seat and hissed before reaching into the drawer of his desk and placing a key on the table and sliding towards Harry.

"Yes," The goblin said slowly. "I can see you have a key for that vault. I believe that our business is concluded?"

"Thank you, Mr Goldsmith," Harry said standing and picking up the key. "I'll be sure to remove that item, have a good day."

The goblin nodded and turned back to his work. Harry moved back through the door and towards the back of the bank where the lifts were located.

"What was that about?" Severus hissed.

"A Horcrux," Harry said softly. "Cannot be held at Gringotts, it is against their law."

"What?" Severus hissed.

"Goblins are light creature, Severus." Harry said, turning to the other man. "They can't tolerate a Horcrux being in their bank. I'm kind of surprised that they haven't found it before now, but being in such a deep vault…"

"I thought they were dark creatures?"

"Ha, that's what they want wizards to believe." Harry laughed, turning towards the lifts and pressing a button.

"They have a lift?" Severus questioned faintly.

Harry turned to the man and he felt for him, he was sure that a lot of things Severus believed in had just been turned on its head.

"The cable cart is for the wizards," Harry smirked. "Biggest joke of the goblins. Don't tell anyone."

Harry clapped Severus on the shoulder and pushed him into the lift and pressed button two then four.

"Why do you think it's in vault twenty-four?" Severus asked, leaning against the wall of the lift.

Harry smirked.

"I was asked to reinforce the wards around that vault after the attack on the Ministry," Harry said. "I thought it was odd at the time because I had already laid wards on the vault before that. The owner must have paid to have the wards done again, probably after placing the Horcrux in it."

"Do you know who owns it?" Severus questioned.

"Nope," Harry said. "And the goblins won't tell me."

"They gave you a key," Severus pointed out.

"Yes, but they won't tell me who owns the vault," Harry explained. "They just want the Horcrux gone."

The lift stopped and the doors opened into the underground network of Gringotts bank. Harry and Severus stepped out and the doors closed behind them blending with the stones of the wall. Severus looked around at the cavern they were in, the train tracks of the cable carts running through the cave with small shelves running along each wall for the levels of the vaults. Below him was just darkness and mist.

Harry cast a light into the air that lit up the shelf they were standing on lighting up vault door number one. The shelf ran into the distance with the train track running beside them before a large gap and with another shelf on the other side.

"This side holds vaults one through to fifty," Harry said as they set out. "Vaults fifty to a hundred are on the other side."

A roar shook the ground they were standing on and Harry smiled.

"That's Pretty," Harry said with a smirk.

"Pretty?" Severus asked looking in the direction the roar had sounded.

"Pretty Damn Big," Harry laughed and bumped his shoulder with Severus's.

"Ha, ha." Severus said dryly.

"Goblin humour," Harry smirked. "Takes dad jokes to new levels. Here we are."

Harry turned to the vault door, feeling his own magic on the wards of the vault. He held out the key and placed it against the door, the bars on the door twisted up like snakes and opened with a creepy creak.

"Ah, shit." Harry cursed when they got their first look at the vault.

It was packed full of stuff from floor to ceiling.

xXx

Severus moved through the towering piles of stuff around him as he tried, and failed, to sense out any dark magic. He just didn't have the talent for sensing magic, give him a potion and he could tell you every ingredient in it but when it came to spells and objects…

He knew when an object was really dark since it made him 'feel' uneasy but couldn't 'see' the way that Blake seemed to be able to see magic. The room kind of reminded him of the Room of Requirement at Hogwarts as he looked around but with a bit more thought to the pathways as he walked aimlessly.

"We might have to come back with Dracka," Blake yelled from somewhere. "He can sense out dark magic better than I can."

Severus smirked as he looked around at a collection of silver teapots. At least the vampire could come in handy with that. He could still see the image of the man lying next to his lover after the battle in France. He had only brought it up with Blake once after the battle but the other man had just laughed it off once Severus recounted it and they didn't talk of it again.

Blake was happy to talk about just about anything with Severus but there were still topics that they stayed away from and Blake and the vampire were one of them. His problem with sex was the other, Blake was happy to do anything but intercourse and it still bothered Severus about the reasons. The only thing he was able to come up with, is that it had something to do with the torture that the man has suffered.

Severus was so deep in thought he didn't notice when he started to feel uneasy and his thoughts turned darker as he thought of the torture that his lover had endured as he paused before a stack of gold coins and other gold objects. The light that Blake had thrown up, to the ceiling of the vault, glinting off the gold and Severus paused.

"Find anything Severus?" Blake's voice rang out and Severus frowned.

Blake was always demanding something. If it wasn't tea or coffee at his beck and call it was something else. Always wanting to work on potions he wanted and always taking too long to help Severus with one of his projects. His work always coming first as he jumped from one contract to another around the world and ignoring him. Keeping secrets from him and knowing what could happen in the future and yet not saying anything about it.

"Severus?"

Severus turned dark eyes to the man in question and sneered. The man stood with an arrogant tilt to his head as he leaned on his cane and looked around.

"Did you find something?" The man asked as he limped forward.

Severus pulled himself up to his full height and looked down at the man. He couldn't even work out how to make a potion to fix the muscles in his leg. Blake rubbed a hand over his short hair and the smile on his face slipped slightly as he looked at Severus.

"Did you find it?" The man asked again, slowly stepping forward. "Severus?"

' _Why did I fall in love with this man_?' He thought darkly, as he moved towards the cripple.

Blake was looking over a pile of gold coins in interest and didn't notice Severus getting closer to him. The man didn't even feel like a wizard. He just felt like a muggle.

"I felt something dark over here," The man said looking around.

Severus moved to stand beside him and Blake turned towards him.

Suddenly Severus grabbed the smaller man by the throat with both hands, the man's cane falling from his hand from the unexpected attack. Wide green eyes looked up at him as he slammed the man's back into a wooden cupboard on the other side of the path, objects rattling as he tightened his fingers around the man's throat.

"Always wanting something," Severus hissed in his ear as the man struggled, his nails digging into Severus's wrists.

Severus felt a stab of glee run through him as the man tried to kick out at him but he pulled him forward then slammed him back into the cupboard again using his taller and heavier frame to push the man into the heavy wooden cupboard.

"Severus coffee, Severus can you get that." Snape snapped.

Blake's struggles started to grow weaker and Severus sneered down at the other man, black eyes glinting harshly.

"Where is all that power now?" Severus hissed in his ear and pulled back.

Their eyes locked.

Suddenly Severus found himself air born and thrown across the path smashing into the pile of coins with a pain filled grunt as coughing sounds filled the air. Severus groaned and rolled onto his side, his head pounding.

He looked up and froze.

Blake stood above him a cold look in his green eyes and his dark wand pointing down at him.

"Move," The man hissed, coldness rolling off him making Severus flinch back. "And you will not like what happens, do you understand?"

Severus shivered, the power this man held breaking over him and he felt fear for his life as he looked up at the cold green eyes of the other man. In no doubt, that the man was a powerful wizard as he cowered slightly.

"Blake?" Severus gasped, fear making him shake.

The wand wavered slightly but the eyes stayed focused.

"Release him," Blake hissed, almost slipping into parseltongue.

Severus looked up with wide eyes already seeing bruising coming up on the other man's throat from his own hands.

"Oh, god." Severus whispered, as what he had done crashed down on him.

Blake stared down at him for a few seconds more before he knelt next to Severus, wand still out.

"I think." Blake said calmly, his voice rough. "That we have found the Horcrux."

"Oh, god," Severus repeated. "I don't…something just…"

"Sh, Severus." Blake said softly, still keeping a bit of distance between them.

Severus felt a stab in his heart as he looked at the man. He had attacked him. He had wrapped his own hands around the man's throat. Severus rolled so he was kneeling and his stomach dropped as Blake stood and stepped back out of his reach.

"I'm so sorry," Severus whispered, kneeling on the cold ground.

"Stay there," Blake ordered and Severus flinched.

"Until I find the Horcrux," Blake said softly but the rough sound of his voice cut through him.

Severus sat back on his heels as Blake moved towards the pile of gold, his wand trained on Severus the whole time. Blake painfully limped forward before flicking his wrist and that silver sword of his dropped into his hand. Severus paled at the sight. The man could have killed him with his sword with just a thought and Dracka's story of the night that Blake killed his brother floated back to him.

"Blake?" Severus whispered.

Green eyes flicked over at him and he smiled softly as he turned back to the pile of gold. Using that silver sword to move things around until he hooked onto a tiara made of gold and diamonds. Severus felt a stab of hatred run through him at the sight of the gold object and found himself standing without thinking.

"Sit!"

Severus sat, Blake's magic harshly pushing him down and Severus whimpered. He watched wide-eyed as the man pulled a glass jar from his coat pocket and placed the tiara into it and screwed the lid on.

A darkness lifted from Severus's mind, that he didn't even realise was there. His thoughts clear again like cold water washing over him, making him shiver.

"Oh, god." Severus whispered. "I attacked you!"

Blake turned and looked at him, his green eyes staring down at him, as he placed the jar away in his pocket and dismissed his sword. He paused to pick up his dropped cane, eyes never leaving Severus.

"Yes," Blake said softly, limping closer. "You did."

Severus slowly got to his feet and Blake moved towards him his cane tapping on the ground with each step until he stood in front of him. Severus just stood there, he started when arms wrapped around him. He dropped his head to the man's shoulder and wrapped his arms around the smaller man as his body shook.

Blake ran his hand up and down Severus's back as the man just held him close and Severus couldn't have been more grateful than at that moment.

"Sh," Blake whispered. "It's okay."

Severus pushed the other man back gently and lifted a trembling hand up to the man's throat and touched light fingers to the redness he could see coming up already. He felt sick to the stomach as he looked at the marks.

"I'm sorry," Severus whispered.

Blake lifted his hand up and caught Severus's hand, the silver ring on the man's finger flashing in the light and making Severus flinch back.

"We should get back to the school," Blake said roughly. "The Headmaster will want to know that we have the Horcrux."

Severus stepped back and turned his head away. A soft hand touched the side of his face and he turned to look into the green eyes of his lover. Another hand cupped his other cheek and pulled him down for a soft kiss.

"Oh god," Severus whimpered. "What did I do to deserve you?"

Blake barked a laugh and smacked his ass softly.

"I could say the same," The man said with a smile but the hoarseness of his voice hung between them.

xXx

Harry kept an eye on Severus as they made their way back up to the main floor of the bank. The man was hurting. Harry wasn't sure what he could do to help, the pain in his throat was annoying him and his back and ribs hurt from being pushed into the wooden cupboard. The attack had come out of nowhere and he hadn't been expecting it.

Once they were clear of the wards of the bank, Harry palmed the portkey and grabbed Severus's arm. The world spun around them until they stood in the stone room next to the Headmaster's office. Severus looked around with dull black eyes. Harry didn't let go of the man's arm until black eyes locked with his.

"It was the dark magic in your mind, Severus." Harry said softly. "It was not you."

Severus and Harry just stared at each other.

"Can I help you boys?"

Harry turned away from Severus to face Albus.

"Oh, god." Albus gasped.

Harry let Severus go and walked passed the Headmaster and sat heavily in one of the seats before the man's desk

"What happened, Severus?" The Headmaster asked the younger man.

"I attacked him," Severus whispered.

"What?" The Headmaster yelped.

"It was the Horcrux we found," Harry said roughly and he was sure he was going to lose his voice.

The other two men came into the room and the Headmaster's blue eyes roamed over the bruising on his neck before he settled behind the desk.

"I think you should explain." Albus said sternly.

Harry slowly explained what happened as Severus sat in the seat next to him and only took up the story when Harry's voice failed him. It took a while and it was close to midnight by the time they were done.

"I think I will break this Horcrux tonight," Harry whispered. "It is too powerful to leave."

Harry stood and moved towards the stone room when he realised that Severus wasn't following him.

"Are you coming?" Harry asked Severus.

The man wouldn't look at him.

"I think I'll take the long way down," Severus said softly.

Harry looked him over and sighed.

"Okay," Harry whispered. "I'll meet you back at our rooms when I'm done."

Harry stepped into the stone room and apparated to the front gates of the school.

xXx

"Severus?" Albus asked softly once Blake was gone.

Severus sat hunched in the chair, his dark eyes locked on the scratches on his wrists. Albus got to his feet and moved around the desk and placed a hand on the younger man's shoulder.

"I attacked him," Severus said softly.

"It was the dark magic in the Horcrux, Severus." Albus said softly.

"I know that!" Severus snapped and looked up at Albus. "It was the thoughts that were running through my head!"

"They were brought out by the dark magic," Albus said calmly. "If anyone knows dark magic, it is Blake."

"The look in his eyes," Severus said and shivered. "It was so cold."

Albus sighed.

"I think, my boy." Albus said softly. "That we forget just how old Blake is. He has lived many life times and understands things we could never grasp in the time we are given on this earth."

Severus nodded.

"He loves you," Albus said with conviction.

"And I love him," Severus whispered.

The words hung in the air, given a voice for the first time.

"And that, Severus." Albus said softly. "Is why he forgives you."

"Thank you, Headmaster," Severus said, with a small smile and stood. "Good night."

"Good night, Severus."

xXx

Harry knelt on the floor of his classroom and looked down at the glass jar in his hand. The tiara glinting up at him as he just stared at the object. With a sigh he unscrewed the top and the dark magic crashed down on him and he groaned. He quickly threw it into the circle and pulled up a protection charm around it caging the item. The dark magic subsided but Harry could still hear it whispering in his mind.

It was no wonder why, it over took Severus so easily. This was a very powerful item as Harry gathered up his magic quickly. Pure light magic gathering at his fingertips, he had to take this Horcrux out quickly as the whispers got louder and it felt like someone was standing behind him as he built his magic up.

" _Frangere_!" Harry hissed.

The light magic smashed into the tiara, ripping it apart, he got a slight image of the person that was murdered to make the Horcrux, but it was more of a shadow, as his magic ripped and tore through the dark magic eating through it without a care. Harry poured the magic on until nothing remained of the item, not even molten gold.

When his vision cleared he was kneeling alone on the floor of his classroom with only a glass jar and a throbbing in his throat for company.


	22. Chapter 22

Author's rambling: The way Blake talks about the way homosexual teachers were treated was the way it was in the nineties. I wish I could say that things have changed enough for those attitudes to have changed, but just last month, I heard that a homosexual student can still be expelled from a catholic school here in Australia (where I live).

xXx

Harry felt like shit the next morning when he woke up. He could hear Severus's soft breathing but the man was curled up away from him. Not even his back touching his.

Harry slowly sat up on the side of the bed and picked up the jar of bruising balm off his bedside table where Severus had left it with a couple of vials of pain potion.

"Do you want me to put some on your back?"

Harry looked over his shoulder at Severus as the man looked back at him with dark eyes.

"Is there bruising back there?" Harry asked, passing the jar over.

Severus pulled himself up in a sitting position and placed his legs on either side of Harry's. He carefully worked the balm into the bruising on the man's back, before starting on his neck before passing it back for Harry to finish. Severus rested his chin on the man's shoulder as he wrapped his arms around his stomach. The two sat like that for a while just taking comfort in the other before Harry patted Severus's knees and headed for the bathroom.

xXx

Harry looked up at the giant maps he had placed on the walls of his classroom. Every one of his walls had been covered in maps of Europe, the UK, the States and a couple of other places. The large bench he normally had pushed against one of the walls had been moved into the middle of the room, over the bronze circle in his floor, and he had piled up his files in neat sections down the length of it as he'd worked on the maps.

He looked closely at the file in his hand and put another pin in the map of Germany for Simpson's movements. The Headmaster had come through with Simpson's school records from the States and Harry had already marked out the map with the man's movements before he was exiled.

"Come in," Harry called at the knock at his door.

A low whistle had him turning his head to see Dracka standing there looking around with a few files in his hand.

"Looks like a battle-what the fuck happened to you?" Dracka demanded when he saw the bruises on his neck, his eyes flashing red.

"A brush with a very dark Horcrux," Harry said calmly, his voice still a little rough.

Dracka stepped forward, concern in his dark eyes as he touched light fingers to the bruising. Harry stepped back.

"Are they the files from your spies?" Harry asked, reaching for the files.

Dracka pulled them back. "What happened?"

Harry sighed and leaned back on the bench behind him.

"The dark magic of the Horcrux over took Severus," Harry said softly.

Dracka flinched back.

"I thought there was something wrong with him," Dracka said softly. "He's been avoiding me."

"Ha!" Harry barked. "He should know better than that."

Dracka gave him a grin, his eyes soft.

"Are you okay?" Dracka asked.

Harry looked away from the vampire as Dracka just let him gather his thoughts. That's why he liked dealing with the vampire. They both had age on their side and knew when to give a person time.

"I had a partner once," Harry said slowly. "We'd worked together for many years and we worked very well. We always knew what the other needed without words."

"Lover?"

"Um, no." Harry said, looking up at the other man. "Her name was Jessica she was married to one of my best friends from school. We were Aurors together…"

"What happened?"

"We were tasked with flushing out some Dark Wizards," Harry said softly. "I was only young and didn't have the skills I do now with dark magic. Didn't even really understand it or even knew I had dark magic."

Dracka felt a stab of forbidding in his stomach.

"Jess and I had the back of the mansion while another team had the front." Harry said remembering the day. "We had back up on standby…it was a trap."

Harry fell silent for a couple of minutes as Dracka leaned against the bench beside him.

"The minute we smashed through into the house they released the dark magic," Harry whispered. "It was…suffocating."

Dracka laid his hand on the other man's knee, understanding the feel of something taking over his mind, due to his demon.

"Jessica turned to me and stabbed her sword straight into my stomach before I could react," Harry continued softly, subconsciously rubbing the spot on his stomach. "The pain cleared my mind enough for me to roll out of the way when she swung the sword at my head. That day was the first day I pulled on the power of the hollows and felt the dark magic flood into my veins…

"The dark magic of the hollows ran through my system and I found myself standing with my own sword out and blocking Jess." Harry stopped talking for a second, seeing Jess's normally soft brown eyes blank and hollow before him.

"Did you kill her?" Dracka asked softly.

"Um, no." Harry said softly. "But I broke her leg in such a way that it never healed right and she was in St Mungo's for about three weeks. The other team didn't fare as well. They killed each other the minute that the trap was sprung. Took the backup team too long to counter the dark magic and get us out.

"The hollows saved my life that day," Harry whispered, looking down at Dracka's hand on his knee. "I can understand what it feels like when dark magic takes over your mind so completely. I don't think Severus has ever had much contact with such magic before."

"He is strong," Dracka said softly. "I'm sure his time with the Dark Lord will help him get passed this."

"He told you about that?" Harry asked in surprise.

Dracka grinned and passed him the files in his other hand.

"I was a bit surprised when he showed me the dark mark shortly after you had broken the connection," Dracka admitted.

Harry smiled sadly as took the files in hand and flicked the first one open.

"Doesn't seem the type?" Harry asked, as he placed each file open on the right pile on the table.

Dracka barked a laugh.

"Oh no," Dracka smirked darkly. "There is plenty of darkness in that man's core for him to be drawn to a Dark Lord."

"Oh, god." Harry snapped, turning to the vampire. "Please don't tell him that!"

"You haven't told him how much dark magic he has at his fingertips?" Dracka asked in surprise.

"No," Harry said softly. "I don't think that conversation would go down well."

Dracka barked a laugh before fixing his dark eyes on Harry's green ones.

"What happened with Jessica?" He asked softly.

Harry stilled at the table and looked away from the vampire.

"She killed herself six months later," Harry said softly and Dracka flinched back. "She couldn't deal with the dark magic and what it made her do. The funeral was pretty tense. Her husband came up to me, yelling in front of my wife and children and everyone else gathered and asked me to leave."

Harry could still remember that day and was sure he would remember it for as long as he lived. He had stood there in shock with little James's hand in his and Ginny holding Albus looking pale and in shock as Seamus yelled at Harry with tears running down his face as Ron tried to push through the crowd to get to them.

Harry had just let the man yell as he held his son close, when Seamus had run out of breath and before Ginny could let loose. He'd grabbed her arm and pulled her away and they had left with Seamus's words ringing in his ears.

"Wife?"

Dracka's question broke into Harry's thoughts and he looked up at the vampire.

"Ah, yeah." Harry said, looking put on the spot. "A wife and three children, well two at that stage, but that was many life times ago."

"And a different sexual preference," Dracka said with a leer.

Harry's fist hit Dracka's shoulder before the vampire even knew he was moving, which impressed the other man as he rubbed the spot and gave the man a leer.

"Shut it you," Harry snapped without heat. "Now help me mark these spots off on these maps."

Dracka gave the other man a sly smile before they turned to the work ahead of them.

xXx

Severus looked around Blake's classroom in interest as the man finished up on the phone. He had seen him briefly at dinner but he had left quickly after speaking to a couple of students and grabbing something to eat. Severus wasn't sure if it was because the man was busy or just wanted to get away from the whispers of the students since the bruising was still clear to see on his throat.

It had been interesting to see the way that Dracka had glared at the other man, while rubbing his arm. Severus had questioned him about it but all he got in reply was a glare of his own before the man stalked off.

"Okay…yeah," Blake said. "I'll look into it and get back to you, bye."

Blake hung up and moved back towards Severus with a smile.

"Like my wall art?" Blake questioned with a wave of his hand.

"It's lacking in style," Severus replied, nose in the air.

"Ha, ha." Blake said with a wink. "At least it has a flare of colour."

That it did, there were different coloured pins and lines all over the maps so that it looked more like a spider had gotten into a tin of paint and gone for a walk than anything else. Where there was a pin there was Blake's neat writing, in German, below it.

Severus studied the map of England with interest. There were lots of coloured pins and bright red lines everywhere and he wasn't sure how Blake could make any sense of it.

"The Dark Lord's movements," Blake explained. "The red lines are after he was reborn and the red and black ones are before. Well, as much as we can work out anyway."

"What is all this in aid of?" Severus asked.

Blake just grinned his pale green eyes shining.

"What did you do to Dracka?" Severus asked instead.

"Ha!" Blake laughed. "I hit him."

"You what?" Severus asked shocked. "Why?"

"He was being perverted," Blake deadpanned.

"So, you hit an elder vampire in the arm?" Severus asked sweetly. "And when isn't he being perverted?"

"It's a vampire thing," Blake replied with a grin. "I then made him do my work for me."

Severus gave a bark of laughter.

Blake was one of a kind, all right. The other man smiled up at him letting the laughter roll over him.

"Are you going to leave these maps here?" Severus asked looking around.

"Um," Blake said unsure. "Yeah I suppose. They probably won't be up for very long anyway and unless one of my students can read German it should be okay. I'll keep the door locked. If they get through that, they deserve the information. If they can work out what I can't, that is."

xXx

Harry moved down the hallway to Severus's lab and paused at the door, the man had locked it. Harry grinned and placed his hand on the handle and picked up the locking charm quickly and worked his way through it until it clicked softly and he opened the door silently.

He slipped into the room to find Severus peering into the cauldron in front of him and Harry closed the door and brought up the locking charm behind him. Severus glanced over at him and sighed.

"Breaking in to raid my supplies…again?" Severus drawled.

"Heard that Madam Pomfrey had put in a request for potions," Harry replied as he placed his notebook and files in his hand on the closest table as he moved towards Severus.

"Have you got a request to add?" Severus asked as he leaned his hip against the table as he stirred.

"No," Harry said calmly as he picked up the list before placing it down and moving to the supply cupboard.

"Why are you here, Blake?" Severus asked tiredly.

Harry paused and looked over at the man, he hadn't been sleeping well and Harry frowned in concern.

"I thought I would help you," Harry replied.

Severus looked him over with dark unreadable eyes and Harry gave him a grin as he started to pull out potion ingredients and a couple of potion books as he moved to one of the lab tables and set it up to prep the ingredients for Severus. The other man looked him over for a few seconds before going back to the potion he was working on.

Both men fell into silence as Harry prepped the ingredients and Severus brewed and they soon had a few potions going around them. Both men working seamlessly as they made their way through the list that Poppy had given Severus.

"Did you study under a potion master?" Severus asked suddenly.

"No," Harry replied softly. "The woman that taught me specialised in Charms with a hobby in potions. Brilliant woman with a quick wit and great sense of humour. She was doing work in combining charms and potions, which piped my interest."

"Department of Mysteries?" Severus asked.

"Yes," Harry replied, remembering the woman. "Promoted from the Auror Department."

The two men fell into a comfortable silence again as they worked.

"Dracka told me about Jessica," Severus said quietly.

Harry's hand stilled before he started cutting into the Beeroot carefully, with the knife in his hand.

"Yes," Harry replied. "I thought he might."

"I could have killed you," Severus said quietly.

"No," Harry snapped and turned to Severus.

He sighed when he looked at the man and placed the knife back on the table behind him as he moved towards the taller man. Severus watched him with wary eyes and Harry stopped as his heart clenched in his chest.

"Severus," Harry said softly then stopped.

Severus cast a status charm over the potion he was working on and turned to Harry as he leaned back on the bench.

"Dark magic likes to whisper in the back of your mind," Harry said as the cauldrons bubbled around them. "It doesn't want to be seen until it wants to."

"You make it sound like it is alive?" Severus drawled, but his eyes were intense.

"Everything is alive," Harry said with a quirk to his lips. "When you cast a spell, you give it life as you shape it. Dark and light power is such a potent kind of magic and that is why a lot of wizards won't know they even have that kind of magic until they are halfway through their lives or not at all. That is why they don't teach sensing or seeing magic here, so few children would understand it."

"The horcrux?" Severus questioned.

"Dark items like the horcrux is built up on dark magic and dark arts," Harry said. "The spell rips a part of the caster's soul away as they murder their victim, torturing them to death in pain and suffering. That is the personality that item gets. It wants to inflict pain and suffering. That was probably why it was moved to that vault to begin with. Each horcrux is different as each person is. That horcrux that took you over was whispering in my mind as well Severus."

Severus's eyes widened as they looked at him and Harry gave him a grim smile.

"What?" Harry asked with a quirk to his lips. "Do you think I'm immune to dark magic?"

"Yes," Severus answered and Harry barked a laugh.

"I just have a greater resistance against it, Severus." Harry said mildly. "I have worked with dark magic for a very long time. I have held it in my hands and moulded it to the way that I want before releasing it to destroy."

Harry could see a shiver run down Severus's back.

"It is not magic that you pick up lightly and think it's going to behave the same as your wizard core," Harry said as he looked the other man over. "You broke through the hold that horcrux had on you, Severus."

Severus started as he looked at him and Harry gave him a smile as he moved closer to him.

"Didn't feel like that," Severus whispered.

"It never does with dark magic," Harry replied. "Now, we should get back to work."

Severus moved forward and took the man in a hard hug before leaning down and capturing his lips in a kiss. Harry gave him a grin as he pulled back.

"Come on," Harry whispered. "We don't want a Neville Longbottom accident in here."

"Oh, god." Severus moaned.

Severus gave him one more look before they turned back to their work, with only the sounds of bubbling and cutting breaking the comfortable silence between them.

xXx

Harry looked at his class of fifth through seventh years as they sat around on the floor on conjured pillows or chairs as he sat on the bench at the back of his classroom. The maps still hung on his walls but the files had been put away. He could see a few students looking the maps over as he watched them.

"So," Harry started. "What do you want to learn today?"

The class groaned and Harry grinned wider as Ry snorted.

"Hey, come on you lot." Harry said with a smile. "I bet your other Professors don't ask you what you want to learn and we are in your time. So, come on. Yes, Ms Greengrass?"

"Um," The girl replied and Harry waved his hand. "Healing magic?"

"Can't help you," Harry said simply. "Next? Ms Granger?"

"Why?" Hermione asked.

"Really?" Harry asked looking around. "You don't know?"

"No, sir." Hermione said.

"You need a certain set of skills for healing magic," Harry replied. "I do not have them. I can do basic healing charms of course. Well, more like battle field healing charms. Let me give you a bit of advice, when a friend is bleeding out, you use what you know and then when the nurse yells at you when you have made it ten times harder for them. You grin and bear it. As long as you know what you are doing, otherwise just stick to the muggle way. Yes, Ms Greengrass?"

"Nurse?" The girl asked and Harry could see a couple of other students looking confused.

"Sorry," Harry said with a grin. "Forgive my muggle upbringing. Mediwitch or mediwizard."

"You were raised by muggles?" A fifth year Slytherin blurted out.

"Yep," Harry replied mildly.

"Does that mean you are muggleborn?" The Slytherin asked.

"Nope," Harry said with a grin. "Half blood, any more personal questions or can we move on?"

"Your leg," Mr Malfoy asked softly and the class went silent. "The mediwizards couldn't fix that?"

"There are limitations to all magic, Mr Malfoy." Harry said softly. "I was bitten by a Western Barred Snake. This snake is a magical creature and its venom eats into the muscles and flesh at the site of the bite. The Doctors can only work on what they have, there was nothing there to work with. They tried and I can walk, so I count myself lucky. Mr Potter?"

"But Skele-Gro works on bones," Ry said softly. "How come there isn't anything to work on muscles?"

"There are," Harry replied. "But when you are working on a magical injury. It gets complicated very quickly. The same as when you are working on an injury that is caused by silver, due to the fact the silver cuts the skin as well as your magic. You are best to leave those kinds of injuries to someone that knows what they are doing.

"Now, if you are interested in medical magic, I'm sure that Madam Pomfrey could test you to see if you would be suited for that kind of magic." Harry continued. "And I can teach you the basics, but I must warn you, I'm really not good at them. Ms Granger?"

"What are the skills you need?" Hermione asked softly.

"A well-trained mind to begin with," Harry replied. "Light magic helps, because it wants to heal and create and a working knowledge of the human body. There are reasons that nurses and doctors have to study for so long. Mr Malfoy?"

"So," Draco said with a frown. "People with dark magic can't do healing magic?"

"No," Harry answered. "They can. Not everything is about the kind of power you hold. Don't forget you are wizards and witches and you hold that power as well."

"Can you explain that, sir?" Draco asked.

"Which part?" Harry asked as he looked around.

"Wizard power and dark and light power?" Draco questioned.

"Right then, are you lot comfortable because this could take a while?" Harry said with a grin and sat back on the bench. "So as wizards or witches we all hold a wizard's core."

Harry held out a hand and a rainbow coloured ball formed in his hand and he floated it closer to the students.

"All of you, pull on this magic." Harry said, as he looked at the glowing ball.

Harry held his hand out again and a ball of white mists swirled into view.

"Light power," Harry explained and let it float close to the first ball.

The two balls moved closer together, like they were drawn to each other.

"They are two parts of the same," Harry explained, as the white mists swirled around the first ball of light. "They will be drawn together because they are both my magic."

The students stared as the ball of white mist swirled in with the rainbow coloured ball until it was one single ball. Seamlessly moving together as one.

"But sir," Malfoy called out. "You have dark power?"

"I do," Harry replied. "And due to the wards on this school, if I added that to the mix. The Headmaster would know and he wasn't pleased after the last time."

"But the light magic is your magic?" Hermione questioned.

"Yep," Harry replied. "I have both, which is rare, but it does happen. The dark magic would act the same as the light. It's all the same in the end."

"What about the dark arts then?" Malfoy asked.

"It's vile magic," Harry spat, as he looked at them all. "It twists your magic and your soul. There is a large difference between dark magic and the dark arts."

"Why do some books say they are the same?" Hermione asked.

"Because they were written by idiots," Harry replied, and a couple of students snickered at his language. "They do not understand what dark magic is and how it is used. I think that's it for tonight. Anyone wanting to learn healing magic let me know and I'll see what I can do for you. Good night, everyone."

Harry watched as all the students filed out marvelling again at the backwards thinking of the wizards of this age and the knowledge he held. He knew given time that people's attitudes would change. Well, everything would change as the muggles gained in technology and the wizards started to take notice, but that was only the beginning.

"Blake?"

Harry looked up to see Severus in the doorway looking at him with a frown.

"Yes?" Harry purred, not moving.

Severus moved into the room and shut the door behind him.

"You seemed to be somewhere else there?" Severus questioned, as he moved closer.

"Yes," Harry replied. "Are you after something?"

Severus moved until he stood in front of the other man with a frown.

"What were you thinking about?"

"Just the way people think now," Harry replied and ran a hand over his head. "I'm still getting used to it, even now."

"What was it like?" Severus asked softly, the man didn't talk about the time he had come from, then a thought came to him and he felt cold. "Would you go back?"

"No," Harry said shortly. "No, I wouldn't go back. I doubt I would even have a chance to. Time magic is a strange type of magic. The timeline I came from, wouldn't be the time line we are in now."

Severus cupped the man's face and looked into his eyes.

"No," Harry repeated again as he looked up at Severus. "I suppose stepping through that time rip was similar to when I would leave a name behind or life behind. Start over again."

Severus stepped between the other man's legs and Harry let his hands rest on his hips as he thought about the time he had come from.

"It wasn't illegal for Professors of Hogwarts, of the same sex, to have a relationship," Harry said softly. "Teachers that were homosexual weren't sneered at or discouraged. It wasn't counted as an act against god. That attitude changed quickly."

Severus's grip tightened on his legs and Harry looked up at him.

"People were more forgiving of other people's differences," Harry said as he looked at the other man. "As you know, I don't really care if people approve or not."

"Yes," Severus drawled. "You made that clear to the whole Great Hall."

Harry snorted and grinned as he pulled the other man closer.

"Have you always had male partners?" Harry asked, curiously.

"Yes," Severus answered shortly. "From your skills, I know you have had male partners before."

Harry barked a laugh and pulled the man down for a kiss.

"You sound surprised?" Harry questioned.

"At first I was," Severus admitted.

"Really?" Harry asked with a frown. "Why?"

"Mentioning a wife might have had something to do with that," Severus drawled.

Harry laughed as he ran his hands under the man's shirt, feeling the soft skin.

"Yes," Harry said softly. "I can understand the confusion."

Severus smiled as he looked down at him.

"You had children with her?" Severus whispered.

"Yes," Harry agreed. "Three. Two boys and a girl."

Severus cocked his head to the side.

"Any more?"

Harry looked away, the pain was still raw. Severus rubbed his thighs and let him collect his thoughts.

"I had two other children," Harry said softly. "They were killed just before I came here. Two little boys…"

Severus wrapped his arms around him and Harry let his head rest on the man's chest. Harry slipped his hands around the man's hips under his belt and let his hands rest there as Severus rubbed his back.

"So, did they throw dark and light magic around as much as you do, in your time?" Severus asked, his voice a rumble in his chest.

"I'm just special," Harry said as he pulled back and looked up at the man. "That's what happens when you have as many years working with magic that I have. You pull the magic that you believe you need at the time, regardless of the type, which is why I forget when I'm working. Until the Headmaster knocks on my door, which reminds me that I should look at that ward again."

Severus barked a laugh and kissed the man as his hands ran up his sides under his shirt. Harry slipped forward on the bench and wrapped his legs around the other man and pulled him closer. Severus shrugged out of his robes to leave him in his shirt and pants.

Harry ran his fingertips down the man's left forearm. The dark mark was completely gone now with only soft skin left behind, with no hint of the mark ever being there. Severus watched him with dark eyes as Harry placed his hand over the spot.

"I can't feel anything there anymore," Harry said softly. "I wasn't sure if the tattoo would completely disappear once the connection was broken…"

"The mark you put on Dracka and the vampires?" Severus asked softly.

"Had no connection to me," Harry said, as he looked up at the other man. "It was just a marker for the wards with no active connection."

"You were an Auror?" Severus asked and his hands stilled on Harry's thighs.

"I was," Harry replied as he leaned back on the bench. "Until I was medically retried after I was tortured."

"How long?" Severus asked softly.

"Was I an Auror?" Harry asked.

"Yes."

"About Fifty years, give or take." Harry said as he thought about it. "They wanted to assign me a desk after I recovered from being tortured but that would have driven me up the wall."

Severus snorted.

"We can't even keep you at this school for more than a couple of weeks," Severus drawled.

"Oh, yeah." Harry said with a smirk. "The goblins want me to do some work in the German branch. Plus, it would give me a chance to look into a few things while I'm over there about Simpson."

Severus gave him a grin and Harry smiled back.

"You know," Harry said as he looked at his watch. "I could go for a beer if you want to go to Hogsmead?"

Severus gave him a smirk and pulled him forward for a kiss.

"Or we could hire a room for the night?" Harry said when he pulled back. "It is a Friday night, we could make it a weekend? I could do with getting out of the castle for a little while."

xXx

Harry looked at the maps on Germany carefully as he added another pin as he waited for the others to arrive. He was getting closer and he was sure that Germany had something to do with it. He still wasn't sure why Simpson had left but he felt he was getting closer.

"Watch it vampire!"

Harry looked up as Dracka walked through the door smirking with Severus right after him glaring. Harry raised an eyebrow in question but the vampire just bared his fangs at him. The Headmaster entered last, shaking his head at the other two men.

"Problem?" Harry drawled.

"The boys were just having a bit of a disagreement," The Headmaster said, with a twinkle in his eyes. "They are done now."

"Um, right." Harry said slowly. "So, onto business then. I have found a time when Simpson and the Dark Lord could have crossed paths. It looks like the Dark Lord was in Germany back when I was meeting with the Council the first time in France."

Harry pointed out the spot on the map for the other men.

"Then for some reason," Harry kept going. "The Dark Lord was leaving and heading back here."

"Where did Simpson go?" Severus asked looking a little pale.

"We lose his trail for about six months," Harry said softly. "It looks like he goes to ground. Dracka's spies pick him back up over near the French border briefly. He must be a sneaky bastard to be able to evade vampires for so long."

Dracka grinned showing fangs to Severus who rolled his eyes. Harry ignored them both.

"The next time we pick him up," Harry said softly. "He has moved across the border into France. This is when it gets interesting."

Dracka frowned.

"What did you see in the files that I didn't?" Dracka asked while Severus sneered at him.

Harry flipped open a file and read out to the others.

"' _Simpson seems to be gathering vampires to his side, I can feel more of a dark pull to the man'_ and from another spy. ' _A giant has joined his cause, there is a darkness to this man_.'" Harry looked up at the men around him. "I am concerned that he may have started dark rituals already to increase his power."

The room went silent around him.

"How close did you get to the man in the battle, Dracka?" Harry asked after a couple of minutes of silence.

"We tore through the curse breaker and his team," Dracka said. "Then I moved back over the wards and left my second in command. I don't recall feeling anything overly dark…well except you."

Harry snorted.

"Thanks," He said dryly. "Nice boost to my ego."

Severus smirked as the Headmaster looked amused.

"So, yeah." Harry said as Dracka leered at him. "He drops off the map again for a while, there are rumours of him crossing back into Germany, then he makes his strike against the Council and three other villages."

Harry limped back to the long table, that he had moved back to the middle of his room and picked up a stack of files.

"These are the files from the battle," Harry explained. "I have read through them three times at least. I can find no reference to a dark power."

"What does that mean?" Dracka asked.

"I don't think the man was at the battle," Harry said softly. "Not one person saw him."

"What?" Severus asked.

"If this is true," Harry said slowly. "We could be in a lot of trouble."

"What do you mean, my boy?" The Headmaster asked, frowning like the others.

Dracka paled as he stared at Harry and the man nodded.

"Tell them," Harry said softly.

"We could already have another Dark Lord," Dracka said into the silence.

Severus and Albus paled as the vampire's words sunk in.

"The power of a Dark Lord is clear," Harry said quietly. "Those that can sense magic, it's like a beacon, we can feel it the minute we come into contact with them. It was that reason that I could feel it when the Dark Lord arrived in the foyer of the Ministry of Magic from the Department of Mysteries."

"That's about six floors," Albus said softly.

"Dracka," Harry said instead. "How far off is my power to a Dark Lord's?"

Dracka's eyes flashed red and he grinned showing fangs, Harry pointed at the man as the Headmaster and Severus paled.

"Though most of the time," Dracka said slowly, red eyes shining. "You barely feel above a muggle."

"Really?" Harry asked surprised, Dracka just grinned his eyes changing back to black. "I keep my magic very close for that reason. A full Dark Lord just can't hold it that close unless they have hundreds of years of dealing with the magic and I cheat a bit."

"How so?" Severus asked.

"I also hold light magic," Harry purred, making Severus and Dracka shiver. "A Dark Lord can sense my power more easily. Dark Lord Voldemort offered me a place next to him the first time we met."

"Fuck," Dracka cursed as Severus and Albus paled.

"You never said…" Albus started then ran out of words in disbelief.

"What, you think I would change sides?" Harry asked, leaning on his cane and looked at them in amusement. "Are you serious? You idiots."

Dracka barked a laugh and slapped Harry's shoulder.

"Do I seem like someone that wants to rule the world?" Harry said softly. "I'm having trouble just trying to get Ry to pass potions."

Severus barked a laugh.

"I'm even sleeping with the Professor that marks his papers and that doesn't even help!" Harry smirked.

"I didn't hear that," Albus stated, as Dracka snorted.

"You say one word, Dracka." Harry warned, as the vampire opened his mouth.

"So, what do we do now?" Albus asked after a few minutes.

"We can't do much more until the man resurfaces," Harry said with a sigh.

"Then what?" Dracka asked.

"We need to get close enough to tell if the man has completed any dark rituals to become a Dark Lord," Harry said, leaning back on his table.

"You didn't do any…" Albus trailed off and Harry looked confused.

"I didn't what?" Harry asked, looking around at the other men in the room.

"I think…Albus is trying to say…" Severus said softly, as the other two looked at him. "Did you do any dark rituals…?"

"What!" Harry yelped. "You idiots!"

Harry looked around at each man speechless, not even Severus would meet his eyes.

"No!" Harry yelped. "Do you know what you have to do! To do one of those things!?"

"No, my boy." Albus said softly. "We don't."

Harry deflated looking around him before smacking the files down on the table and stalking out of the room. Severus went to go after him but Dracka's steel grip on his arm, stopped him. Severus turned on the vampire ready to lash out until he locked eyes with him.

"Mr Dracka?" Albus asked softly.

"To do any dark ritual to increase your power," Dracka said softly. "Involves murder."

Severus paled and looked at the door that Blake had just walked through.

"Each person you kill can increase your power in that ritual," Dracka calmly explained. "Some Dark Lords have murdered whole villages or even cities to do them."

"Did we just accuse Blake of mass murder?" Severus whispered.

Dracka snorted. "I'm sure he won't take it personally."

"That's because you didn't know what you were accusing me of," Harry said, as he came back through the door. "Except you vampire."

Dracka grinned showing fangs and Harry barred his teeth at the man briefly before holding a notebook out to the Headmaster.

"Don't read it on a full stomach," Harry warned. "And there are pictures."

Albus flicked the book open to see Blake's neat writing and looked at the first picture and paled.

"Don't let that book out of your sight," Harry warned.

Severus looked over the Headmaster's shoulder and paled as well as he saw the picture.

"You want to know what it takes to become a Dark Lord," Harry said softly. "Those pictures are stills from my memories of what we found after a Dark Lord had used one of her rituals. That woman's dark power made mine look like it was just grey."

"Did you kill her?' Dracka asked in interest.

"We didn't need to," Harry said, with a dark twist to his lips. "Her victims got their revenge in the end."

The other three men in the room shivered at Harry's words.


	23. Chapter 23

Harry leaned back on the bench behind him as voices rang out casting spells. Today the students were working on protection circles, this was the kind of magic that could save a person's life and Harry was going to make sure that the students would be able to pull up the most powerful charm they could. It also helped the students work out how much power they should put into their spell to break through the barrier.

He had them set up for one person to cast a circle and the other student had to smash through it. Harry watched them with his hand taping against the bench as Granger smashed through Malfoy's circle and they changed spots. The two students working well together as Harry looked around the classroom.

Harry idly picked up the black cube that had been holding some papers down and juggled it between his hands, eyes roaming over the students. Suddenly a yelp of pain rang out and Harry whipped his head in that direction. One of the Slytherins had used a cutting charm.

"I said stunners only, Mr Peace!" Harry's voice cracked out over the classroom. "Please help Mr Fuller up to the hospital wing."

"Yes, sir. Sorry, sir." The boy said and the two moved out of the room.

"Mr Sun?"

Harry turned to see Draco Malfoy holding up the black cube.

"Thank you, Mr Malfoy." Harry grinned taking the cube out of the boy's hand.

"No, Mr Sun." Malfoy said. "That collapsed my protection charm."

"It did what?" Harry asked turning his full attention on the blonde.

"It just rolled through my charm collapsing it," Draco said.

Harry just stared at Draco before looking down at the cube.

"Huh," Harry muttered. "Okay everyone, that's it for today, except you Mr Malfoy. Thank you."

Everyone made their way out of the classroom.

Harry moved towards the bronze circle on the floor with Draco on his heels. He held the cube out to the blonde.

"Please hold this." Harry said.

The Slytherin held the cube, puzzled as Harry easily pulled up a protection circle around him.

"Okay, throw it here." Harry said.

The blonde threw it at him, the cube smashed into the protection circle collapsing it and Harry caught it. Harry threw it back to the Blonde as he pulled up a stronger charm.

"Again, please." Harry ordered.

Once again, the cube sailed through the air and smashed into the charm collapsing it. Harry grinned and threw it back to the blonde. He placed the tip of his wand to the bronze circle and threw up the most powerful charm he could without it cracking under the pressure of the magic. The dome turned green making Draco gasp and his eyes widen as he looked the charm over.

"Okay, again." Harry ordered, holding the spell in place.

Draco tossed the cube and it smashed into a hundred pieces and Harry sighed. Then suddenly the cube as hurtling at his head and he caught it in shock as the charm collapsed.

"Thank you, Mr Malfoy." Harry said grinning. "I owe you one. Now off you go."

The boy grinned back before grabbing his bag and moving out of the room. Harry looked down at the cube and laughed as he threw it up in the air. After all these years and he finally had an idea about what the small item did. That was how Severus found him some time later. Harry turned to Severus with a big grin on his face as held the cube up.

"You are never going to believe this!"

xXx

"Blake."

Harry turned to the Headmaster and limped back towards the man with a smile, until he noticed the notebook in his hand. The Headmaster held it out to him and he took it.

"I apologise," The Headmaster said softly. "I was severely out of line."

"Ignorance is bliss, Headmaster." Harry said softly.

"I still wish to apologise," Albus said softly.

Harry tucked the notebook away.

"Why do you…"

"Have the notebook?" Harry finished for him.

"Yes," Albus replied.

Harry rubbed his head looking around at the students moving around them.

"To remind myself," Harry said at last. "What a person with dark power is capable of."

"You are not one of them," Albus said softly.

Harry gave the man a sharp nod and turned on his heels without saying a word, Albus just watched the man limp away down the hallway.

xXx

Harry settled back in his seat in the Headmaster's office with a cup of tea in his hands as he looked over the items on the man's desk in interest as he waited for the Headmaster to arrive, unsure what the man had called him up here for.

"I need your help."

Harry started and looked over at the Headmaster as he moved around his desk to take a seat.

"With what?" Harry asked as he looked the man over.

"We have had reports of some of Voldemort's supporters hiding out in a house in east London," Albus said calmly as he leaned back in his seat. "The Order can't get close enough to scope it out."

"What do you need my help for then?" Harry asked with a frown. "Is it the wards?"

"I was hoping you would have better luck planting some of those listening devices of yours?"

"You want me to break into the house?"

"Yes."

"And plant listening devices?"

"Yes," Albus replied with a twinkle in his eyes.

"Anything else while I'm there?" Harry asked, sarcasm dripping from his words. "Leave a bunch of flowers maybe?"

"Only if you believe that would be the right course of action," Albus replied with a straight face.

"Ha!" Harry barked. "Give me the address and I'll see what I can do."

"Thank you, my boy." Albus said with a smile and floated over a piece of paper that Harry picked out of the air.

Harry looked the address over with a frown.

"This is a Nott property," Harry replied and looked up to see the surprise on the Headmaster's face. "It will have blood wards on the house."

Albus paled at Harry's words.

"Can you get passed them?" Albus questioned.

"You said that death eaters have been coming and going?" Harry questioned as he sat back in his seat.

"Correct."

"How close can your men get?"

"The street," Albus replied mildly. "The house is set back from the road with the wards starting at the fence line."

Harry tapped his leg in thought.

"Wouldn't it be easier to raid the house?" Harry asked. "Kingsley could back you up with the Aurors. If they have the dark mark that is enough to arrest them."

"Voldemort has been sighted there," Albus said calmly.

"You think he would come to their aid?" Harry said as he thought through the options. "If I could get into the house, I could cut the floo and pull up anti-apparation wards."

"The blood wards?"

"There are ways around blood wards," Harry said with a smirk. "And those ways would probably give you one hell of a headache, Albus."

Harry could see the shiver run down Albus's back and he gave the man a grin.

"You know how to creep people out, Blake." Albus said quietly.

"It's a talent," Harry replied. "Give me a week or so to look into this place. Give Kingsley the heads up, but only him, we don't want this to go too far in the Auror department. Bloody gossips the lot of them."

"Perfect," Albus said with a smile. "Now, about you time card. You haven't submitted the times you have worked for the last two months, Blake."

Harry groaned.

"This was so much easier when it was just a once off contract," Harry moaned as he pulled out his diary while Albus barked a laugh.

xXx

Avery Nott looked around the bar with a sneer on his lips as the muggles moved around them. He wouldn't normally be found in such a place but with so many death eaters using his house, he'd had to get out and the pub seemed like the place to go. There was a small stage set up tonight and Avery eyed it off with interest as the noise picked up around him.

A couple of death eaters had decided to join him and he could see more than one fingering their wards as they looked around but they were under strict orders not to harm any muggles unless the Dark Lord ordered it, plus this was his patch.

"What's with the stage?" Malfoy whispered from beside him.

"How the hell should I know?" Nott snapped back and Malfoy glared at him.

They took an interest as a young slim man in his early twenties with pitch black hair and green eyes took the stage. Nott could feel the sense of magic around the man, so he was a wizard, as he gave the crowd a grin and pushed back his shaggy black hair from his eyes. He wore a tight grey shirt that showed off his body and his black jeans hugged his legs as he looked out over the crowd. His tanned skin seemed to glow under the dim lights as he moved with grace towards the microphone with a wide grin.

"Welcome everybody," The man purred and Nott shivered. "My name is Mal and I've been asked to keep you entertained tonight."

"I can think about how he could keep us entertained," Malfoy whispered in Nott's ear and the man nodded in agreement.

"I'll be happy to take any requests," The man continued with a slight grin on his red lips as he looked around. "As long as I know them, of course. Well, let's get started."

Mal picked up the microphone as the first strands of music started up, the man's voice carried throughout the bar and the noise dropped. The man had talent as he sung his way through a few songs and he soon had the pub spell bound. Even Nott was impressed, for he normally preferred a female's voice, as the man worked the crowd.

"Yes," Malfoy purred in his ear. "I'm sure he could keep us entertained."

"You know our orders," Nott reminded the other man.

"He only said muggles," Malfoy replied with a smirk. "That man is not a muggle."

Nott grinned back as the young man's glaze passed over them and Nott could see a couple of other people eyeing the young man off. Avery sat back in his seat as the man took up a couple of requests before excusing himself from the stage for a smoke break.

Malfoy grabbed Nott's shoulder and the two men weaved their way towards the back of the pub. They found the young man out the back of the bar with a cigarette in his mouth and a beer beside him. The man was slightly turned away from the two death eaters as he sipped on the beer, sitting on a milk crate. Nott and Malfoy shared a look as they moved in on the young man.

Suddenly the man looked over his shoulder with wide green eyes and the two men slowed as they moved towards him.

"Gee, mate." Mal said softly. "You startled me."

"We just had a song request," Malfoy purred, as he moved closer.

"No problem," Mal replied as he sprawled out on the milk crate, the beer dangling between his legs. "What would that be?"

Nott moved closer as Malfoy circled around the young man.

"Know any wizard songs?" Malfoy asked as he came closer.

"A few," Mal replied. "Not sure this crowd would appreciate them."

Suddenly Nott grabbed the man and hauled him to his feet, the man dropped his beer and smoke with a soft cry before Nott could clamp a hand over his mouth. Malfoy moved in quickly and grabbed the man's wrist as he tried to lash out. Wide green eyes flicked between the two men as Nott pushed the man roughly up against the wall with a snarl.

Mal lashed out with his leg but between the two death eaters they had him pinned to the wall and Malfoy leered at him.

"I have a better request," Malfoy hissed as the man's wide eyes flicked between them as he struggled.

Nott pushed his weight into the smaller man and making him hiss in pain as Malfoy reached for his belt. Suddenly the man lashed out with his magic and Malfoy stumbled back in surprise. The man had just enough room to grab a hold of the back of Nott's head and pulled it forward sharply to smash into the wall behind him and Nott fell back onto the ground stunned.

The young man twisted around and lashed out with his fist, which connected with his head and he saw stars before the boy turned on Malfoy. The man's leg connected with Malfoy's stomach and the man dropped to his knees as the man followed it up with a fist to the side of the head and Malfoy went sprawling out on the ground of the alleyway, out cold.

Nott looked up in shock and had just enough time to squeak as the young man grabbed him by the back on the head and smashed him face first into the concrete of the ally before the world spun away from him. Both men out within minutes as the young man stood up straight.

The young man looked down at the two death eaters as he pushed his shaggy hair out of his eyes before pulling a glass vial from his pocket and giving Nott a sharp kick until he was resting on his back. He pulled a steel knife from his pocket and nicked the man's skin close to where the gash ran along his face and let a few drops of blood fill the vial before sealing it and getting to his feet with a smirk was he looked down at the crumbled forms of the two death eaters before disappearing with a soft pop.

xXx

Severus looked up as the noise dimmed in the Great Hall to see a young man standing in the doorway of the hall. He frowned as he looked the man over, he looked to be in his early twenties with messy black hair, dark jeans clinging to his legs and a tight grey shirt as he stood casually in the doorway looking around.

Severus sucked in a breath as the boy looked up and green eyes full of amusement locked with his and his eyes widened. The boy gave him a wink as he moved into the hall with graceful steps and headed towards the Gryffindor table as Dracka snorted into his coffee.

"Ha!" The vampire coughed as Albus looked over at the vampire.

"Something you wish to share, Mr Dracka?" Albus asked mildly his eyes twinkling.

Dracka just grinned, his eyes locked on the slim figure and they all turned to watch the young man.

The man made his way toward Potter and his friends and Severus knew the minute that Ry spotted him for Granger squeaked as Ry spat his juice all over the table as he jumped to his feet. The other boy gave him a grin as he moved towards Potter. The two boys could have been brothers as Ry eyed off the other boy.

Ry was a good head and a half taller than the other boy and had more bulk but the shorter man made up for it with the strength that Severus could see in his body as he moved forward with confidence and an air of power around him. There was no doubt the other boy was a wizard.

The boy stopped in front of Potter and held out a vial with a few dark hairs in it and Severus smirked.

"Dad!" Ry squeaked and the hall went quiet as the shorter boy's grin widened.

Blake gave the boy a wink as he held the vial out to Potter in one hand while the other pushed his hair out of his eyes. Potter took the vial from Blake's hand as students started to whisper and his eyes flicked over the other boy before focusing on his father's green eyes.

"Worked a treat," Blake said with a grin. "Even if I had to use a spell or two."

Severus knew it was all an act and he looked the two over, seeing the similarities and yet the differences and wondered, not for the first time, what happened in Blake's childhood to make such marked differences between the two Potters. He was looking at a younger version of his lover and not Blake under Polyjuice potion as Blake looked over towards the Head Table. He shivered when he could see a lot of James Potter in the way the man looked now, except for the grin and the dancing green eyes.

Severus snorted as Ry reached over and ruffled his father's hair and Blake growled as it messed it up even more, getting in his eyes.

"Bloody hair," Blake cursed as he pushed it back from his eyes and Ry snorted. "How do you put up with it?"

"You get used to it," Ry replied with a smirk.

"Not in an hour I won't," Blake replied with a grin.

"I don't know, Dad." Ry said with a smirk as he looked him over. "I have potions first thing this morning, feel up for a class?"

"Ha!" Blake barked a laugh, then leaned in close to Ry and whispered something in his ear which had Ry's face screwing up as he pulled back sharply.

"Ugh!" Ry yelped.

Blake gave his son a pat on the shoulder before moving towards the Head Table, Severus watched him carefully. He could just make out the man's slight limp and knew he had taken a potion to help his leg, but he wouldn't have noticed if he hadn't been looking for it, as the man moved towards them.

"Hello, love." Blake purred when he got close to Severus and he shivered.

"Why hello," Dracka purred back with a leer.

Severus turned on the vampire but the man just leered at him and he sighed, bloody vampires.

"And where have you been?" Severus drawled, as he turned back to Blake.

The man just grinned at him and Severus shifted at seeing his lover the way he was. It remined him way too much of both James and Harry Potter and he shivered again.

"Just a night on the town," Blake replied with a wink, as he pushed his hair out of his eyes in frustration. "Singing for my supper and all that."

He placed a few empty vials on the table in front of Severus and a vial of what looked like blood in front of Albus. The headmaster picked it up in interest.

"Blood wards," Blake said, with a smirk. "Easy as."

Albus's eyes widened as they shot to Blake and the man grinned at him. The old green eyes and the dark twist of his lips looking wrong on such a young face.

"Feel peckish, Dracka?" Blake asked as he turned to the vampire.

Dracka shot to his feet and was around the table before Severus could grab him and Blake gave him an amused smile. It was very disconcerting to see his lover this way as Dracka fell into step with Blake as they moved towards the doors of the Great Hall. Dracka swung an arm around the shorter man's shoulders as he pulled him close as he whispered something in his ear and Severus gritted his teeth.

"Hmm," Minerva hummed, as her lips thinned.

Severus snorted as Dracka's hand strayed lower and Blake's fist lashed out hitting the vampire solidly in the side, before he could grab the other man's ass. Dracka folded over with a yelp as he held his ribs as more than a few students giggled.

"Mr Sun," Albus called out and Blake turned back to the man, his green eyes peering out from under his shaggy hair.

"Yes, Albus?"

"My Defence teacher has classes to attend to," Albus said calmly as he looked over the top of his half-moon glasses at the man. "It is only eight in the morning."

"So, it is," Blake replied with a smirk. "Lost track of time. I'll just have to pick him up after dinner. He looks broken anyway."

Blake turned and with a swagger to his steps, left a gasping Dracka in the hall, as he walked out of the door. Severus looked after the man in amusement as Dracka made his way back towards him holding his ribs.

"Bloody tease," Dracka hissed, as he got close and Severus gave him a smirk.

"You are lucky you didn't get worse, Mr Dracka!" Minerva hissed towards the man, as she flicked her eyes towards Severus.

Severus gave the woman a smirk as Potter moved up to the Head Table, with the students watching him, and placed the empty potion vial on the table in front of Severus. He gave the boy a smirk as he leaned forward and plucked the potion vial from the table and placed it with the rest.

"Was that the only one he gave you?" Severus asked the boy.

"Nope," Ry said with a smirk, very similar to Blake's that Severus shivered.

The boy held up a vial with Polyjuice in it and held it up for Severus, and the Hall, to see. The potions master sighed and held his hand out for the potion, while Minerva's lips thinned even more at the sight of the potion. Potter placed the potion in his hand with a grin and a glint in his eyes.

"Thank you, Potter." Severus drawled and the boy gave him a smirk before stalking back to the Gryffindor table. "Can't keep that bloody man out of my potion's cupboard."

Dracka snorted as he rubbed his ribs in amusement.

"He is a curse breaker, Severus." Albus reminded him, with a twinkle in his eyes.

"Don't I know it," Severus drawled as he looked at the potion vials spread out in front of him on the table. "He's also a sneaky bastard."

"Severus!" Minerva yelped.

Severus just sat back in his seat and looked over at the woman mildly before getting to his feet and placing the vials away in his robes.

"Where are you going?" Dracka asked. "Classes start in fifteen minutes."

"Where do you think, vampire?" Severus drawled.

Severus gave the vampire a leer as he made his way out of the hall and towards Blake's rooms. The man wasn't in his main rooms and he frowned before moving through to the bedroom to find him sprawled out on his stomach on the bed under the covers. He smiled softly as he looked down at the man and the shaggy black hair as he moved closer.

He kneeled down on the floor and grabbed the man's shoulder but he was out. He ran his hands through the man's hair feeling how soft it was under his hand. He pushed back the hair and Severus could tell that Blake's spell had worn off as he ran his hand down his neck and could felt the scars under his hand on his shoulder. Blake moved in his sleep and curled up on his side and he smiled. He left the man sleeping as he headed to his first class.

Severus was very happy when his last class of the day walked out of his classroom door and he could make his way to Blake's rooms with a slight skip to his step. He opened Blake's door then paused as he spotted a rough looking man with light brown hair standing in the man's kitchen.

"What-" Severus cut himself off as the man turned and he looked into Blake's green eyes. "Have brown hair?"

Blake snorted as he moved into the main part of his rooms with a coffee in his hand as Severus looked him over. He was in a rough pair of jeans, shirt and denim jacket that had seen better days and the brown hair. It looked like Blake had dyed it that colour and he couldn't feel any magic around him as the man gave him a wink. He felt and looked like a homeless muggle and he wasn't sure if that was an improvement on his Harry Potter look.

"You looked a lot more like James, when he was at school, than Ry with that spell you used before," Severus said softly as he looked his lover over.

"Did I?" Blake asked, with a raised eyebrow.

"Yes," Severus drawled, then smirked. "You just needed a cruel look on your face, shouting insults and with Black backing you up to complete the picture."

"So, the look you get when you have to teach seventh year Gryffindor and Slytherin class?" Blake asked with a smirk.

Severus gave him a glare as he looked him over.

"What happened when you were younger to change the way you look so much from Potter?" Severus asked softly.

Blake stilled completely and his face closed off and Severus wished he could take the words back as the man looked at him with unreadable green eyes.

"Maybe you should be asking what kind of life did I give Harry Potter," Blake said softly. "That made him look so much different to me."

Severus looked him over as Blake looked back at him calmly.

"Half-blood prince," Blake said suddenly and Severus sucked in a breath as his eyes widened.

"How…" Severus started to say then stopped himself.

Blake gave him a look that spoke volumes, of a shared childhood of pain. Blake's lips quirked up and he placed another potion vial on the table between them and Severus's eye was drawn to it. He picked it up, unplugged it and took a sniff.

"You won't be able to keep taking these," Severus warned.

"I'm thinking two more doses," Blake replied mildly. "I should be right for a few days without it, while I scope out the Nott house."

Severus looked down his nose at the man.

"Your hair is a mess," Severus drawled.

"Good," Blake replied and rubbed both hands over his head until his hair stuck up in all directions. "Better?"

Severus sneered as he looked down at the light brown mess and over the worn clothing.

"Going out?" Severus asked softly, he hadn't seen much of the man the last few days as he worked on Albus's mission. "Or is it a night in tonight?"

"Funny," Blake replied. "I'm taking the vampire with me to help scope out this house. Just hoping the Dark Lord doesn't show up."

Severus felt a bolt of fear run through him at the thought.

"He won't be able to sense me," Blake continued. "But he might pick up on Dracka's power."

"Why are you taking the vampire then?" Severus asked as he moved to the kitchen to make his own coffee.

"I made coffee, it's on the counter." Blake called after him. "I need him to track a couple of the death eaters, while I stay out the front of the house."

"They won't notice you?" Severus asked as he moved back into the room with the coffee.

"Not if I do my job right," Blake said with a smirk.

Severus smirked and picked up a pair of scissors and raised an eyebrow in question.

"Go for it," Blake replied with a smirk. "Make it look very messy."

xXx

Harry pulled his thin coat around him tightly as the night grew colder as he wrapped his arms around himself and shivered slightly. He grabbed out a worn and dirty blanket and quickly wrapped it around his shoulders as he huddled down.

"Thank you," He muttered, as a passing woman dropped a gold coin on the rough cardboard sign he had written in front of him with the other coins as he pulled the blanket tighter.

He had found a doorway of a closed shop and had set up there with a good view of the large house across the street. He's been there for a good couple of hours as the time ticked away slowly and the night got colder around him. He'd sent Dracka off after a brown-haired man, that he didn't know, who had left the house about fifteen minutes ago and was wondering where the vampire had gotten to.

Harry thanked another person as a coin fell and he quickly gathered up them up as he huddled down in the blanket and waited.

"Don't you look a sight," A voice sneered near him and Harry looked up at Dracka.

"Sorry, sir." Harry said softly. "Any coin for a man down on his luck?"

Dracka crouched down next to him and slightly to the side as if he was counselling him as the vampire looked him over.

"That man lead me three streets over to a house on the corner," Dracka whispered. "There are no wards there that I can pick up, they may be using it as a staging point for the Floo or apparation."

"Very good," Harry replied. "Can you get me a coffee? It's bloody cold."

Dracka gave him a leer before pulling himself to his feet.

"Well, if you aren't going to take any help." Dracka sneered down at him and Harry pulled the blanket closer around him before Dracka stalked away.

They spent the next three hours watching and tracking people away from and to the property until Harry was shivering slightly in the cold and he could see his breath on the air. Dracka looked down at him with concern in his dark eyes.

"Right there?" Dracka asked.

"Yeah, all good." Harry replied. "Why don't you head back to the school? It looks like it's getting quiet."

Dracka crouched down next to him, shoulder to shoulder. The streets were mostly deserted now since it was heading towards midnight and Harry had moved further into the doorway to get away from the wind and off the street slightly. Harry shifted over so that Dracka had more room beside him and Dracka tugged the blanket around him as they looked over at the house.

"What does Albus plan to do?" Dracka asked.

"I'm not sure," Harry replied, as he shivered slightly. "He wanted me to plant listening devices but I suggested to just raid the house. It's up to him what he does."

Dracka didn't give off any body heat, but he could take in Harry's heat which would help warm the other man up as he sat next to him and he didn't mind the company.

"Will you be able to plant anything?" Dracka asked.

"I don't think so," Harry replied. "There are just too many people coming and going. Getting into the house wouldn't be too much of a problem, it would be getting out."

Dracka cocked his head to the side when a woman moved out of the house and towards the front gate. Harry looked over and took a mental image for Severus to look at later since the man would have a better idea of who she was.

"Do you want me to follow her?" Dracka asked softly.

Harry suddenly stiffened next to him as Dracka tensed.

"The Dark Lord is here," Harry said softly. "Get far enough away and go back to the school."

Dracka quickly patted his shoulder and slipped away into the night as Harry felt the dark power of Voldemort before he saw the man walking towards the house as he huddled down further in the blanket and pushed his magic down as much as he could. It was going to be a long night as lights came on in the house.

xXx

Severus started awake when someone opened the door and he glanced over to see Dracka standing in the doorway and he tensed.

"Why are you here?" Severus asked, as he looked over at the clock on the bedside table.

"Blake sent me back," Dracka said softly. "The Dark Lord arrived."

Severus cursed as he sat up and Dracka leered at his bare chest.

"Get out!" Severus snapped and the vampire chuckled as he moved out of the room. "Go wake the Headmaster."

"Why?" Dracka called back, as Severus dressed quickly in a shirt and pants.

"Won't he want to know?" Severus questioned, with a frown. "Where is Blake?"

"Still there," Dracka replied and Severus stilled.

"Why didn't he leave as well?"

"He'll be fine," Dracka said mildly, as he sprawled out on one of the chairs at the dining table. "If he isn't back in the morning, we can go looking for him."

"Then why did you wake me?" Severus snapped.

"Wanted to know if you sleep naked, like Blake does." Dracka said with a leer and Severus groaned and held his head in his hands.

"Bloody vampires," Severus cursed.


	24. Chapter 24

Harry shivered again as the night worn on and the temperature dropped as a light rain started to fall, only one light was on in the house now but Harry could still feel the dark power of Voldemort so he knew the man was still there and he cursed. Dawn was only a couple of hours away as the rain started to increase and he pulled further back into the doorway to give himself more shelter.

Movement at the front door of the house caught his attention and he pulled a beanie from behind him and pulled it down onto his head and over his cold ears as Voldemort moved out onto the front porch with Malfoy by the man's side. He was struck again by how human this Voldemort was as the man turned and moved off toward the front gate of the house and Harry curled up in the doorway, with the blanket around him and slitted his eyes to watch the man.

Voldemort moved down the street, going the same way as all the others before him had gone and Harry watched him until he turned the corner and he looked back up at the house to see Malfoy looking out into the night before turning to move back inside, a few minutes later the last light went off in the house and Harry closed his eyes and followed the dark pull of Voldemort's power with his mind until the man apparated away.

xXx

Albus looked up when he felt a portkey active in the stone room next to his office just before lunch and frowned as Blake came through the door looking very rough.

"Blake?" Albus questioned as he moved to his feet and looked the man over in concern. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine." Blake said, as he moved stiffly into the room, limping heavily without his cane as he moved to the chair and sat with a sigh.

The man's normally black hair was a light brown and a mess as well as his clothes, which were slightly ripped in places. He met the other man's tired green eyes, the slight hair on his face, making him look older. The man gave him a grin and leaned forward to place a file on the table.

"Pictures from my memories," Blake explained and sat back in his seat as he pulled his left leg up onto the chair and wrapped his arms around it. "Severus might know who they are. The Dark Lord arrived at the house at just past midnight last night and stayed for a few hours. Dracka believes they are using a house a few streets away as a staging point. He should be able to show you on a map where that is."

Blake suddenly sneezed and Albus frowned.

"Are you sick?" Albus asked softly.

"No," Blake replied and nicked a tissue off his desk. "I doubt I will be able to plant any devices in the house. It would be worth the raid, with so many death eaters there."

Albus sat back in his seat and looked the man over.

"Would you be able to back us up?" Albus asked softly.

"With the wards?" Blake asked softly, sitting back in his seat. "Or with the fighting?"

"Both," Albus replied.

"When?"

"Within the next couple of days?" Albus replied. "I've been talking to Kinsley."

"Then yes," Blake agreed.

"Thank you, my boy." Albus said, with a smile. "I'll let you know when."

"Very well," Blake answered and he pulled himself to his feet.

"That was a nice stunt in the great hall," Albus said in amusement.

Blake gave him a grin with a glint in his eyes.

"I'll need that vial of blood to bring down the blood wards," Blake said, as he limped towards the stone room and Albus winched at the sight.

Blake flashed him a grin over his shoulder before stepping into the stone room then popped his head back into the office.

"Just give me a call when you work it all out," Blake said.

"You're not staying here?" Albus asked with a frown.

"Ah, no." Blake said. "I have something I need to do."

"Try and get some sleep as well," Albus said with a smile.

"I'll try," Blake said with a grin and Albus felt him apparate away.

Albus turned back to the file and pulled his phone close to call Severus. Thinking how life was so much easier and yet harder with Blake Sun around.

xXx

Severus frowned as he looked at Blake's bag and the box on his dining table, he peered into the box to see small glass balls. He hesitantly reached in and pulled out one of the balls and held it up to the light. It fit in his palm comfortably as he looked at it. He could see flashes of different coloured lights sparking inside the glass sphere. He placed it back in the box and picked up another one that just had swirling dark mists in it.

"Don't drop that."

Severus started and looked over to see Blake leaning in the doorway of his bedroom in just jeans and no shirt. His hair was still a light brown in colour but he had cut it to his normal shortness which was off set by the dark hair covering his cheeks and chin but he didn't look at bad as he did before. Severus's sharp eyes could see the man was tired and was keeping his weight off his bad leg as he leaned in the doorway.

"What are they?" Severus asked, as he placed the glass ball gently back into the box.

"Two words," Blake said with a grin. "Weasley twins."

Severus stepped sharply back from the table and Blake barked a laugh as he limped towards the table. Severus watched him carefully as his eyes ran over his chest and frowned when he saw a slight shiver pass over him. He picked up the man's jacket and held it out and Blake flashed him a grin before pulling it on.

"How did you go with the photos?" Blake asked as he took a seat at the table.

"Very well," Severus said with a smirk. "Albus wants to move on the Nott house on Friday night."

"Okay, I'll give Kingsley a call." Blake replied, he picked a glass ball out of the box and looked it over. "I'll be in place Friday morning. It will give me a chance to work on the wards. Blood wards are always tricky."

Severus frowned at his lover and Blake glanced over at him. Severus moved closer and Blake replaced the glass ball in the box. He stopped in front of the man and placed his hand on the man's shoulder.

"You're cold," Severus said softly, in concern with a frown.

Severus ran his hand under the man's jacket and could feel the coldness to his skin.

"Am I?" Blake asked softly.

"Come on," Severus said softly and pulled the other man to his feet.

Blake stumbled slightly as he got his feet under him and Severus frown deepened. He ran his hands around the man's waist and could feel the coldness under his hands.

"How many days did you take that potion?" Severus asked as he pulled the man close.

"Um, four days?" Blake replied. "That should have been fine, it takes six days for the build-up of bloodwood to start having an effect."

"Your cold skin says different," Severus muttered.

"I did spend last night outside," Blake said in amusement and looked up at him.

"That wouldn't have helped," Severus drawled as he stepped the man back towards the bedroom.

Blake suddenly shivered and Severus looked down at him, he moved his hands up to the man's face and cupped his cheeks and his eyes slipped closed as he wrapped his arms around the taller man. Severus gave him a soft smile as he ran his thumbs over his cheeks before leaning forward and giving him a kiss.

Blake relaxed in his arms and kissed him back. Severus backed them up to the bed and ran his hands down the man's shoulders as he slipped his jacket off. Blake grinned up at him and unbuckled his belt and let his pants fall. He wasn't wearing anything under his jeans as he grinned up at Severus.

"Into bed with you," Severus purred and a shiver ran down the man's body as his eyes darkened.

Severus slipped out of his robes, shirt and pants as Blake slipped under the covers of the bed and watched him. Severus shifted slightly with the man's eyes on him and Blake gave him a grin. Severus slipped into bed next to him and pulled him into his arms, the man still felt cold and he pulled him closer. He knew it was a by-product of the bloodwood, that he would have used in his potion, but that didn't stop his concern as Blake shivered.

"I'll look over your notebook tomorrow," Severus whispered into his ear. "See if we can use something besides bloodwood or something else to negate the effect."

"It's in my office," Blake replied sleepily.

"Any other side effects?"

"Don't think so," Blake replied as he curled into him and Severus pulled him closer.

"I saw the nice scrape on Nott's face in the photos," Severus murmured and the man huffed a laugh. "Was that your handiwork?"

"Possibly," Blake said, but Severus could hear the amusement in his voice.

"The Headmaster has been very impressed with your work."

"Don't know why," Blake replied mildly. "I cause enough trouble around here, I'm just expanding it outside the castle."

Severus huffed a laugh and tangled his legs with the other man as he started to warm up and the shivers subsided. It was early for him to go to bed but as he held Blake he drifted off curled up around him. He'd missed the man over the last few days.

xXx

A light drift of rain fell on Friday night as Harry huddled in his rain coat a little further down the street from where he had been two nights before. He'd charmed piece of paper next to him with another one that the Headmaster had and he had been writing in the number of people coming and going all day. If he knew their names, or could pick up the dark mark, he'd written that down as well. so far, the Dark Lord hadn't made an appearance, if the man had, the raid would be called off.

This was just a strike on the man's forces, after his big intake of death eaters over two months ago. Harry wrote down another name as he watched the house. He was down an alley next to a couple of bins and the smell was starting to give him a headache but it gave him a good view of, not only the house, but the way that the death eaters seemed to be coming from the staging point that Dracka had found.

 _'Moving in one hour_ ,' Came up on the paper beside Harry, in the Headmaster's curling script.

 _'Do you want me to block the staging point, or work on the wards first?_ ' Harry wrote back. _'I've already picked up the blood wards, just have to pick up the rest_.'

' _Block the staging point when we arrive,'_ Albus wrote. ' _Then move back to us to bring down the wards.'_

 _'Right boss,'_ Harry wrote, with a smirk. ' _It's raining here, by the way.'_

Albus didn't write anything back as the rain increased and Harry flicked up the hood of his coat and pulled it tighter around him, but it didn't stop all the rain from getting in and he shivered slightly as water ran down his back. When it was close to an hour the piece of paper wiggled in his hand.

 _'Ten minutes_.' Albus had written.

Harry bundled up the blanket and other things he had been using and shoved them close to the bin as he picked up his cane and limped down the street, as people made room for him. He had given half of the glass balls to Severus and he had the other half in his pocket ready, as he weaved through the crowds muttering to himself to give him more room.

He made it to the house that Dracka had shown him and moved around to the back. Once he was out of sight, he crouched down next to the back door and place his hand on the door but couldn't feel any wards so quickly picked the lock as he cast his mind out to see if he could pick up anyone in the house. He didn't touch on anyone, so he pushed into the house as he kept an eye out. Eyes from the portraits in the hallway turned in his direction and Harry kept his hood up as he moved into the house and towards the fireplace.

"Who are you?" A voice demanded.

Harry turned slightly, keeping his face in the shadows of the hood, a portrait of a young woman looking at him from above the fireplace.

"What's the password?" The woman demanded.

Harry sent a slight bit of magic towards the portrait, just enough to hold the woman in that frame but not enough for her to notice as he knelt in front of the fire.

"Just need to make a call," Harry replied mildly, as he grabbed some floo powder.

"You can't use this fireplace for that!" The woman snapped.

"I will tonight," Harry replied, as he threw the powder into the fireplace and just as it made a connection he pulled the link and snapped the connection between the fireplace and the floo network.

This is why he didn't trust the floo network, as the connection slipped from his hands easily, happy to be free as the green light in the fireplace winked out, leaving it dark. Harry flicked his wand and a fire sprung up again and he threw the powder into it, as if frustrated.

"Damn thing's broken!" Harry snapped as he looked at the flames.

"It was fine ten minutes ago!" The woman snapped back.

"Well, look!" Harry cried and threw another handful of powder into the flames. "Diagon Alley!"

Nothing happened and Harry turned on his heels with a curse.

"Where are you going!" The woman yelled.

"To yell at Nott," Harry threw over his shoulder as he moved through the house, to the front door.

Harry slipped out the front door and paused briefly to pull up a anti apparation ward on the house and a five-metre radius around it, before moving down the street. The rain had eased off and was coming down in a fine spray as people moved around him on a busy Friday night. He weaved through everyone as he leaned heavily into his cane and held his other arm around his ribs and disappeared into the crowd.

He spotted Remus first as he moved along, the man's dark curse standing out to Harry and he walked straight passed the man. He noticed Remus tilt his head up slightly as he picked up his scent but couldn't pick him out of the crowd and the man melted away, to report to Kingsley.

Harry palmed the vial of blood in his hand under his coat and slipped the stopper off, he paused briefly to nick his hand and tip a drop of Nott's blood on his palm, over the cut, and his face screwed up in disgust. He was glad that his magic would burn away anything the death eater might have had in his blood as Harry placed the vial back away in his coat as he moved towards the front gate of the house. The last thing he wanted was some kind of disease from the man.

Harry whispered a spell under his breath as he reached the wards of the house and carefully picked them up as people moved away from him as he muttered the spell a little louder until he had a bit of space around him.

An old woman gave him a look as Harry stopped on the sidewalk but the cane and Harry's muttering had her looking away quickly.

"Hey!" Harry called and moved towards a man, who looked around. "Hey you! Did you see them!"

"Um," The man muttered and looked around for help as people moved away from them.

"You saw them!" Harry called out, as he picked up the wards, gathering them all up as he moved. He stumbled closer to the man and the front gate of the house.

"Sorry, mate." The man replied.

"Yeah! They just picked him up!" Harry said louder and people started to back away from them. "They were pink! You saw them! I know you did!"

Harry suddenly let his cane go and grabbed the man's shirt in one hand and the man yelped and pushed him back into the front fence of the house behind him. Harry released him as he stumbled back.

"Don't touch me!" The man yelped as Harry fell into the fence and grabbed the front gate with his bloody hand as the other man ran off down the street.

He picked up the wards quickly in his bloody hand as he slid down the fence and started to mutter the spells under his breath as people gave him a wide berth. A woman picked up his cane and moved it closer to him and Harry nodded in thanks before the woman moved away quickly. He bypassed the blood wards easily and picked up the rest and broke through what he could without alerting Nott until he held all of the wards in his hands.

He stood suddenly and pushed the front gate open, his blood and Notts leaving a smear on the gate, before moving through it and onto the grounds. He moved up the front lawn, with his cane in his hand as he pulled the paper from his pocket. He stepped up onto the front porch and placed his cane against the stone wall before limping towards the front door, making sure that his hood was up.

He pulled the paper out of his pocket with a pen.

 _'Wards down soon, be ready_.' Harry quickly wrote.

He tucked the paper away and palmed one of the glass balls he had in his pocket before knocking loudly on the door. The death eater that answered was only young, maybe a couple of years out of school and Harry was glad he didn't know him.

"Password?" The young man asked, in a bored tone.

"What is this?" Harry demanded. "I've walked passed the wards! That means I was invited!"

"Sorry, sir." The boy said quickly as his eyes darted around. "Everyone has to give the password."

"Bah!" Harry yelled loudly. "And if I was the Dark Lord!"

The young man paled and his eyes grew wide, Harry could hear noise coming towards him from inside the house.

"Nott!" Harry yelled. "This idiot wants a password! What are you running here!"

The young man paled even more and started to look around for help as a few other people made their way towards them.

"Please," The young man pleaded. "Just give me the password."

"He didn't tell me!" Harry growled, as he moved closer. "Now let me in!"

"Yes, sir." The young man cowered. "Come in."

Harry grabbed the permission and tied it into the wards he held with a grin. He then threw the glass ball into the house and ducked to the side of the door. Loud noises like gun shots split the air as coloured lights lit up the house from within, as Harry ducked down beside the front door and could see Aurors and Order members flooding through the front gates.

Harry moved in a crouch along the wall as shouting started up in the house and made it to the first window. He placed his wand to the window and broke the glass before throwing in another glass ball and more loud bangs and coloured lights flared up as the shouting increased. He had to get to the fireplace now and cut the floo, if it was connected.

He quickly moved around the house to the back door as Aurors moved in on the front of the house and a few broke off and moved in his direction.

"Stop!" An Auror yelled at him and Harry ducked as a spell flew towards him and he quickly slipped the hood back for the Aurors to see him. "Stop dressing like the enemy, Sun!"

Harry grinned over to the man and pulled his hood back up as he reached the back door with the three members of the Auror team behind him. He quickly grabbed the door handle and gave it a flick before ducking down and pushing the door open as he crouched to the side, watching as spells spun passed him from the open dorrway.

He palmed a glass ball and touched his wand to it before getting low and carefully rolling it into the room. He held up his hand for the Auror team to see as he counted down in his head.

Three, two, one.

He held his hand as a fist as cursing started up in the room and the spells stopped as dark mists started to roll out the door. Harry got down low and slipped into the room as the Aurors started shooting spells over his head.

"Aurors! Stop!" One of the men yelled as Harry quickly moved across the floor pulling his magic sight forward so he could see through the dark mists filling the room.

He pulled another glass ball, his last one, and broke it and more dark mists filled the room. He heard one of the glass balls going off from somewhere else in the house and knew that Severus was working from that side as he kept close to the ground as spells spun above his head. He pulled on his dark magic to coat his skin in a slight shield but he was close enough to the ground for the spells to miss him for the moment.

He quickly found the fireplace in a large hall and flicked his wand to start a fire as he brought up a protection charm behind him and spells smashed into it as the fire flared, giving away his position. He grabbed some floo powder and threw it into the flames and they jumped up green and he harshly grabbed the connection and snapped it.

"Get back!" A voice ordered and Harry flicked his head around.

He rolled to the side as someone slashed through his charm with a silver sword and he stood quickly to face the man. Avery Nott stood before him with his sword in his hand and a nice gash down the side of his face. Harry pushed his hood back with a grin as he stood calmly before the man.

"You!" Nott snarled as he looked at Harry. "Blake Sun!"

"That's me," Harry confirmed, as noise swirled around them.

Suddenly Nott brought up a ward around the room they were in and Harry glanced around. They were alone in the large room and Harry slowly moved away from the fireplace as the other man tracked him. He was trapped, unless he could bring down the ward that Nott had just flared, but that would take time. He would have been in trouble if he hadn't broken through the floo, as he eyed off Nott. The two men were alone for now.

"I am a master swordsman, Sun!" Nott hissed. "And the Dark Lord has a nice bounty on your head."

"I feel flattered," Harry replied mildly. "I was starting to think he didn't care."

Nott sneered and flicked his sword out and Harry stepped back as another one of the glass balls went off somewhere in the house.

"I don't know why he would bother with a cripple anyway," Nott snarled as he looked Harry over.

"I agree," Harry said with a smirk. "How about you surrender now and I'll send him a nice letter asking him that?"

Nott laughed coldly as his eyes flicked over to one of the doorways where two Aurors looked in on them.

"Blood wards," Harry called out. "I've got this."

Nott laughed as the Aurors moved off and he swung his sword towards Harry's head and he grinned as he flicked his wrist and brought his silver sword up to bare and Nott's eyes widened.

"Or better yet," Harry hissed, as he flicked his sword out and Nott skipped back. "I send him your head, instead?"

Nott's eyes widened even more as Harry pushed forward and their swords rang out in the room adding to the noise in the house. Harry skipped back and flicked his sword around as he tried to knock Nott off balance but the man had skills and had Harry at a disadvantage as his leg slowed him down. Nott grinned as he picked up on that and kept swinging for his right-side forcing Harry to move his sword to his left to give him better protection and the man laughed.

Harry moved quickly to the left as he flicked his sword up and they clashed as Nott flicked out with a steel knife in his other hand and Harry flinched to the side as the knife flashed across his ribs. He kicked out with his leg to drive the man back. Nott barred his teeth at him, holding the knife in one hand and the sword in the other as Harry panted.

Harry darted in swinging and the man brought his sword up quickly and Harry twisted to the side as the knife flashed out and he grabbed the man's wrist. He pulled and twisted his wrist and Nott yelped as the knife clattered to the floor as he brought the hilt of his sword around and smashed it into Harry's side. Harry gasped as he skipped back and flicked his sword out forcing Nott back. They were at a stand-off as the two men eyed each other off.

Harry had the greater skill but his leg was slowing him down. He slipped his hand into his pocket and pulled out a potion and Nott eyed him off.

"Can't you give me a fair fight?" Nott yelled out, as he flicked his sword out before Harry could take the potion. "You are meant to be on the light side!"

"Ha!" Harry barked as he kept moving. "I'm a Dark Wizard Nott! Playing by the rules isn't in my play book."

A loud boom shook the room and Harry was moving fast as he flicked his sword out while Nott was distracted and pushed the man's sword to the side as he smashed into him, pushing him to the ground. He pulled his dark magic around him and lashed out with a fist but Nott moved at the last moment and Harry cursed as his fist hit the floor. Nott smirked and brought a knee up and Harry twisted to the side as his sword fell back into his hand and he cut through the spell the man sent his way.

They both scrambled to their feet warily. Harry let his dark power crackle over his skin as he held the potion up for Nott to see. The man cursed and surged forward as Harry brought the potion to his lips, before skipping to the side and slipping the potion away as he grabbed his sword in his right and surged forward to meet Nott. Moving as fast as he could, magic adding to his speed.

The two men clashed together hilt to hilt and Harry pushed magic into his body as he pushed the taller man back before pushing the two swords to the side and dismissing his blade as he grabbed Nott's wrists and pulled sharply. He brought a knee up sharply into the man's stomach as he pulled, unbalancing him and bringing him down to the floor hard.

He lashed out with a fist which copped Nott on the side of the head stunning him and he quickly had him rolling onto his back. Harry planted a knee into the middle of his back as he grabbed his arms and twisted them harshly behind his back causing the man to cry out.

The man struggled briefly and Harry increased his weight on his knee until the man stilled with a gasp of pain as they both panted, before Nott chuckled.

"Nice show, Sun." The man panted. "But we'll be back out in no time."

"What?" Harry whispered close to his ear, as he leaned over the man. "Do you think you are heading to Azkaban?"

The man tensed under him.

"I have better plans for you lot," Harry hissed. "There is no Azkaban in your future, Nott."

"I would have won that fight, if it weren't for that potion!" Nott snarled.

Harry grabbed the man's wrists in one hand, his grip like steel, and slipped his other hand into his pocket and pulled the full potion vial out.

"This one?" Harry asked sweetly, as he held the potion out for the man to see.

Nott snarled and struggled as Harry leaned into his knee and the man gasped going slack again and slipped the potion back into his pocket.

"Finished playing with your toy, Blake?"

Harry looked over to see four Aurors and Severus, looking at him with a smirk on his face, in the doorway being held back by the wards.

"Almost," Harry replied and grabbed the back of Nott's head and with a sharp crack, Nott went limp under him while the Aurors winched at the sound. "Done now."

Harry pulled his silver knife from his pocket and sliced into his right hand and wiped it over Nott's blood on the ground before getting to his feet and summoning his sword to his left hand to use as a cane as he moved towards the doorway, Severus and the Aurors were waiting at. He reached up with his bloody hand and grabbed the blood ward Nott had thrown up adding it to the other wards he held and harshly ripped through them, except the apparation and portkey wards, and caught the backlash of magic and channelled it into the ground at his feet as he panted slightly.

"Proceed," Harry said with a grin once he was done and stepped to the side.

The Aurors gave him wary looks but they knew how he worked by now as Harry smirked at them.

"Kingsley knows where to take them," Harry called over to Aurors while Severus looked him over as Harry leaned into his sword.

"Right there, Snape?" Harry asked, the man was standing stiffly.

"About the same as you," Severus replied. "You have a bit of blood on your forehead."

Harry gave him a lopsided grin, then looked at the blood on his hands and grimaced.

"Ah," Harry replied. "I'm going to have to find a hose."

Severus gave him a smirk, then Harry felt dark magic and his eyes flicked towards the east.

"Everyone out!" Harry barked. "Call the order! Grab the prisoners and retreat!"

The Aurors looked up and quickly grabbed Nott as Harry moved after them with Severus behind him. He pulled his phone out and dialled Kingsley's number but it rang out and he cursed. He grabbed Severus's arm and pulled the man back.

"I'm going to key you to the apparation wards," Harry said quickly as they moved towards the back door.

"What do you have in mind?" Severus asked. "Is it the Dark Lord?"

"Not sure, feels dark enough." Harry replied. "Do you have any more of those glass balls?"

"No," Severus replied.

Harry pushed the man's left sleeve up as a few Aurors moved around them and out the door pulling death eaters as they left. Harry placed his hand on the man's skin and keyed him to the apparation ward.

"Apparate to the Weasleys' shop and ask them for box three," Harry said softly. "Then apparate back here."

"Blake?" Severus said softly.

"Go," Harry replied.

Severus eyed him off for a second before apparating away, a couple of Aurors started at the soft pop. Harry hurried through the door and out onto the front lawn and looked out towards where he could feel the dark power coming from.

"Kingsley!" Harry yelled out to the tall dark man and he turned towards him.

The man moved towards him as Aurors moved over the wards and apparated away with their prisoners.

"How long do you need?" Harry asked as the man moved closer.

"Twenty minutes," Kingsley replied. "Is it you-know-who?"

"Not sure," Harry replied. "Feels like it."

Harry flicked his head to his right as the signal moved as the man apparated and he frowned, was the man playing with them? Trying to draw them out?

"I don't want to bring down the apparation and portkey wards or he can just apparate straight in." Harry said quickly, then frowned as the signal moved again. "Call me when you are clear."

Kingsley eyed him over, seeing the blood on his face and hands.

"Are you okay?" Kingsley asked.

"Sure," Harry replied with a grin. "Off you go."

"What are you planning, Blake?"

"Big bag," Harry replied with a lopsided grin and Kingsley shivered. "Get your men clear as quickly as you can."

"Take care," Kingsley muttered and moved away.

Harry watched after the man for a moment before he felt Severus apparated back in.

"Severus!" Harry called back into the house. "I'll meet you on the front porch."

Harry moved over to a hose on the side of the house and quickly washed as much of the blood off his hands and face as he waited for Severus to appear. He watched the Aurors working until Kingsley gave him a wave and held up his hands with his fingers out. Ten minutes was the signal and he held a fist up in reply. Harry stood and moved back towards the front porch of the house.

Severus appeared with the box in his hands and he shoved the box towards Harry with a smirk. Harry placed it just inside the front door and pulled out his wand and tapped the box quickly, creating a link between it and his wand.

Harry pulled his dark wand in his other hand and dark figures appeared in the house behind them before he grabbed Severus's arm and apparated them to the alley he had used before. Severus held him as his head spun and he stumbled into the wall.

"Blake!"

Harry shook his head slightly as his vision greyed slightly and he frowned. Severus suddenly cursed and Harry looked over at him.

"What?" Harry asked.

"Your side," Severus hissed.

Harry looked down at where Nott's knife had gotten him and the blood soaking into his shirt as the pain soaked into his mind slowly but he pushed it to the side harshly. He would deal with it later.

"We don't have time," Harry snapped as Severus pulled a bandage from his jacket pocket. "Leave it. Keep a look out."

Harry slid down the wall and focused his mind, trusting Severus as he tuned out the alley and followed the dark signal, with a whisper he had a small ball of dark magic spinning in front of him and he felt the Dark Lord move towards their position.

He sent the small ball of magic moving towards the house as if they were running with the Dark Lord following it.

"He has over a dozen of followers with him," Harry whispered. "Probably more experienced ones than the ones we took on."

He gently shaped the ball into two shadow people and the Dark Lord and his followers quickened their pace as the shadow people moved into the house with the others following them. Harry grinned and flicked his cherry wand and a large boom rolled over them setting off car alarms as Harry pulled back completely and cut through every ward or charm he held and gasped as the pain flooded into his mind.

Hands on his shoulders shaking him slightly brought him back and he looked up into Severus's dark eyes filled with concern. Harry shook his head slightly and rested it back against the wall behind him.

"You with me?" Severus whispered.

Harry wasn't sure, but nodded his head slightly, once he gathered his thoughts together he cast his mind out but couldn't pick up on the Dark Lord and he sighed. They were safe for now.

"He's gone," Harry whispered and winched as Severus pushed his shirt up to look at the wound.

"Lean forward and I'll bind this up," Severus whispered.

Harry moved forward slightly and Severus ran the bandage around his chest.

"I'm too old for this," Harry muttered. "This is young people's work, not for old men."

Severus snorted and Harry flashed him a grin, then frowned.

"Someone is coming," Harry hissed.

"Hold this," Severus whispered and Harry grabbed the bandage that the man had been working on.

Harry palmed his wand in the other hand as Severus moved to the entrance of the alley and flattened himself against the wall. A man in a dark coat with the hood up stepped around the corner and Severus grabbed him quickly and went to slam him into the wall but the man twisted and had Severus up against the wall, face first, until he saw Harry and his red eyes shone within the hood, and Harry pulled his magic back sharply from the spell he had been crafting.

"Shit," Dracka hissed, as he held Severus pinned to the wall. "Sorry, Severus."

"Then let go," Severus hissed. "And stop moving your bloody hand!"

Dracka leered as he stepped back and moved towards Harry and crouched down in front of him as he slipped his hood back. Harry could start to feel his head swimming from the blood loss as he looked over at Dracka as Severus moved back towards them and knelt down beside the vampire then suddenly smashed his shoulder into Dracka throwing the man off balance and he yelped as he went sprawling from the unexpected attack.

Harry smirked in amusement as Severus finished bandaging up his chest while Dracka cursed at the other man in Dutch.

"I think he made his point," Harry said softly. "Why are you here?"

"Albus called me," Dracka replied.

"Why?" Harry asked.

"It's been over half an hour since you told the Aurors to leave," Dracka replied. "I'm the back-up team."

"Bull!" Harry said softly. "You can sniff me out, like a blood hound."

Dracka flashed his fangs at Harry and he just gave him a grin. He summoned his sword in his hand and pushed up with it and his left leg, but pain shot through his ribs and his vision greyed as two sets of hands grabbed him and lowered him carefully back to the ground as his sword clattered to the ground loudly.

"I'll call Kingsley," Severus said softly. "He can send a medic, are we safe here?"

Harry nodded as he felt sick and let his head rest back against the wall. He felt a cool hand on his forehead as Severus spoke on the phone. Harry drifted slightly before he picked up a couple of other magical signals and opened his eyes to see Kingsley looking down at him.

"Fine my ass," Kinsley snapped, when he saw his eyes open and Harry gave him a grin.

"Broken ribs," A young woman said softly as her magic ran over him and Harry shivered slightly. "Three I would say, good thing it was a steel knife, I can heal this up without a problem."

Harry held out his right hand and the woman took it in hers as she ran he wand over it with a frown on her brow and Harry let his head rest back against the wall as the woman worked. Her light magic brushing against him as she muttered slightly under her breath.

"Blake!"

Harry started slightly and opened his eyes, without realising he had closed them and looked up at Kingsley.

"Wha'" Harry whispered.

"Are you just going to sleep there?" Kingsley asked and Dracka snorted.

"He's already slept there for two nights," Dracka drawled. "What's one more?"

Severus snorted as he looked down at Harry fondly as Kingsley flicked his eyes between the three men and sighed. The mediwitch gave him a smile before getting to her feet.

"Mr Nott is still out cold with a nasty concussion," The woman said. "I'm sure he will be cursing your name tomorrow or the next day when he wakes up."

"I'll also need you to cut through that spell in the dark mark to expose the tattoo," Kingsley added, as his eyes flicked to Severus slightly. "You know where they are."

Harry nodded slightly as he moved his right leg to a more comfortable position.

"Right there, Blake?" Kingsley asked as he looked down at him.

"Been better," Harry replied and the nurse's lips twitched up in a smile.

"Call me tomorrow then," Kinsley stated and gave him a nod before turning on his heel with the nurse following behind him.

Severus and Dracka looked down at him and Harry gave them a lopsided grin, Severus sighed and kneeled down.

"Want a hand up?" Severus asked softly.

Harry nodded and Severus got under his arm and pulled him to his feet and held him as he got his balance. Dracka used a cloth to pick up his sword and held it out but Harry just dismissed it from his hand.

"Head back to the school," Harry told the vampire. "We'll be right behind you."

Dracka gave a sharp nod before stalking away and flicking his hood back up as he moved out onto the street.

"We can apparate from here," Harry said softly and wrapped his arm around Severus's back.

Severus just held him and Harry frowned and looked over at the other man.

"Severus?" Harry asked. "Are you injured? You should have had the nurse look at you."

"It's fine," Severus said softly and Harry pulled back slightly as he looked at the other man.

Harry reached out with his connection and ran his magic over the man and he felt Severus shiver. He reached out a hand and pushed the man's shirt up on his right side to see bruising around his stomach and ribs. He ran his fingers lightly over his ribs.

"Nothing broken," Harry said softly and put more weight on his right leg as he pulled back slightly as he ran his fingers over his side and slipped them lower.

Severus grabbed his hand and pulled it away.

"Do you want me to apparate us?" Harry asked as he frowned.

"No," Severus said softly. "It's fine."

"Was it a spell?" Harry asked as he wiggled lose from the other man and looked him over. "Severus?"

"Let's get back to the school," Severus repeated as he moved in close.

Harry let the man wrap his arm around him, as he wrapped his magic around the two of them, just in case. Then the world spun slightly as they apparated. Harry gasped and stumbled and he could hear someone cursing as his knees hit the ground hard as the world rocked and he couldn't feel Severus near him.

"Severus!"

Hands were on his shoulders as the world kept spinning slightly and he closed his eyes as he started to feel sick.

"Blake!"

Harry started and opened his eyes and glanced over to see Severus sprawled out beside him. Fear bolted through him. He tried to move forward, but his head spun and the hand on his shoulder clamped down hard.

"Just settle down," Dracka snapped.

Poppy moved into view and moved straight to Severus with her wand out. Harry felt his stomach heave and he quickly moved to the side before throwing up as Dracka jumped back with a yelp. He finished throwing up and the energy seemed to leave him as he pushed himself to the side and collapsed.

"Blake!"


	25. Chapter 25

Severus woke to the pounding in his head and his ribs protesting as he moved slightly. His hand dangled over the side of the bed and he frowned, did Blake take up the bed again? He rolled over and flung his arm out, hissing slightly at the pain. Blake wasn't there.

He blinked open his eyes and looked up at the ceiling and groaned, he was in the hospital wing.

"Good to know other people have the same reaction that I do to this place." Blake said softly from beside him.

Severus looked over to the man sprawled out in the chair next to his bed, the cut on his forehead mostly healed, with a book in his lap.

"You've been out for three days," Blake said softly. "Ry was hoping you would make it four."

"Three days?" Severus asked in confusion.

"Nasty concussion," Blake replied. "Next time, I'm going to apparate us."

"What happened?" Severus asked.

"You tell me," Blake countered. "It was just lucky that some parts of us didn't end up, not with us."

"You're not making sense," Severus snapped.

Blake gave him a grin and Severus noticed how tired the man looked.

"Have you slept?" Severus asked in concern.

"Ah," Blake replied as he ran a hand over his head and Severus could see the way that it shook slightly. "Not much. You, however, have had three days of sleeping. So, should be nice and refreshed to torment your potion students."

"Have you had chocolate?" Severus asked softly.

Blake gave him a lopsided grin and he groaned until Blake's eye flicked up as Poppy slammed her door loudly.

"Mr Sun!" Poppy's voice lashed out in a hiss.

"Not doing anything," Blake said softly and held up the book in his hands. "See, just reading my book and minding my own business. He's awake by the way."

Poppy gasped and hurried over and quickly pulled her wand as Blake sprawled back in his chair and watched her with unreadable green eyes.

"How do you feel Severus?" Poppy asked kindly as she looked down at him. "Do you feel sick or is your head spinning?"

"No," Severus replied. "I'm fine."

Blake snorted and Severus looked over at him but he just looked back mildly, but Severus could pick out the tension in the other man's body.

"Enough out of you, Mr Sun!" Poppy snapped at the man and Severus frowned.

"I'll be leaving then," Blake said and pulled himself to his feet and placed his book on the bedside table. "I'll be back tonight, Severus."

Severus's watched him with sharp eyes and could tell the man was still hurting as he grasped his hand before turning and limping out of the room, his cane tapping softly. He turned to see Poppy watching him with sharp eyes as well.

"You were hit by a spell we haven't seen before," Poppy said softly, drawing his attention back. "Took him a day to work it out while we were all scrambling around. I wanted to send you to St Mungo's but he refused. I called in some healers from St Mungo's to assess you and I was sure he was going to use his sword against one of them. You don't have a next of kin listed and he is your partner but that only went so far…He can be a bit scary when he gets angry, Albus had to come down and remove him. He's refused all medical help since then."

"He doesn't look well," Severus replied.

"No, he doesn't." Poppy snapped, then softened her tone. "He hasn't stopped since you both came back. The stubborn man, if he keeps this up he is going to collapse."

"What was the spell?" Severus asked softly.

"It was attacking your magic," Poppy said quietly. "But it seemed to have a delay in it, it didn't kick in until you apparated to the school, then it started to drain your magic off quickly. You might feel a little weak for a while but your levels are already starting to go up. Blake mentioned it was an adaption from an old Russian spell. He could tell you more since he cast the counter charm."

Poppy ran her wand over him one more time and he could faintly feel her magic settle over him. Severus reached over and snagged the book Blake had been reading off the table but it was written in Russian so he placed it back on the table.

"You are free to go," Poppy said with a small smile. "Blake brought you up some clothes, they are in the bathroom."

"Thank you, Poppy." Severus said quietly.

The woman gave him a small smile before turning and heading back to her office. Severus looked up at the doorway, but Blake wasn't there.

xXx

"Blake."

Harry looked up as Kingsley moved towards him and he gave the man a small smile. He watched as the man's dark eyes looked him over before he gave him a nod and led the way into the building they were using to keep the death eater from the raid a few days before.

"How's Snape?" Kingsley asked softly.

"Awake," Harry replied. "Still not snarky yet, but give him time."

Kingsley bared his teeth in a grin.

"A few of my Aurors have been spreading stories about his fighting and those glass balls that you two had," Kingsley remarked.

"About him fighting on our side, right?" Harry asked with amusement.

"That too," Kingsley said in amusement. "Plus, he did teach some of them. So, I don't think they were expecting that from him."

Harry gave the man an amused smile as they worked their way further into the building and towards the cells. They had brought the building off a muggle that needed to off load it quickly and had out fitted it as a prison easily from the office building it had once been. It stood at five stories but Harry had been working on building underground levels months before the raid happened and he'd worked the wards into the dark mark.

By linking it to the dark mark, anyone that walked over the threshold that had one would be trapped by the wards. It was a one-way spell and very advanced in not only magic but in time as well since the spell hadn't been invented yet. They had a muggle contractor that delivered all the food they needed every day to keep the number of wizards and witches that knew about the prison to a minimum.

Harry and Kingsley surrendered their wands and anything else with a pointy end at the check point. Harry could tell that Kingsley looked uneasy about giving up his wand as Harry just placed them down calmly, without caring. The Auror looked his wands over in interest.

"What is this one made of?" The Auror asked, holding up the elder wand.

"No idea," Harry replied. "Some type of dark wood. The other one is made from cherry wood, with a silver core."

"Silver?" Kingsley asked in interest.

"Yes," Harry replied mildly. "It's better at channelling magic for wards than something else, makes it harder to break as well. The black wand is just temperamental. Feel free to have a play around with it, just watch how much magic you put into the spell. Oh, and it bites."

"You are allowing me to use your wand?" The Auror asked in shock, as Kingsley looked over at the two wands in interest.

"Sure, the black one that is. Don't try the other one." Harry replied. "If it bites you, don't come crying to me. Lead the way Kingsley."

The tall man gave him a grin as they left the stunned Auror behind as they moved into the building's cell area.

"I think you just like to shock people," Kingsley said mildly.

Harry gave the man a lopsided grin.

"I try," Harry said mildly. "I bet there will be about a dozen of them there when we come back."

Harry paused for a second and Kingsley turned to him.

"Do you need a minute?" Kingsley asked in concern.

"Coffee first?" Harry asked and Kingsley barked a laugh.

xXx

Severus looked up when Blake's door opened and the man walked in, with a heavy limp. He looked Blake over as he came into the room and the other man gave him a smile.

"Where have you been?" Severus drawled.

"Prison," Blake replied, with a lopsided grin. "We are still working through the death eaters we arrested and the dark mark is being a pain."

Blake moved to his lounge and collapsed back onto it with a sigh.

"How are you feeling?" Blake asked as he looked over at him.

Severus got to his feet and moved over to Blake and looked down at the man without answering.

"Kingsley said I'm not allowed to bring my black wand to the prison again," Blake said with amusement in his eyes. "His Aurors got into trouble with it."

"They used your wand?" Severus snapped.

"With permission," Blake replied with a glint in his eye.

Severus groaned and rubbed his face before looking back at the man sprawled out over the lounge and Blake gave him a grin that went straight through him.

"It only bit one Auror," Blake said in amusement. "So, it must have been in a happy mood."

"You talk about it like it's alive," Severus said softly.

"Of course," Blake scoffed as he pulled the wand out and held it out to Severus.

Severus took it in his hand feeling the rough wood under his fingers and the power. He had held the wand a few times and it still surprised him, how easily Blake would hand it over without a care as the man looked at his watch.

"I'm going to head to bed until dinner," Blake said as he pulled himself to his feet. "I have a couple of students to teach after that. Have to be back at the prison in the morning, going to get a nice pay check from the Department this month."

Severus watched the man limp towards the bedroom in amusement as he still held the man's wand. Struck again with how little he knew about him. Blake paused at the bedroom door before turning and giving him a grin with intense green eyes.

"Good to see you up, Severus." Blake said softly. "Look after that wand for me, would you?"

Blake gave him a wink before slipping into the bedroom leaving the Slytherin holding the man's wand in his hands, a little unsure about what had just happened.

xXx

Severus woke with a start and frowned unsure what had woken him. He could feel Blake's back resting against his and he tried to relax back. He was just drifting off when Blake muttering something, startling him awake and he wiggled over onto his back with a frown. His ribs and stomach were still tender as he lifted himself up and looked down at the man curled up away from him.

Blake muttered something under his breath with a frown on his brow and Severus laid a hand on his side. Blake flinched slightly at the touch and Severus frowned.

"Blake?" Severus questioned quietly, but the man was out.

The slight light in the room let Severus see the thin line where Nott had cut his skin and the bruising on his side as he pushed the covers back. Blake curled up slightly and Severus ran his hand over his head but that just unsettled the man more, which was unlike him.

Blake muttered something and Severus was sure it wasn't in English as Blake's hand curled into a fist and he moved slightly.

"No," Blake suddenly whispered and his eyes seemed to flick under his lids.

"Blake?" Severus tried again and grabbed his shoulder.

He shook his shoulder slightly but the man didn't wake and Severus frowned. Blake was a very light sleeper and could go from asleep to awake, very fast, unlike anyone he had seen before.

"No, Alissa." Blake whispered, and pushed back against Severus. "Nikolai!"

Severus jolted at the name and paled as Blake muttered a couple of other words he couldn't understand. The man was dreaming of his son.

"Blake," Severus tried again.

Blake pushed back against him and Severus wrapped his arms around the other man when suddenly Blake pulled himself away with a cry and fell from the bed with a crash.

"Blake!"

Severus scrambled across the bed and looked down into puzzled green eyes of the man on the floor in a tangle of the blanket.

"Did I just fall out of bed?" Blake asked, as he looked around puzzled as he ran a hand over his head.

"Evidently," Severus replied in amusement.

"Oh," Blake replied. "Oops."

Blake pulled himself up and Severus winched in sympathy when Blake grimaced as he got his feet under him and Severus pulled the blanket back onto the bed.

"You were having a nightmare," Severus said softly and Blake stilled.

"Do you want me to sleep on the couch?" Blake asked, not getting into the bed.

"What?" Severus said softly. "Why?"

Blake ran a hand over his head, just standing there naked and Severus ran his eyes over the bruising and the way the man stood.

"So, you can sleep," Blake replied, mildly.

Severus frowned as he looked at him, while Blake just looked back with unreadable eyes.

"Okay," Blake said softly. "I'll sleep out on the couch."

"No," Severus snapped and Blake flinched. "Come back to bed."

Blake just stood there looking at him and Severus's frown deepened.

"Hurry up," Severus said softly. "I have classes in the morning."

Blake nodded and moved back under the covers but curled up on the edge of the bed with his back to Severus. He placed his hand on Blake's back and could feel the tense muscles under his hand. He ran his hand down the man's back and wiggled closer until he could wrap himself around him.

Blake relaxed slightly as Severus held him and closed his eyes as sleep over came him. He startled awake when Blake yelled out in his sleep and his hold tightened around his waist.

"Blake?" Severus whispered.

"Sorry," Blake replied softly.

"Sh," Severus said softly and ran a hand down the man's side as he shook slightly.

Blake relaxed slowly and his breathing even out as Severus fell back to sleep. Sometime later Severus woke for the third time and frowned when he wasn't curled up around Blake. He glanced over his shoulder but the man wasn't there and it was about two in the morning.

He pulled himself to his feet and moved to the lounge room. His heart clenched when he found Blake asleep on the lounge, curled up slightly with his arm hanging over the side. The man was short enough that he could stretch out without a problem on the lounge as Severus kneeled down and ran his hand over the man's hair fondly.

Blake was still restless as he ran a hand over his hair a couple of times before using the bathroom. He moved back into the living room and looked down at Blake asleep on the lounge and sighed, before moving back to the bedroom.

xXx

Harry was on his third cup of coffee as he looked out at the students before him, it was still early in the morning and a lot of students hadn't arrived yet for breakfast. He was due at the prison at eight to try and break through the spell on the dark mark so that each of the prisoners could be processed.

"Hey," Severus said softly, as he sat in the seat next to him.

Harry looked over at the man and pushed the coffee pot his way. He could see the man was tired.

"I'll be at the Ministry or the prison all day today," Harry said softly. "I'm hoping to be back in time for dinner, if it runs late, I'll stay at my apartment in London."

Harry noticed Severus's hand pause as he reached for the sugar.

"Kinsley is getting a little frustrated that the spell in the dark mark is being stubborn," Harry said softly. "Not to mention the paperwork. How are you feeling?"

"I'm fine, Blake." Severus said softly.

"No side effects from the spell that hit you?" Harry asked as he looked the man over.

"I am well enough to teach potions," Severus replied mildly, but his eyes were intense as they looked at him.

"I'm sure Ry will be thrilled," Harry replied with a smile.

"Are you okay?" Severus whispered, as he leaned in close to him.

"All good," Harry replied softly, with a smile. "Sorry about last night."

"Oh!" Dracka said as he crashed into his seat on the other side of Harry. "Problems?"

"Nope," Harry said. "Want to come to the Ministry to fill out paperwork?"

Harry smirked as Dracka shivered.

"Well, I'll be off." Harry said as he got to his feet. "Severus, I'll call you if I'm staying in London. Have fun playing with your potions."

Harry gave the man a wink, but Severus just watched him with unreadable black eyes and Harry frowned.

"Leaving, Blake?" Albus asked, moving towards his seat. Drawing away his attention.

"Yeah," Harry said, as he looked over at the Headmaster. "I'll bring you back some files when I get back. Think of it was homework."

"Good luck, my boy." Albus said with a twinkle in his eyes.

Harry gave him a smile before moving away and out of the hall.

xXx

Harry looked up as Simon Giller, the Auror assigned to him today, pulled a young man into the room. He locked the cuffs around the man's wrist on the table top in front of Harry and Kingsley. Harry looked over the young man and he shifted slightly. Simon pulled the young man's left sleeve up and Harry ran his hand down his skin, feeling the edges of the tattoo under his hand but couldn't see it.

"Name?" Kingsley asked blandly.

"Ken Milton," Harry answered for the man. "Was a Hufflepuff, he graduated last year. Hold still Mr Milton."

Harry placed his hand over the dark mark and closed his eyes. He felt the dark magic under his palm and tiredly picked his way through the mark. Picking up where he had left off the day before with a different death eater.

"What are you doing?" Milton asked.

"Breaking the spell in the dark mark to reveal it," Harry replied calmly. "Please hold still and don't say anything."

Harry carefully picked his way through the spells in the mark, looking for the right one. It took him a good half an hour to find what he was looking for and he sighed as he picked up the spell and looked it over to make sure before cutting through it and lifting his hand.

The tattoo stood out on the young man's skin and Kingsley wrote in _'Death eater confirmed'_ on his paperwork. Harry sat back in his seat and look up into the pale face of the young man before him.

Kinsley started his questions as Harry sat back in his seat and would pick up the surface thoughts of the man in front of him to make sure if he was telling the truth or not as Kingsley went through his questions. Harry would silently indicate to Kingsley if he was being truthful or not as the Auror ran through his questions.

Over an hour later, Ken Milton was removed and the next prisoner was brought in and it started all over again.

Harry was exhausted when he finally collapsed on his bed at his London apartment that night, Kinsley wanted him back again the next morning and it didn't take long for him to fall asleep.

xXx

"Snape," Severus answered his phone as he moved towards the great hall for dinner.

"Come and collect, Blake." Kinsley said calmly and Severus froze.

"What happened?" Severus snapped.

"He collapsed," Kinsley replied. "We had a medic look him over and he is sleeping now."

"Has he woken up?" Severus asked sharply.

"No." Kinsley replied, and Severus could hear something in the man's voice.

"Where are you?" Severus asked.

"At the prison," Kingsley replied. "We locked him into one of the cells, since we don't have a medical bay set up yet. Albus has the address, you might want to bring the vampire. You won't be able to step over the threshold of the main prison."

Severus could feel a coldness in his stomach at those words.

"Why can't I step over the threshold?" Severus asked as he moved towards the Headmaster and Dracka at the Head Table.

"You can, but you won't be able to leave," Kingsley said softly. "The prison wards are tied into the dark mark, Snape."

"I'll be there soon," Severus said and hung up the phone.

"Is there a problem?" Albus asked when he saw him.

"I need the address to the prison." Severus said sharply, after he brought up a silencing charm around them. "Blake collapsed."

Dracka hissed a breath and his eyes turned red as Albus looked at him with wide eyes.

"He what?" Albus said in shock.

"Kingsley just called," Severus replied.

Albus pulled a piece of paper out of his robe and a quill and wrote out the address and apparation point before handing it to Severus, looking pale.

"Come on, Dracka." Severus said, as he nodded at Albus in thanks. "We have to break Blake out of prison."

Albus snorted.

"Always thought we would have to use those words," Dracka said softly. "But I was thinking more of a muggle prison."

Severus turned on his heel, his robes flaring as he marched from the hall with Dracka on his heels. Once they were passed the wards Severus grabbed the vampire and looked down at the piece of paper and apparated.

Severus and Dracka looked around the normal looking muggle neighbourhood and the two men shrugged out of their robes, shrunk them and placed them away. They shared a look before moving out of the alley and onto the busy street as Severus lead them to the address on the piece of paper.

They stopped outside a normal looking five story office building in interest.

"Blake's magic is on the wards," Dracka said softly.

Dracka stepped forward and opened the door for Severus, waving the other man in as Severus smirked. They walked into the nice entrance of the building and the woman behind the desk looked them over with interest. She was dressed like a muggle as she gave them a smile.

"Severus Snape and Rolf Dracka?" The woman asked.

"Yes," Dracka purred, moving closer to the woman with a smile on his face. "And you would be?"

"Auror Milly Sendon," The woman replied.

"So, nice to meet you." Dracka purred and held out a hand.

When the woman took his hand, he kissed her fingers and the woman blushed as Dracka gave her a wink.

"Dracka." Severus growled at the vampire, before turning to the woman. "We are here for Blake Sun."

"Oh!" The woman said as Dracka released her hand. "I'll just call up Auror Shacklebolt for you."

Dracka looked over his shoulder at Severus who scowled at the man as the woman kept eyeing the vampire off.

"Hungry, are you?" Severus hissed.

Dracka's smile widened as his eyes glinted.

"Are you offering, Severus?" Dracka asked as he moved closer to the other man.

Severus drew himself up as he crossed his arms over his chest and looked down his nose at the shorter man. Dracka just gave him a leer as Severus glared.

"Snape," Kingsley's voice broke into the stand-off. "Mr Dracka, please follow me. Severus, you can wait here."

The two men looked over at the tall dark-skinned man as he looked them over with dark eyes and a frown on his brow.

"No," Severus snapped, as he moved closer to Kingsley.

"You won't be able to step back over the threshold, Severus." Kingsley whispered softly to the man so that Milly couldn't hear them.

"Yes, I will be able to." Severus drawled. "Now, show us where Blake is."

Kingsley started, as he drew back a step before moving in close to Severus. They were of a similar height as Kingsley grabbed his left arm, where his dark mark used to be.

"The wards are tied to the dark mark," Kinsley hissed.

"Show us where Blake is," Severus hissed back.

"Is there a problem, sir?" Milly asked from her desk.

Dracka moved towards the woman's desk with a sly smile.

"Nothing to worry about, my dear." Dracka cooed.

Severus moved his body slightly and Kingsley released his arm. Severus pushed up his left sleeve, just revealing pale skin. Kingsley frowned and placed his hand on the man's forearm while Dracka distracted the woman.

"I will be able to pass over the wards," Severus said softly.

"How?" Kingsley gasped, since he couldn't feel the mark under his fingers.

"Who do you think?" Severus whispered.

Kingsley snatched his hand back, like he had been burnt with large eyes.

"Now, show me where Blake is." Severus hissed, his eyes flashing.

"Follow me," Kingsley said softly.

"Dracka!" Severus snapped. "Stop playing with your dinner!"

Dracka and Milly looked up and Dracka gave him a leer as he patted the woman on the shoulder and moved smoothly over to the other two men.

"Jealous?" Dracka drawled as he got closer.

"Of your next meal?" Severus questioned lightly. "Hardly. I'm sure with all these death eaters around, you could find an easier meal than an Auror."

Dracka perked up and twin dark eyes looked over at Kingsley and the man shifted slightly.

"Ah," Kingsley stuttered.

Dracka barked a laugh and clapped a hand to the man's shoulder.

"I'm sure Blake will do," Dracka replied and flashed his fangs in Shacklebolt's direction and the man paled.

Severus smirked as Kingsley stood rooted to the spot.

"Regretting asking the vampire to come?" Severus asked softly, with a glint in his eyes.

"I find these situations just come with having Blake Sun around," Kingsley said slowly, before moving off down the hallway. "You would think I would be used to it by now."

Severus and Dracka shared a look of amusement before following the other man. They stopped briefly to hand over their wards before moving into where the cells were. Kingsley stopped at one and pulled a key from his robe and unlocked the door and slid it open.

Severus moved forward to see Blake was curled up on his side on one of the beds looking pale. He knelt down beside the bed and ran his hand over the other man's head gently.

"Why did he collapse?" Dracka asked quietly next to Kingsley.

"Medic said exhaustion," Kingsley replied softly. "That's the problem with curse breakers. I should have called for another curse breaker to watch him as he worked, to stop this from happening. I think we forget sometimes…when it's Blake."

Severus ran his hand down to the man's shoulder and shook him gently. Blake jolted slightly and pale green eyes silted open to peer up at him before the man lifted a hand and rubbed his face before glancing around.

"Ah, shit." Blake whispered. "What did I do this time?"

"Used to waking up in prison, Mr Sun?" Severus asked softly, as Dracka and Kingsley snorted.

"Only when they catch me," Blake replied with a lopsided grin, but his tired eyes gave him away.

Blake rolled over onto his back and glanced over at the two men in the doorway with a frown.

"Why is the vampire here?" Blake asked.

"Kingsley thought I wouldn't be able to pass over the wards," Severus said softly. "Dracka was the back-up plan."

"Ah," Blake replied. "Hungry, Dracka?"

Dracka growled softly.

"Kingsley," Blake said softly. "I'm sure you can find something for Dracka. Ms Carter might be interested?"

"Come with me, Mr Dracka." Kinsley said with a smirk and led the vampire away.

Severus looked after them with wide eyes before turning back to Blake. The man gave him an amused smirk.

"He isn't going to let the vampire…" Severus trailed off.

Blake gave him a grin in answer before pulling himself into a sitting position and Severus stood up and looked down at him. Blake ran his hands over his head.

"I collapsed, didn't I?" Blake asked softly.

"Yes," Severus replied.

"Damn it," Blake swore. "Kingsley is probably going to have someone watching me now."

Blake reached over and picked up his cane before getting to his feet, swaying slightly. Severus resisted the temptation to reach out and steady him. Blake got his feet under him and Severus stepped back to the doorway.

"Are we leaving the vampire here?" Severus asked softly.

Blake looked around, his eyes slightly hollow and Severus frowned in concern.

"Sure," Blake replied. "Kingsley will look after him."

Severus adjusted his steps to Blake's as they moved through the hallways with Blake in the lead. The Auror at the main desk of the cells gave Blake a smile as he handed over his wand and Blake passed it to Severus, to the Auror's surprise, as Severus held his hand out for his own wand. The man hesitated slightly before handing it over to Severus and he placed both wands away.

"Hope you are feeling better soon, Blake." The man said.

"Thank you, Tom." Blake said with a smile. "I'll see you in a couple of days."

The man gave him another smile as Blake and Severus moved through to the main entrance. The woman looked up with a smile that dimmed slightly when she didn't see Dracka but then brightened when she saw Blake.

"Feeling better, Blake?" Milly asked with a smile.

"Yes, thank you." Blake replied with a smile and grabbed Severus's hand. "Bye, Milly."

Severus started slightly and glanced down at Blake in surprise but the man was looking over at the woman before limping towards the main door.

"Bye, Blake." Milly called out after them.

Blake apparated them as they took one step out of the doors and before they could move out onto the street. Severus grabbed the man when he stumbled into his side as they landed. Blake didn't pull away and Severus tightened his arms around him.

Severus and Blake soaked in the cool night as they stood there, listening to the animals calling out softly as they looked up at the castle. Blake leaned back into Severus's chest as the taller man wrapped his arms around his stomach.

"Fawkes is out," Blake pointed out. "I swear he always seems to burst into flames when the Headmaster calls me up to his office."

Severus snorted in amusement, while the two men watched the phoenix.

"What was the spell that hit me?" Severus asked quietly.

"I'm still not sure," Blake replied. "It seemed to be an adaption from an old Russian spell. It had a delay on it, which was lucky for us, or it could have kicked in when you apparated to the Weasleys shop."

"That would have been a shock for them," Severus said quietly and Blake snorted.

"It was a battle field spell," Blake said softly. "Do you remember which death eater cast it?"

"No," Severus replied. "I know I got hit with a blasting charm."

"Yes," Blake replied. "I read the files from the Aurors. They were impressed by your skills, by the way. I also think that they will be lining up outside the Weasley's store as well. Nott won't be happy when he gets the damage bill for his house."

Severus chuckled and tightened his hold around the other man.

"I like that man." Dracka said suddenly, as he apparated near them with a box in his hands.

Severus and Blake looked over at the vampire and he gave them a grin with a glint in his eyes.

"Even if he does make me do the heavy lifting," Dracka smirked, as he moved up towards the castle.

Blake groaned and tilted his head back against Severus's chest as the taller man held him.

"Oh, god." Blake moaned. "What have I created."

xXx

Harry sighed as the warm water ran over his back, relaxing the tense muscles.

"I hope you haven't drowned in there?" Severus called and Harry snorted.

"Hovering like a mother hen, Severus?" Harry called back.

"Only so you don't crack your head open if you fall asleep standing up," Severus drawled back.

Harry groaned and knew he wasn't going to live this down as the water pounded down on his head.

"It's not like this is the first time," Harry remarked.

"Of you collapsing at work," Severus said softly. "Yes, it is."

Harry started, as he realised that it was the first time that he'd collapsed at work while he'd been with Severus.

"Is this something I should get used to?" Severus asked mildly.

Harry stepped out of the shower and grabbed the towel Severus held out.

"Sorry," Harry replied. "And probably. Happens when working with spells and wards, you are too focused on them and nothing else around you. You don't notice you have pushed too far, until you are tipping over the edge, when you pull back from the magic."

Severus looked at him with dark unreadable eyes as he looked him over.

"Why did you want to sleep on the lounge?" Severus asked softly, throwing Harry.

Harry paused as he ran the towel over his head, spiking up his hair.

"So, you could get some sleep," Harry replied mildly, hanging his towel up. "Just easier than dealing with a grumpy lover in the morning. My wife used to kick me out of the bed when the nightmares were bad. They settle down eventually."

"You can talk to me about them, if that would help." Severus offered softly.

"I would rather not," Harry replied.

Severus pulled himself up to his full height as he crossed his arms and Harry silently cursed, he had hurt the man.

"Shit, Severus!" Harry cursed and ran a hand over his head. "Sorry, I didn't mean it like that."

Severus looked him over with dark unreadable eyes.

"They are just nightmares and will fade," Harry said softly. "Nothing to worry about."

"You don't normally have nightmares," Severus replied.

Harry nodded and said, "But when I do, you know about it."

Severus's lips twitched and Harry gave him a grin and Severus's expression softened.

"Bed?" Harry asked softly.

"Bed," Severus agreed.

xXx

Severus woke to the feeling of Blake sprawled out over his back and snoring softly in his ear. He winched slightly at the tender feeling in his ribs as he grabbed Blake's hand and curled his fingers with the other man's. Feeling the rough feeling of his palm. Blake shifted slightly in his sleep and Severus breathed a little easier. He pushed back and Blake shifted until he was curled along his back instead of squashing him into the mattress. Severus smiled softly as he listened to the man's soft breathing before tangling his legs more with Blake's and falling back to sleep.

xXx

"That's the last of them," Harry said as he placed the file in front of Albus a week later in the Great Hall as he brought up a silencing charm around them. "Twenty-six with marks and eighteen without. The ones without go on trial next month, I have Mr Boulder's firm looking them over now. I'm sure we can draw it out for a few months. Leaving the Dark Lord short in supporters that little longer. I'm sure some paperwork could go missing as well for a while."

"Thank you, my boy." Albus said with a smile as he looked the man over.

"I'll need to borrow Dracka for a day to pick out the ones with creature blood," Harry said calmly as he looked over at the vampire who leered at him. "I'm sure he won't mind. Ms Carter has been asking for you Dracka."

A glint came into Dracka's eyes as Severus groaned.

"One of your meals, Dracka?" Severus asked smoothly.

Dracka turned his leer onto Severus as Harry looked at the two men before turning to Albus. The Headmaster was looking him over with an odd look in his eyes.

"What?" Harry asked softly.

"Nothing, my boy." Albus said softly. "I'm sure that Dracka can spare a Saturday or Sunday to help you."

"We'll keep them at the prison," Harry said. "I'll be reinforcing the wands next weekend."

"Why are you looking for creature blood?" Albus asked softly.

Harry stilled as he reached for the tea on the table and Dracka and Severus turned to him as well.

"It will become important," Harry said carefully. "But not yet."

Dracka sat up in his seat and focused on him, his eyes intense with a slight frown on his brow.

"But that is a concern for another day," Harry said calmly as he sat back in his seat and looked out over the hall.

"Care to explain?" Severus drawled.

"No," Harry said shortly and the conversation dropped.

xXx

Dracka watched Blake out of the corner of his eye as they walked down the muggle street just before dawn. It was mostly deserted as they walked along and Dracka knew it was going to be a long day since they wouldn't be leaving until after the sun set. The man looked better than he had over the last couple of weeks but he still looked tired as they walked along and the demon in the back of his mind took notice as the man's scent reached his nose as they moved.

Blake paused at the office building, serving as the prison and grabbed the front door and held it open for Dracka with a glint in his eyes. Dracka flashed him a grin as he stepped in and he eyed off the woman behind the desk, since the prison was manned twenty-four hours a day.

"Mr Dracka," The woman greeted with a smile, eyes only for him as he smoothly moved closer.

Blake sighed and moved towards the chairs next to the door that lead into the main prison as Dracka smiled at the woman at the desk.

"Milly, my dear." Dracka cooed as he moved closer and the woman's scent rolled towards him.

"Are you here for long, Rolf?" Milly said as she brushed her brown hair behind her ear.

"Just the day," Dracka replied, as Blake took a seat near the door at the back, watching them but not saying anything.

"Oh," The woman said with a smile. "I finish just before lunch if you wanted to get something?"

"I'm sorry, Milly." Dracka said softly. "I already have a date."

Milly's eyes flicked over to Blake and the man gave her a wink as he sprawled out in the chair.

"But," The woman stuttered.

"Perhaps another time?" Dracka said softly, with a smile.

"Ah," Milly said with wide eyes as he looked between Blake and Dracka.

Dracka gave her a disarming smile and moved towards Blake. The man got to his feet and opened the door to the main prison with a smirk.

"I'll see you later, Milly." Dracka called over as he moved passed Blake, making sure he brushed against the other man and watched Milly blush nicely.

Blake fell into step with him without a word and Dracka glanced over to him but the man's face was closed, not giving away his thoughts, as they moved through to the check point.

"Blake," Simon greeted with a smile. "How are you?"

"I'm well, Simon." Blake said, with a grin as he passed over his cherry wand. Dracka placed his light-coloured wand next to his, his wand an inch longer than Blake's. "We are just going to go for a little walk down the cells."

Dracka gave Blake a leer as the Auror took their wands and placed them away.

"Kingsley already rang," Simon said with a smile, as he slid a ring with keys on it towards Blake who scooped them up and placed them away in his pocket.

"Perfect," Blake replied as the Auror buzzed them into the cell area.

Blake and Dracka moved into the main cells and Dracka moved to the first cell with Blake behind him.

"Well," Blake said softly. "Do your vampire thing."

Dracka turned to the man in the small hallway as the noise of the men and woman in the cells washed over them and he stepped closer to Blake, his demon near the surface of his mind.

"Ms Carter, is in the fourth cell along." Blake said softly.

Dracka flicked his eyes over to the cell before turning back to see the smirk on Blake's face.

"Would you like me to put up a silencing charm?" Blake said with a leer that went straight through Dracka. "Or do you like an audience?"

Dracka smirked and stepped closer to the man and could see Blake tense, even if nothing showed on his face.

"I don't mind sharing?" Dracka said with a leer.

"I do," Blake replied mildly.

Dracka smirked at him as the demon in him growled but he pushed it to the side.

"Work first," Dracka replied mildly. "Pleasure later."

Blake's lips twisted up in a smile as he looked at him and Dracka stepped back to the first cell as Blake pulled out a notebook to write down anything Dracka could get from the prisoner.

They worked through the prisoners for the next few hours with Blake staying back and watching from outside the cell as Dracka moved forward and took a sniff of the death eaters. Blake's eyes on his back, as he worked with each person in the cells. Getting any information, he could, while still staying within the law.

They stopped for lunch in the rec room before moving onto the second level of the prison. Dracka looked Avery Nott over with a sneer when Blake opened the cell and stepped back to the wall.

"I was wondering when you would be back," Nott sneered as he looked over at Blake and Dracka growled slightly.

"Feeling lonely, were you?" Blake asked mildly as he leaned against the wall outside the cell.

Dracka moved into the cell and Nott's eyes flicked between the two men.

"What is this?" Nott demanded.

"This is my pet vampire," Blake said mildly. "Rolf Dracka."

Dracka leered over at Blake and Nott took advantage of his inattention and smashed into his side. Dracka growled and grabbed the man as he tried to dash towards the open cell door. Nott lashed out with his fist and Dracka let it fall on his ribs as he twisted the arm he held in his hand and pushed the man back and let him go.

Nott stumbled back with wide eyes as Dracka stalked forward, with the demon at the forefront of his mind. Nott scrambled back across the cell as Dracka moved in on the man.

"Do something!" Nott yelled at Blake.

"Why?" Blake said blandly.

"He'll kill me!" Nott yelped, as Dracka grabbed him.

Nott lashed out but Dracka used his added strength to twist the man around and push him face first into the wall. He twisted the man's arm up as he pushed his body into his back. Dracka licked up the side of the man's neck as he shook under him and the smell of fear rolling off the man made his mouth water.

"Sun!" Nott yelled.

Dracka glanced over his shoulder but Blake was just leaning against the wall calmly, with no expression on his face. Dracka turned back to Nott and breathed on his neck.

"This is against the law!" Nott squeaked.

"You attacked him first, Nott." Blake replied calmly. "He has a right, since at the moment, he is working for a member of the Ministry of Magic. If you didn't swing your fist at him, you wouldn't be in this situation."

"No!" Nott yelled as Dracka plunged his fangs into the man's neck and the man cried out.

The man struggled briefly as he drank in the man's blood and magic and the demon in him hummed in pleasure. He could feel Blake's eyes on his back as the man under him started to relax, he eased up and pulled back. Nott's eyes were glazed over as Dracka licked over the bite mark, just slight marks on the man's neck and let the man go.

Nott crumbled into a heap on the floor as he glazed up at Dracka with a slight smile on his face and Dracka sneered down at him before turning to Blake and stalking towards the other man.

"No creature blood there," Dracka said softly, as he moved close to Blake. "He should be out for a while."

Blake looked down at his notebook and wrote it down before moving around Dracka and closing the cell door.

"Next one then," Blake said calmly.

Dracka leaned in as the man went to pass him and took a sniff of his scent and Blake paused and glanced at him.

"Yes?" The man drawled.

"I hope the next one decides to fight as well," Dracka said with a leer, watching Blake carefully.

"Oh, god." Blake moaned as he moved to the next cell and opened the door and looked into the room. "I don't think you'll have a problem with this one."

Dracka moved forward as Blake moved back to the wall and he looked into the room to see the cowering man and he sneered.

"You take me to the best places," Dracka drawled over to him and Blake gave him a grin.

"Proceed, Mr Dracka." Blake said calmly and waved his hand.

A couple of hours later they made their way back down to the first floor and Dracka moved towards the cell containing Ms Alice Carter, Blake following behind. Blake moved forward and opened the cell before stepping to the side. Dracka gave him a leer as he moved into the cell and the woman looked up with a sly smile.

"Are you going to watch Blake?" Dracka asked over his shoulder, as he moved towards the woman and her smile widened as she got to her feet in a smooth movement.

"Just give me a call when you're done," Blake replied and closed the cell door but Dracka could still smell his scent in the hallway.

That added to the excitement as he moved towards the woman.

xXx

Harry let his head rest back against the wall outside the cell as he casually cast the silencing charm on the cell as he waited on the seat he had conjured. It didn't stop him from hearing what was going on in the cell, for he would still have to hear Dracka when the man wanted out, but at least the Aurors and prisoners wouldn't hear the vampire's antics.

He tuned them out as much as he could as he looked over the notebook in his hands. Once he was finished he pulled another notebook out of his pocket placed the two books together and with a whispered spell he copied one book to the other as the noise increased in the cell. He ignored his own reaction to the sound as he placed the two notebooks away. Bloody vampires.

He felt almost jealous with how much easier it was for them as he waited. From the sounds of it, Ms Carter was enjoying herself as Harry leaned his head back against the wall behind him and closed his eyes. The woman wasn't very powerful, but had vampire blood. Too much, from Dracka's reaction and her reaction to him. Bloody vampires.

xXx

Dracka licked his lips, very satisfied, as he pulled back from the woman under him. Alice looked up at him with a sly smile and ran her fingernails down his sides drawing blood and he growled softly and she eased off.

The woman shivered as their magic settled along her form and Dracka leered down at her before pulling himself to his feet. She looked over his naked body slowly and he gave her a wink. He had marked her as part of his Coven now, so she would fall under his protection as he looked her over. Only blood was necessary for that, but he would take whatever she wanted to offer and he had been very happy with what she had offered.

"Know any French?" Dracka asked as he slipped his pants on.

"No," Alice replied. "Will I need to?"

"It would help," Dracka replied. "My Coven is in France."

"My father's Coven is here," Alice replied with a smile as she sat up.

"You have two choices," Dracka said stalking closer. "Here in this cell or my Coven."

The woman grabbed his hips and pulled him closer to plant a kiss on his bare stomach and Dracka growled softly and she pulled back tilting her head slightly.

"You grew up in your father's Coven?" Dracka asked softly.

"Yes," Alice replied.

"So, you know the language," Dracka said softly as he placed his hands on the woman's shoulders.

"Yes," Alice replied with a smirk.

Dracka's eyes strayed to the dark mark on the woman's arm and ran his fingers down the tattoo. She shivered under his hand and pulled him closer as she flicked his belt back open with a sly smile.

"Too much vampire blood in you," Dracka muttered as she pushed his pants back down.

"That's rich coming from an elder vampire," Alice said with a smile before pulling him closer.

xXx

Harry started slightly when Dracka called his name having fell asleep on the chair he was sitting on as he waited.

"Open the bloody cell, Sun!" Dracka snapped.

"Yeah, hold on." Harry called, as he pulled himself to his feet stiffly. "I would say keep your pants on, but I think that would be a bad choice of words."

Dracka barked a laugh as Harry opened the cell and stood to the side as Dracka stepped out, looking very satisfied and well fed. The man gave him a leer and Harry ignored him as he closed the cell door behind him.

"She'll be moving to my Coven," Dracka stated calmly.

"After her trial," Harry replied mildly. "Then she will fall under your protection. It is likely she will be exiled from England, if you take her to France."

"Very well," Dracka purred and closed the gap between them.

Dracka stepped in close and gave him a sniff.

Harry lashed out with his fist and copped him a good one in the side and Dracka stumbled back with a grunt in surprise as he looked up at Harry with red eyes and a growl. Harry barred his teeth at the vampire and stepped forward with a soft growl of his own. Dracka's eyes widened as Harry stalked closer, forcing Dracka back a step.

"Do not push," Harry hissed, as he moved in close to Dracka and the vampire pulled himself up to his full height, holding his ground.

Harry closed the gap between them, his eyes blazing green and Dracka stepped back instinctively. Harry growled low in his throat and Dracka tilted his head slightly to the side. Harry held his ground for a second before taking one step back.

"Shall we go?" Harry asked mildly, as if the whole exchanged hadn't happened and the tension eased between them.

"Are you taking me to dinner in repayment for all this work?" Dracka asked softly.

Harry gave him a smirk in amusement.

"I thought I already did?"

xXx

Severus looked up as Blake and Dracka moved through the doors of the Great Hall together. Both men moving smoothly, even with Blake's cane, as they spoke quietly. He eyed them over while they were distracted and the easy way they moved. He could understand why some people would think that they were lovers as they made their way towards the Head Table and he watched the two men with dark eyes.

Blake turned slightly and gave him a grin as he moved towards Albus and placed a notebook in front of the Headmaster as Dracka moved around the table. Blake spoke quietly to the Headmaster and since Severus couldn't hear his words, he knew the man had thrown up a silencing charm around them. Dracka collapsed in the seat next to him and he glanced over at the vampire.

"You look happy," Severus drawled.

"More than that," Dracka drawled back with a leer that put Severus on edge.

"Have fun at the prison, did you?" Severus asked as he sat back in his seat.

Dracka gave him a wide smile, showing off his fangs as he lounged back in his seat.

"Ignore him," Blake said as he took a seat on the other side of Severus. "He's drunk on death eater blood."

Severus shivered as Dracka looked over at him.

"If you are sick later, it's your own fault." Blake said mildly as he filled his plate. "God only knows what's in Nott's blood."

"Didn't you handle his blood when you broke the blood wards?" Dracka pointed out, mildly.

"That's what magic is for. To burn away anything in the man's blood." Blake replied, then grimaced. "…And bleach."


	26. Chapter 26

Author's rambling: The closed border with USA is purely for this story and no other reason and not to be taken personally :-) You may have also worked out that I have called each country's Ministry as the Ministry of Magic then the country. For one reason: to make it simpler (I am in no doubt they are each called something different). Also, the International Portkey Platforms are the same for each country. They will come into play more in the next part of this story.

Where Snape was killed in the last battle in Harry's timeline was the only big change that I made to Canon. He did not give Harry any memories as well.

xXx

Harry dropped a slip of paper on to the book Severus was reading as he sat in one of his armchairs. The man picked it up and looked down at it before looking up at Harry with a raised eyebrow.

"What would this be?" Severus asked smoothly.

"Um," Harry replied unsure. "It's a cheque."

"Cheque?"

Harry cocked his head to the side.

"I know it took a while," Harry said slowly as he came to stand in front of the man. "But the wards around Spinner's End were a bit more of a problem than I thought they would be. Plus, Mr Boulder had a lot of trouble tracking down the owners of the apartments next door and-"

"What is this?" Severus said, cutting Harry off as he held up the piece of paper.

"Well," Harry said slowly. "We demolished the houses and I broke through the ground wards of Spinner's end, which took a while I might add. Then my real estate agent said you would get a better price if we developed the land and sold it off in units which meant more ground wards had to be broken through-"

"This, Sun." Severus growled holding up the piece of paper. "What is it?"

Harry stood still looking at Severus as the man held the paper up.

"Your cut," Harry said simply and rubbing his head. "We sold it to muggles so it's in Pounds but the goblins can convert it for you. I'll make sure they give you a good conversion rate."

Severus looked down at the piece of paper with knew eyes.

"Should make your vault look a little more full," Harry said with a smirk. "Sorry it took so long."

Severus looked up at him in shock.

"You got this much money for that run-down piece of shit?" Severus said in shock.

"Ah, well." Harry said and pulled a brochure from his back pocket and held it out to the seated man. "It didn't look like that when I sold it."

Severus looked down at the brochure in his hands in disbelief, as it showed him pictures of top end apartments in a fancy looking apartment block.

"So yeah." Harry said, as Severus looked it over. "Here is the key to one of the apartments I kept for you, you can sell it or rent it out or whatever. It's a two-bedroom apartment on the top floor."

Severus carefully placed his book and the brochure to the side of the chair and stood. He took the key in his hand and slipped it into his pocket as he looked down at the man in front of him. Harry ran a hand over his head again and gave him a crooked smile.

"So, yeah-" Harry went to say but it ended in a squeak as Severus grabbed him around the waist.

Severus looked down at him for a second before lifting him up and tumbled them back onto the lounge as Harry gave a laugh. Severus grinned and took the man into a deep kiss.

"You are one of a kind, you know that?" Severus purred in his ear.

"Of course!" Harry laughed. "World couldn't deal with two of me!"

Severus's laughter filled the room at the irony of the other man's words. He quickly slipped out of his robes as his eyes darkened as he looked at the other man and Harry grinned and reached forward to run his hands through Severus's hair and the other man paused.

Harry pushed the man's hair back as he looked into his eyes and pulled the hair band loose at the back. While Severus ran his hands under the man's shirt and Harry moved forward slightly as Severus pulled it over his head.

Harry laid back on the lounge and took in the image of his lover as Severus slipped out of his shirt revealing pale skin. Severus looked up and shifted slightly as Harry looked at him.

"What?" Severus purred and Harry shivered as his voice rolled over him.

Harry moved forward and grabbed the man, pulling him closer as he kissed him deeply, his hands running down his soft skin until he grabbed his waist and slipped his hands under his belt.

xXx

Missing scene due to rating.

xXx

Harry sat at the back of one of Ry's DA classes as the students cast spells back and forth between each other. He had gotten a few looks when the students had arrived but he had said nothing as Ry ran the class while he'd tapped his wand against his leg from the safety of his chair and a slight protection charm around him.

The students were a lot better than he was expecting and Ry was a good teacher as he moved through and worked with each student. He would call a stop every now and again as he showed the students something before getting them going again. He watched his son as he worked with a third year girl, fondly as he ran through how to do a spell with the girl.

More than a few of the students working around the room were from his own classes so he was aware of their talent as they shouted out encouragement or good-natured insults at each other.

"Okay everyone," Ry called out and everyone stopped to look over at him. "We'll call it a night and meet again next week."

Everyone broke up and moved out of the room as Harry dropped his protection charm as he leaned back against the wall behind him. Ry turned to him and gave him a grin before moving over.

"What are you doing here?" Ry asked.

"I'm just taking an interest in my son's interests," Harry replied with a wink.

"Did Snape kick you out?" Ry asked as he conjured his own seat and sat down before his father.

"Now why would you think that?" Harry asked with a smirk.

"It's Snape," Ry replied with a grin of his own. "…And it's you."

"I was curious," Harry replied.

"They want to fight," Ry said softly.

"They are children, Ry." Harry said just as softly.

"And when the school is attacked?" Ry countered.

"We will have the Ministry, Aurors, the Department, the Order and the Council fighting," Harry said shortly. "All current students of this school will be held back by the wards and will be evacuated if the wards on the castle are breached."

"What about me?"

Harry looked at his son and sighed, Ry reached out a hand and laid it on his father's knee.

"Will not be keyed to the wards," Harry said softly as he covered his son's hand. "Now, is there anything you want me to teach you?"

"How to defeat Voldemort," Ry said with a stubborn tilt to his chin.

"Ha!" Harry barked a laugh as he looked his son. "Harry, I have looked after and taught you since you were a baby and you don't think I haven't been teaching you how to defeat him?"

Ry snatched his hand back as he looked at his father with wide eyes.

"You are more advanced in magic than anyone at this school, Ry." Harry said softly. "You have more duelling ability than some Aurors but you are still young."

"But…" Ry stuttered.

"I did not want to turn you into a warrior, Ry. I wanted you to live your life as much as you could, the same way I wanted to live mine." Harry said softly and leaned forward in his chair. "Do not forget you have support. You have Albus Dumbledore and so many others to back you up. Fighting ability is just one aspect of going up against a Dark Lord. It is what you do off the battle field that can determine whether you win or lose when the fighting starts."

Ry looked at his father and Harry gave him a smile.

"What about when you were young?" Ry asked, throwing Harry. "What special training did you have?"

"Me?" Harry questioned, with a glint in his eyes. "I had no training beyond what the teachers of this school taught me and what Hermione drilled into us."

"What?" Ry questioned in shock and Harry could see the doubt in his son's eyes. "Nothing?"

Harry sat back in his chair and smirked.

"Nothing," Harry agreed. "Except my friends."

"Dumbledore?"

"No."

"Snape?"

"Tried and failed. I could have done better but there was too much bad blood between us."

Ry just looked at his father and Harry looked back mildly, letting the boy think it all through.

"Light and dark magic," Ry blurted out.

"Had no idea how to access it," Harry said softly. "Or even knew I had it."

"No," Ry said and smiled at his father. "Can you teach me how to pull on it?"

Harry rubbed a hand over his head.

"I can try," Harry replied. "But, you might be too young to work with it. It's not the same as working with wizard magic. It is potent and hard to control if you don't know what you are doing."

Harry took out his notebook and flicked it open then pulled out another notebook that had his students' timetables in it and flicked it open to Ry's timetable.

"How about Tuesday after lunch?" Harry asked and looked up at his son.

"We can't do it now?" Ry asked with a frown.

"We have to work outside the wards of Hogwarts," Harry said with amusement. "Albus yells at me enough when I use dark magic. I'm not getting blamed if you pull on dark magic."

Ry laughed and Harry gave his son a lopsided grin.

xXx

Severus frowned as he looked around his seventh-year potion's class and the missing spot where Potter should have been. He looked down at his watch then the door, the boy was late, which was unlike him.

"Granger," Severus purred and the girl jumped slightly in her chair and looked at him with large eyes.

"Yes, sir?" Granger asked as she glanced over at the open door.

"Where is Potter?" Severus hissed.

"Um," Granger stuttered. "He had a lesson with Mr Sun, sir."

Severus's lips twisted up in a sneer as a couple of Slytherins snickered. Severus pulled his phone from his pocket and called Blake's number.

"Yeah?" Blake answered.

"Where is Potter?"

"In the hospital wing," Blake answered. "Sorry, forgot to call you."

Severus felt a coldness settle in his stomach and he turned his back on the class.

"Where are you?" Severus asked quietly.

"In my room," Blake answered. "I'm sure you can torture Ry tomorrow."

"What did you do?"

Severus heard the man sigh across the phone and he frowned.

"Finish your class Severus," Blake said softly. "Wake me after."

Blake hung up the phone and Severus cursed silently as he turned back to his class and flicked his wand at the door and it slammed shut loudly startling some of the students. He flicked his wand again and instruction for the potion they were working on appeared on the board.

"Follow the instructions," Severus drawled and the class scrambled.

The students were happy to pile out of the classroom and hour and a half later and Severus was glad to see the last of them. He stalked out of his classroom and down to Blake's rooms, any students in the hallway scattering before him as he pulled Blake's door open and slammed it shut behind him.

He moved to the bedroom door and pulled it open sharply then pulled up short. Blake was sprawled out across the bed still asleep. Severus frowned, the man was normally a light sleeper, so him slamming the door, should have woken him.

He moved to the bed and looked down at the man under the covers, he was still dressed which surprised Severus as he looked down at the man. He left Blake there and headed out of the man's room and up to the hospital wing instead.

"Severus," Poppy greeted with a smile. "How are you?"

"I'm well," Severus replied with a slight smile. "Is Potter still here?"

"Oh, yes." Poppy said. "Blake brought him in, I have him in one of the private rooms. Just go on through, you can tell him he can leave now."

Severus moved through to the back rooms and he opened the first door to see Potter in one of the beds with a book in his hands. He looked up, then paled when he saw Severus. The potion master moved into the room and closed the door behind him. Pulling himself up to his full height as he pulled his robes around himself as he crossed his arms over his chest and looked down at the boy.

"Um," Ry said and gave the man a small grin. "I didn't mean to."

"Didn't mean to what, Potter?" Severus drawled.

"Ah," Ry stuttered and looked away from the man. "Well, Dad was trying to show me how to draw on light magic and it didn't work out as well as we were expecting."

Severus felt the coldness come back to his stomach at the boy's words.

"And how did it work out?" Severus hissed.

"With Dad hitting the protection charm he had placed and knocking me out," Ry said with an innocent look on his face.

Severus cursed and Ry pulled back in the bed.

"Um," Ry muttered. "People know I'm here."

Severus glared over at the boy, half in amusement and half in frustration.

"So," Severus drawled. "Will this lesson be repeated?"

Ry snorted.

"Dad didn't look happy," Ry said softly. "So, maybe."

Severus gave the boy a slight smile.

"Did you see Dad?" Ry asked.

"He was sprawled out on his bed, dead to the world." Severus replied.

"Is that why you are here?" Ry asked as he looked the other man over.

"In part," Severus said and uncrossed his arms and moved towards the boy. "I want you to meet me in my office on Saturday after dinner."

"Why?" Ry asked.

"Because I am asking you," Severus drawled.

"Um, okay." Ry stuttered. "It's not a detention is it?"

"No," Severus replied with a smirk. "Madam Pomfrey said you can leave as well."

"Great," Ry said with a grin.

Severus watched in amusement as the boy quickly scrambled from the bed and grabbed his book. The boy stood in front of him.

"You might want to see your father tomorrow morning," Severus said softly. "Preferably after he's had coffee."

"Not tonight?" Ry asked in concern. "He is okay?"

"It's your father," Severus pointed out. "Would he tell us if he weren't?"

"Ha!" Ry barked. "Probably not, night Professor."

"Good night, Potter." Severus replied.

The boy gave him a nod before dashing out of the room leaving Severus looking after him as Poppy yelled at the boy as he ran passed and Severus's smirk widened into a grin.

xXx

Harry woke to a splitting headache and groaned softly as he curled up and cupped his head to try and ease the pain. He could feel Severus's back against his and he frowned. He glanced over at the clock to see it was one in the morning as his head pounded. He crawled from the bed and onto the floor before sitting back on his heels, the bed at his back.

"What are you doing?" Severus purred as he rolled onto his other side to look at him.

"Head," Harry said softly as he held his head.

Severus cursed as he pulled himself from the bed and pulled some pants on.

"I'll get a pain potion," Severus said shortly and moved out of the room.

Harry massaged his temples as he tried to ease off the tension in his head as he silently cursed Ry, not that it was the boy's fault. Harry just hadn't been quick enough to grab the backlash of power.

"Here," Severus whispered.

Harry grabbed the potion and knocked it back as he sat back against the bed.

"I spoke with Ry," Severus said as he knelt in front of him in just his pants as he looked him over.

"How did that go?" Harry asked in amusement. "At least with him in the hospital wing, he wouldn't have to go far if you cursed him."

Severus gave him a smirk, but his dark eyes were filled with concern as he looked at him. Harry could feel the potion working as he eased back against the side of the bed, relaxing as the pain eased off.

"He said you were trying to teach him to draw on light magic?" Severus asked and took a seat next to Harry with his shoulder against his as he leaned back against the bed and placed a hand on Harry's naked thigh.

"Yeah," Harry replied. "Didn't go to plan."

"With the whole hitting the protection charm," Severus said mildly.

"Yes," Harry replied, already feeling his eyes closing as the potion worked.

"Why were you teaching him that?"

"He wanted to learn. I don't think he is old enough. His magic hasn't settled enough yet."

Severus ran his hand up and down his thigh and Harry opened his eyes slightly to look at the man, but Harry could tell the man was thinking with a faraway look in his eyes.

"You would have better luck," Harry said softly.

Severus started and looked over at him.

"You must be tripping on that potion," Severus sneered. "I don't have light magic."

Harry gave him a grin and patted his leg before pulling himself up and crawling under the covers on the bed before he could fell asleep on the floor.

"Coming up here?" Harry asked and Severus gave him a grin before joining him.

Harry settled in as Severus curled along his back and tangled his legs with his as he wrapped an arm around his middle and he was asleep quickly.

xXx

Ry made his way down to Snape's office unsure about what the man wanted as he knocked on his door nervously. He'd made sure he had seen his father and apologised for what happened but his father had just laughed it off and said they would try again when he was older.

"Come in."

Ry opened the door to find both Snape and Dracka waiting for him.

"Come here, Potter." Snape said and waved him to the chair in front of his desk next to the vampire.

Ry shut the door and felt a silencing charm go up behind him, which just increased his nervousness. He took the seat in front of his Professors.

"Okay Mr Potter." Snape said softly. "Dracka is here to look at this horcrux of yours. We have picked tonight since your father is at the German Ministry."

"You want to keep this a secret from Dad?" Ry asked unsure.

"Yes," Dracka said with a dark smile. "Now young Potter look at me."

Ry looked over at the vampire and flinched back at the man's red eyes but he didn't look away.

"I can see the dark magic," Dracka said. "But it's just tied up in the scar. There's no dark magic at his core."

Both Severus and Ry frowned and a look passed between them.

"Are you sure?" Severus asked sitting forward in his seat.

"Yes," Dracka said frowning looking between them. "Only pure light magic at his core."

"How can that be possible, Snape?" Ry asked of his Professor. "Dad…"

Dracka looked between the two of them with a frown.

"Am I missing something?" Dracka asked slowly.

"Um," Ry said then looked away blushing.

"Severus?" Dracka asked the other man.

Severus sighed and ran a hand through his hair, reminding Ry of his father.

"Blake Sun and Harry Potter are the same person," Severus said slowly.

Dracka laughed but then realised that the other two weren't laughing as well.

"That's impossible!" Dracka said, looking between them. "Blake has as much dark magic at his core as light! Mr Potter is different! Their scents are different. How can they be the same person?"

"That's what we don't understand," Severus said softly. "Blake Sun is Harry Potter from the future."

"Could the deathly hallows change a person's core?" Ry asked softly.

"Not that much," Dracka said slowly. "It would take hundreds of years…Holy fuck."

Severus smirked. "Welcome to the club."

"Blake is…" Dracka trailed off.

"Me." Ry finished.

"But you look different…"

"Blake changed time," Severus explained. "He said that the minute that he stepped into this time that his presence alone changed the timeline."

"The theory is there." Dracka agreed, his eyes wide. "But the dark magic he holds, it is his magic and not just the hallows. It is entwined as much at his core as his light power. You have just light power, Mr Potter. The deathly hallows still couldn't have changed him that much."

"We are that different?" Ry asked softly.

"Yes!" Dracka said. "Your scents are similar but different, I thought it was just the Potter blood. Family members have similar scents…It must have been more than just the hallows that changed him. Your core Mr Potter, looks completely different to Blake's core."

Severus sighed.

"We can only guess what has changed him," Severus replied. "I doubt Blake would tell us."

"Or he would," Ry said with a smirk. "And we could be there for a month."

Severus's lips twitched and Ry gave the man a smirk before the room fell into silence as Dracka just looked between the two.

"Dad said he had to die to break the horcrux," Ry said softly after a couple of minutes of silence.

Dracka nodded his head.

"Then the hallows brought him back," Severus said softly.

Dracka sat back in his seat thinking. "The dying thing would work to break the horcrux. That's why items and not living things are used to contain a horcrux."

"I don't want to die!" Ry yelped, jumping to his feet.

"You are not going to die, Ry." Snape said softly and glared over at Dracka.

"But he said!"

"If Blake was able to break the horcrux," Dracka said softly. "You can too Mr Potter."

"Without killing him?" Severus questioned, his eyes intense.

"We would have to train your mind," Dracka said looking at the pale student. "You would have to work on isolating the dark part that is the horcrux."

"And that would save me?" Ry asked, taking a seat again.

"The killing curse would still have to hit you," Dracka said. "And the Dark Lord would have to cast it."

"A link once formed, can be broken." Severus said softly, quoting Blake.

"Yes," Dracka agreed.

"But how do I come back?" Ry asked.

Severus and Dracka shared a look.

"They are the same person…" Severus trailed off.

"But the dark magic?" Dracka said frowning. "You know he pulls on that magic first and doesn't touch his light power, it could block him."

"Is there a way to take that away from him?" Severus asked.

Dracka smiled widely his fangs showing. "I can think of a way."

Severus paled.

"I don't understand?" Ry said breaking the silence.

The two men turned to the boy and he pulled back in his seat at the look in the men's eyes.

"First you need to work on isolating that dark curse, young Potter." Dracka said with a smirk. "Let us work on the other part of the puzzle."

Severus got up and moved around the table and knelt in front of Ry, making the boy even more nervous.

"Work on this and we will work on pulling you back." Snape said softly and laid his hand on the boy's shoulder. "Okay?"

Ry nodded his head unable to speak as Snape smiled at him and patted his shoulder.

"Okay, we'll start tonight." Severus said standing. "You can't tell your father about this, understand?"

Ry nodded and Snape smiled again making Ry shiver.

xXx

Harry could almost weep when he saw the castle as he appeared before the gates of Hogwarts. After spending two days in meetings with the German Ministry about werewolf rights he was beyond happy to get home. At least he'd had Remus with him, but that also meant he'd had to work as translator for most of the meeting.

Harry limped down the hallways, the castle dark and quiet around him, making it feel spooky without students running around. He quickened his steps and made it to his door quickly. He opened the door quietly to see Severus sitting on his lounge with a book in his hands but with a faraway look in his eyes as he stared off into space.

"Hey," Harry said softly, startling the man. "Off with the fairies there?"

"Off with the…muggle expression?" Severus asked as Harry moved through to the kitchen and flicked the kettle on, for tea before he headed to bed.

"Yeah," Harry said, around the door. "Deep thoughts."

"Yes," Severus agreed. "I was thinking through a problem."

"Anything I can help you with?" Harry asked as he limped back into the room with two mugs of tea.

"Ah," Severus said. "No, it's nothing. I'll work it out."

"I'm sure you will," Harry said with a smirk. "You're a smart cookie."

"Oh, shut it you." Severus snapped back.

Harry just grinned.

"How did the meetings go?" Severus asked, placing his book to the side.

"Not bad," Harry replied. "Remus makes very good arguments, he should have been a lawyer. Glad to be home again."

Severus looked him over with dark eyes and Harry frowned.

"What?" Harry asked.

Severus got up and moved over to the seated man and reached out a hand.

"What?" Harry repeated.

Severus smiled down and just held out his hand. Harry put his tea to the side and took the man's hand. Severus pulled him to his feet and wrapped his arms around him. Harry's frown deepened as he held the man. Severus buried his face in his neck his arms tight around him.

"Severus?" Harry asked softly. "What's wrong?"

"Sh," The man whispered in his ear and kissed his neck.

Harry pushed Severus back and looked up at him, his eyes locking with the other man's. He could feel the man's shields in place around his mind as much as he knew Severus could feel his own. Severus grabbed Harry's hands and stepped them back towards the bedroom. Harry moved back with him unsure but trusting his lover.

Once they were in the bedroom Severus lent down and kissed him gently, running his hand under Harry's shirt and pulling him closer. Harry kissed his neck, resting his hands on Severus's slim waist.

Severus backed them up towards the bed, slipping Harry's shirt off as he shrugged out of his robes. Harry let him, feeling a little put out but following the man's lead. He could feel Severus's need this, for whatever that reason was. He reached forward and grabbed Severus's belt pulling the man forward as he fell back on the bed.

Severus braced his hands on either side of Harry's body as he grinned down at the smaller man.

xXx

Missing scene due to rating.

xXx

Severus and Harry panted together as Harry unhooked his legs and let them rest against Severus's sides. Harry flicked his wrist cleaning them up as Severus rolled to the side and curled up next to him with his head resting on Harry's chest. Harry ran a hand up and down the man's back loving the feeling of the man's soft skin under his hand.

"Tell me what happened when you destroyed the horcrux in you?" Severus questioned softly.

Harry frowned and wished he could look into Severus's face, this was not the question he was expecting.

"Um," Harry started, gathering his thoughts. "The Dark Lord cast the killing curse and I went to the place in between."

"Place in between?" Severus asked looking up at him, his dark eyes intense.

"Best label I can give it," Harry said, his eyes faraway as he thought back. "It's a place in between somewhere and somewhere else. The Headmaster was there. He'd died at the tower…we spoke. I don't remember what we spoke of…"

Harry trailed off as he cast his mind back to a time so long ago, his hand running up and down Severus's back without thought.

"How did you come back?" Severus said softly.

"Um," Harry said trying to think. "The part of the Dark Lord's soul was there, the Headmaster said leave it. Then I was back in my body. Hagrid was carrying me towards the Dark Lord. They thought I was dead, I wasn't sure myself."

A shiver went through Severus's body at his words.

"Do you think the information will help Ry?" Harry asked softly. "Do you have something in mind?"

"I may," Severus said softly.

"I held the hallows," Harry said. "I didn't know it then and it was many years later until I noticed."

"You didn't notice at the time?" Severus asked in surprise.

"I was a bit thick when I was young," Harry said with a grin.

"You said you had children?" Severus questioned, throwing Harry again.

"Yes," Harry agreed thinking back on his children. "Two boys and one girl. Named one after Albus and yourself. Albus Severus Potter."

"Me?" Severus asked in surprise.

"Yeah," Harry said, leaning further back in the bed as the memories rolled over him. "You went back to spying for Dumbledore and sacrificed everything. The true extent of what you did didn't come out until long after you were dead."

Severus sat up and turned Harry's head towards him before kissing him.

"I'm not going anywhere," Severus whispered.

Harry grinned up at him.

"You are a different man, Severus." Harry said softly. "The Snape I knew was cruel and bitter. He would lash out without thought of the people around him. In going back to the Dark Lord, he became darker and he could see no way out. I'm sure he wouldn't have lived long after the war even if he'd survived the final battle. He was prepared to die to see the Dark Lord fall."

"Did he see that?" Severus asked. He felt like he was talking about someone else and he supposed, he was.

"No," Harry whispered. "No, he didn't."

They fell into silence for a few minutes.

"I came across his body," Harry whispered into the silence. "I was seventeen and had lost count of the dead I had walked past before I even got to the greenhouses. Some memories just stick with you, that one did."

Severus shivered and paled at the words.

"Were you there when the Headmaster died?" Severus questioned.

"Yes," Harry said softly. "He was dead before the body hit the ground."

Severus froze, feeling cold. This man had seen so much at such a young age. Then it dawned on Severus what the man had done to save Potter from the same fate. Harry smiled sadly up at Severus.

"From the moment my parents were murdered my life was dark," Harry said softly. "It was no wonder that the hallows found me."

Severus ran a hand down Harry's side pulling him back to the now.

"You're a good man," Severus whispered.

Harry gave him a smile, but it didn't reach his eyes as Severus took him in a soft kiss before curling up against him. Harry turned onto his side and Severus tangled his legs with the other man's and flung an arm over his middle. Harry sighed and moved back until there was no space between them. Severus pulled him tighter and kissed his neck.

Harry lay awake well after Severus had fallen asleep as memories came back to him of a time that felt like a dream.

xXx

Harry frowned and added another note to the notebook in front of him as he read through the words on the page. He tapped his pen on the page a couple of times before flipping back in the book as his door opened and closed behind him. He flicked back through a few of pages as he could feel Dracka's presence close by.

"Harry Potter," Dracka hissed in his ear making him jump.

"For fuck sake!" Harry yelped as he turned on the man.

Dracka stood back and leered at him and Harry felt tempted to wipe that look off the man's face as he glared at the vampire.

"What is wrong with you?!" Harry snapped instead as he picked up his book from the ground.

"You are Harry Potter," Dracka stated with a smirk.

Harry's hand froze as he looked over at the man as he smirked at him.

"Are you confusing me with my son again?" Harry replied. "We are different people you know. The age gap and the cane give it away. I don't think he ever recovered from that time you jumped out at him, thinking it was me, when he snuck out after hours."

Dracka leered and stepped forward until he was touching his leg against Harry's and Harry had to tilt his head back to look up at him as he leaned back in his seat.

"Ha!" Dracka barked. "I am not confusing you two this time."

"Then what is this about?" Harry snapped.

Dracka leaned forward to rest his hands on the table behind the man his face inches away from his.

"You are Harry Potter," Dracka whispered.

Harry looked into Dracka's dark eyes and his lips twisted up.

"Among other names, yes." Harry replied and gave him a wink. "Who spilled first?"

Dracka just grinned in answer showing fangs and not moving. Harry just looked back calmly.

"Which is something that can't go passed us," Harry said softly.

Dracka leaned to the side slightly, exposing his neck briefly, before pulling back and looking down at the seated man.

"One more puzzle piece in the life of Blake Sun?" Dracka questioned with a laugh.

Harry snorted.

"I can still kick your ass, vampire." Harry said with a grin. "No matter what my name may be."

"Ha!" Dracka barked and stepped back. "I'll like to see that."

Harry gave him a slow smile and leaned back on the table behind him with a glint in his eyes that had Dracka slightly on edge.

"One day, vampire." Harry muttered. "One day."

xXx

"Focus, Potter." Severus muttered as the boy closed his eyes. "Think on the link you have with the Dark Lord and the dark power and think of a gold cage around it."

Dracka watched the two as they worked. He was here to see the dark magic to make sure that what the boy was doing was right. So far, they were progressing quickly but they'd had to make sure that Blake didn't find out, so they'd had to wait for him to leave the castle before they could work.

Severus felt guilty as anything but knew that both Blake and Potter's lives depended on this. His lover had already shown he was willing to throw himself in front of the killing curse for his son and they couldn't afford that in the final battle. For the horcrux to be broken the killing curse had to hit Ry and they knew that Blake wouldn't be able to hold himself back and they couldn't afford for Blake to be taken out of the fighting.

"Okay, Ry." Severus said softly. "That will do for tonight. You are doing very well."

Potter grinned up at him with bright green eyes and at that moment he reminded Severus of Blake, which made him shiver.

"Off you go," Severus said and waved his hand. "Keep practising."

"Okay, thanks Professors." Potter said as he grabbed his bag and left the room.

"He's ready," Dracka said once the boy was gone.

"Yes," Severus agreed. "He should be able to push the horcrux in front of the killing curse as long as he has warning to prepare himself. We'll keep training with him, to get it perfect. We can't afford for this not to work."

"Where did Blake go this time anyway?" Dracka asked, sitting back in his seat.

"The States," Severus replied. "He is still trying to find out why Simpson was exiled."

"It's hard to get information out of the states," Dracka agreed. "They closed their borders after they got independence and even now, it's hard to get anything out of them. When is he due back?"

"Saturday," Severus replied. "Potter will be back tomorrow night for another lesson."

"Good," Dracka agreed. "One of my spies has reported that Simpson has resurfaced in Germany."

"Have you called Blake?" Severus asked.

"No, I want to talk to him in person and see what move he wants to make."

"How old are you Dracka?"

"What?" Dracka questioned, looking taken a back.

"I know you are an elder vampire," Severus said slowly. "But you look to Blake for battle tactics and direction."

Dracka grinned.

"Just over a hundred," The vampire answered. "I'm young to be running a Coven and the reason I defer to Blake, is the fact he is a Master."

"Master?" Severus asked, sitting back in his seat.

"He is what you wizards would call a Dark Wizard," Dracka stated to say

Severus opened his mouth to refuse that when Dracka held his hand up.

"No, hear me out." Dracka said. "He holds very powerful dark magic, almost to the level of a Dark Lord and has the age and experience behind it. He knows how to use that dark power more than anyone I've seen however he is also what you would call a Light Wizard."

"How is it that he can be both?" Severus asked, it was a question that had been bothering him for a while.

"That is the question, Severus." Dracka said. "That's why he leans more one way than the other."

"The dark power?"

"Yes," Dracka agreed. "He has had the years to understand the magic he holds so that he isn't consumed by it. It is rare to find someone with both dark and light magic. I have never seen someone with the levels that Blake has and it isn't until he starts throwing that magic around, that you understand how much he has at his disposal. Not to mention the skills, he has worked with that magic for hundreds of years, Severus."

Severus nodded, they were only just now realising how much knowledge Blake held. The skill he showed, was unlike any he had seen before. For a man that didn't feel like a wizard, most of the time, and just how easily he was dismissed by other wizards. He also remembered the light magic that Blake had used at the Ministry of Magic, magic that both the Headmaster and himself had been surprised by.

"He is also battle worn," Dracka continued. "At some point in his life he has controlled armies and drawn up battle plans. He has the skills of a Commander and I've seen the way he runs those plans through his mind, looking at them from every direction. Only someone with experience can do that, lots of experience. Those are skills, you can't just read about, they are learned on the battle field."

Severus's eyes widened as the words sunk in.

"I'm guessing you haven't had sex yet?" Dracka asked with a smirk, changing the subject and throwing the other man with the question.

Severus sat up straight in his seat.

"What!" He squeaked.

Dracka smirk widened.

"How?" Severus whispered.

"You haven't asked him?" Dracka sneered and sat forward in his seat, his eyes glinting in amusement.

"I thought it might have something to do with the torture he suffered," Severus said softly.

"It may," Dracka agreed. "But it probably has more to do with the power he holds."

"I don't understand," Severus admitted and hated that he had to say those words.

"You have had sex with another person with a magical core?" Dracka drawled with a smirk.

"Of course," Severus drawled back with a sneer and a glare.

"How did your magic behave?" Dracka asked

Severus flopped back in his seat, it had never crossed his mind and by the look on Dracka's face he was enjoying this, way too much. For two people with magical cores to be that intimate their magic would also mingle briefly. For most witches and wizards, it wasn't too much of a problem, however for Blake…

"He's been protecting me?" Severus whispered.

Dracka laughed but it wasn't in a mocking way.

"Give him time and it won't be a problem," Dracka said softly before standing. "I'll see you tomorrow night for Potter's lesson?"

"Yes," Severus said distracted. "Good night."

"Good night, Severus."


	27. Chapter 27

Harry flopped down on his bed in his own room back home at Hogwarts, he had headed straight to the shower when he had gotten back and was glad that classes were on so he didn't have to deal with the noise. It had taken three days to get the information that he needed. They had not wanted to give it to him and in the end, he had agreed in sending Simpson's body back to the states if he ended up killing him and after looking at the file he had received. He could understand why they wanted proof of his death.

He wiggled under the covers of the bed and was quickly asleep. It was the feeling of someone running their hands over his head that woke him some time later. Harry blinked his eyes open to see Severus sitting next to him on the bed.

"I'm glad it's you and not the vampire," Harry said tiredly. "I would have cursed him so badly he wouldn't have been able to sit for a week."

Severus's rumbling laugh rolled over Harry making him take notice.

"Are you coming to bed?" Harry asked, with a sly smile.

"I still have two classes," Severus replied with a smirk.

"And your point is?" Harry said with a wink.

Severus's eyes darkened as he looked down at him and Harry rolled onto his back with a grin. Severus slipped out of his robes surprising Harry as the other man quickly pulled his black shirt off and slipped out of his slacks.

Harry's eyes darkened as they roamed over the other man's body as he slipped out of the bed and stood in front of the taller man, his head titled up to look the man in the eyes. Severus smiled down at him softly before pulling him forward for a kiss.

xXx

Missing scene. Link to the full story on my profile page.

xXx

"So," Harry said softly. "You have a class?"

Severus chuckled softly sending a shiver down Harry's spine as Harry cast the spell to clean them up.

"I just finished with seventh year Gryffindor and Slytherin class when I noticed your bag in the living room." Severus said stretching out on the bed as Harry curled into his side.

"I can understand why you needed a stress reliever then," Harry laughed.

"I wasn't expecting you back until tomorrow?" Severus asked.

"I finally got the information I needed. So, didn't feel like sticking around," Harry said, running his hand up and down Severus's side.

"They told you to leave, didn't they?" Severus asked with a smirk.

"Ah," Harry said, then grinned. "Maybe."

Severus laughed and pulled himself to his feet, Harry's eyes watching him as he dressed.

"Dracka needs to talk to you when you feel up to it," Severus said as he straightened his robes.

"I'm a little concerned with the amount of talking you two seem to be doing," Harry commented lightly.

"Nothing for you to worry about," Severus purred.

Harry sat up and locked his eyes with Severus, fully alert.

"You two are up to something," Harry demanded.

Severus just smiled at him.

"Right," Harry said running a hand over his head. "I suppose, I just have to trust you?"

Severus leaned down and gave him a soft kiss in answer.

"Yes," Severus purred in his ear.

Harry shivered and looked up into Severus's dark eyes for a few second before nodding his head slightly.

"I trust you," Harry whispered.

Severus cupped his face and gave him a soft smile, his black eyes intense.

"Thank you," Severus whispered back before he turned and left.

If Severus felt he had to keep it from him, then there had to be a very good reason. Harry pulled himself to his feet and dressed, he would rather go back to bed but he had work to do.

xXx

After dinner in his rooms that night Harry made his way up to Dracka's office on the second floor. He knocked loudly on the man's door and entered when he called out. He walked into the office to see Dracka behind the desk marking papers and took a minute to take a mental image of the man.

"Blake," Dracka greeted. "I wasn't expecting you until tomorrow."

"Severus didn't tell you?" Harry asked as he took a seat across the table from the man.

"No, the bastard." Dracka cursed.

"I'm surprised," Harry said with a smirk. "The two of you seem to be talking a lot lately."

Dracka stilled at the words and Harry gave him a wink.

"I've already spoken to Severus about it," Harry said with a smirk. "If he believes it's something I shouldn't know, I trust him. Don't think for a second that I like it, but I trust Severus."

"But not me?" Dracka asked softly.

Harry just grinned in answer.

"What did you want?" Harry asked.

"Simpson has resurfaced," Dracka said and pulled a file from his top drawer and passed it over to Harry.

Harry took it in hand and looked it over, it looked like Simpson had bunkered down in a compound in Germany. The defences looked complete and wards were strong from this report as his mind started to run through plans.

"I finally got the information we need out of the Americans about why the man was exiled," Harry said. "You are not going to like it. We should invite the Headmaster down for a chat in my rooms."

"That bad?" Dracka asked.

"Worse."

xXx

The Headmaster rounded out the group of four in Harry's rooms as Severus placed a pot of coffee and tea on the table before taking a seat between Harry and Dracka.

"Okay," Harry started pulling a file out of his bag. "Graham Simpson was exiled from the States for murdering a small town."

"A small town?" Dracka asked in shock.

Harry nodded. "One hundred and five souls."

"Oh, god." The Headmaster gasped. "For what gain?"

"To become a Dark Lord," Harry replied opening the file on the table. "He had a school friend bring up a protection circle around the town and made his way through the streets murdering every man, woman and child. I have pictures but I wouldn't advise looking at them.

"From this report, the dark ritual didn't work. He reached too far without the skill or talent to hold it and it folded in on itself." Harry summed up. "The back lash knocked him out and the American wizards moved in."

"Why didn't they execute him then?" Dracka asked.

"Fear," Harry replied. "They weren't sure if the ritual had worked and if they would get a back lash from killing a Dark Lord. From this report they believed that he was partially successful, with enough dark power to be a concern but not enough to be a full Dark Lord. They didn't want to take the risk, so exile was the next best thing."

"You don't believe he is a Dark Lord?" Severus questioned.

"I would have felt it, if he was a Dark Lord," Harry said with certainty. "He could still be a Dark Wizard. I never got close to him during the battle but the question does still stand, that he may not have been there, which really just brings up more questions than answers."

"What is our move then?" Dracka asked quietly.

"He needs to be taken out," Harry said firmly. "Before the Dark Lord makes his move."

"Which will be?" The Headmaster asked quietly.

"Possibly within the next six months," Harry said firmly "We need to act quickly to take Simpson out."

"Severus and I could-" Dracka went to say.

"No," Harry snapped.

"Blake," The Headmaster said softly. "I could get the Order to look into this compound."

"They don't know the language," Harry pointed out. "Dracka, your men would have better luck to move on this compound without being seen. It's a full moon in four days' time, so a couple of my werewolf contacts would be able to give us an idea of numbers within the compound and we can make a better guess on his support and how to go about this."

"Wards?" Severus asked softly.

Harry's eyes locked with Severus.

"I will need to be there to make a gap in the wards," Harry said softly

"A curse breaker-" Severus started to say.

"Would not be able to bend the wards like I can," Harry cut in. "Just remember this is just a scouting mission. If we are lucky we can get in and out and they won't know we were even there."

"In that case," Dracka announced. "Severus and I will be more than happy to help you."

Dracka gave him a wink while Severus nodded his head. Harry sighed rubbing a hand over his head, he knew when he was beat and when he could use the help. He would just have to push his own feelings to the side for this.

"Then I welcome your help." Harry said reluctantly. "Dracka get into connect with you men and scope out this compound, be very careful. If Simpson has already moved to the level of a Dark Lord he may be able to pick up on any vampire. I'll get in contact with the werewolves in Germany to meet in two days. Albus I will make up a warning stone for you, in case something happens here and we need to move back quickly."

"My men," Dracka started. "Have already reported the size of the compound in that report, they haven't had any trouble moving around."

"Okay, we'll take that as a good sign then." Harry said. "I'll read through this. Keep your men in the area and watch for movements. Can they confirm that Simpson is there?"

"Yes," Dracka replied. "There are also anti apparation and portkey wards. Only way in and out that they can tell is from a staging point to the east of the compound."

Harry looked closely at the map, running his hand over the lay out of the compound from both the air and ground.

"You have an animagus?" Harry asked.

"Yes, lovely woman that can change into a hawk." Dracka agreed. "She has been watching from the air."

"Are there wards against animagus?"

"Not that we have found."

"Would Black be able to spare some time?" Harry asked the Headmaster.

"I will ask him, my boy." The Headmaster said with a smile.

"You know Lupin will follow Black," Severus pointed out.

Harry grinned.

"I can work with one more werewolf," Harry said darkly.

"If that is all Blake," Dracka said getting to his feet. "I'll contact my men."

"Yes, thank you Dracka." Harry said with a smile.

The vampire clapped a hand on the man's shoulder as he walked out.

"I'll contact Sirius and Remus now, good night boys." Albus said with a twinkle in his eyes.

"Thanks, Albus."

"Good night, Albus."

Harry tapped his pen on the table looking over Dracka's report as Severus made another mug of coffee. The man was camped out in an old warehouse district outside of Berlin. It looked like it had once made cars but had shut down when the manufacturer had folded over twenty years ago. There was only one road in and one road out and the wards started two meters back from the first building. The one up side that Harry could see was it was set back from the main roads and had a scattering of trees around the buildings.

"Dracka's animagus has done a great job of these and isn't too bad at drawing," Harry said as he scattered the maps across the table and looked down at them.

Severus stood and moved beside Harry to get a better look at the maps. The animagus had supplied maps from both the air and ground and had neatly labelled each building, with written notes on the sides of the paper with number of people but couldn't tell if they were wizards or had creature blood. It gave them a really rough idea of what they might face and Harry didn't like the numbers if they were found out.

"Dracka's vampires and the werewolves," Harry said quietly. "Should be able to sniff out anyone with creature blood in the compound. I'll have to move outside the Hogwarts wards to work on some Concealment Pendants so that they can move through the compound without being noticed."

"Concealment Pendants?" Severus questioned.

"Oh," Harry twisted around and looked up at Severus. "I forgot. They haven't been invented yet. Oops."

Severus barked a laugh.

"It's a little hard to keep track of what has and hasn't been invented," Harry said, distractingly. "It's a bit annoying when I go looking for something, then remember that it doesn't exist yet. I'm just really glad that mobile phones exist now, even if they aren't smart yet and require a shrinking charm and a connection charm to work correctly."

Harry gave Severus a wink but the man just looked confused, Harry patted him on the leg.

"Don't worry, dear." Harry said with a smirk. "You'll understand one day."

"Watch it, Sun." Severus snapped.

Harry gave a laugh.

"I'll just call my werewolf contacts in Germany," Harry said pulling his phone. "This might take a little while."

Severus gave him a quick kiss before moving over to the lounge and pulling out a potion's text as the other man's voice rolled over him as he spoke German flawlessly into the phone.

xXx

Severus made his way towards the front gates of the school the next morning. He had woken early to find Blake already gone, which was surprising. The man normally liked to sleep in until Severus got up before rising as well. He grew concerned when he focused on the man's ring and it led him towards the gates of the school.

He found Blake in a clearing outside the wards of the school sitting on the ground in just a shirt and pants and no shoes. He had his legs crossed with his cane beside him and his dark wand held carelessly in his hand with his eyes closed. Severus moved closer and noticed the circle on the ground around Blake and a few pieces of metal scattered before him. He leaned against a tree and watched the man work.

It was in moments like these that he wished he could see magic the way Blake and others could, he could feel the man's magic but not what he was doing. It was interesting to watch since most of the time Blake didn't even feel like a wizard and it wasn't until he started using his magic that it became apparent the amount of power he held.

Blake was muttering something under his breath as he worked but Severus was too far away to hear the words but he was sure he wouldn't have understood them anyway. The man flicked the wand in his hand and frowned and Severus watched as the pieces of metal before him started glowing softly before disappearing completely.

Blake opened his eyes and leaned back stretching his back, making Severus's mouth water slightly at the sight. His eyes darkening as Blake pulled a leather bag from his pocket and started picking up something that Severus couldn't see off the ground and placing them into the bag before pulling his shoes back on.

"Need a hand?" Severus purred, when the man leaned back on his hands on the ground.

Blake's head whipped around in surprise before he grinned up at him.

"I think," Blake said softly. "I am getting used to your presence, Severus."

Severus stepped forward unsure about what the man meant as Blake broke the protection circle around him and used his cane to get to his feet. Severus noticed the way the man felt like a muggle again as the feeling of his magic seem to disappear.

"Why don't you feel like a wizard?" Severus asked as he stepped close to the man.

"What?" Blake asked, eyes wide.

"I know I'm not good at sensing out magic," Severus admitted. "But I can tell when someone has magic in a crowd. You mostly feel like a muggle."

"Do I?" Blake asked in surprise. "I didn't know that."

"He is talking about the way you hold your magic, Blake."

Severus and Blake turned to Dracka as the vampire made his way towards them, keeping to the shadows and wearing a thick, black, long coat that covered most of his body.

"I didn't realise I was so easy to find," Blake muttered.

"With the magic you were throwing around," Dracka laughed and leaned back on one of the trees in the shadows.

"The Headmaster even mentioned that he couldn't feel much of your magic the first time you came to the school," Severus mentioned.

"Really?" Blake said looking confused, he turned to the vampire with an eyebrow raised in question.

Dracka laughed. "I can feel the dark magic, if I'm looking for it or your concentration wavers."

"Um," Blake muttered looking between the two men. "How about now?"

Suddenly Blake felt like a normal wizard and it made Severus gap.

"How do you do that?" He demanded as Dracka laughed.

"Um," Blake said, rubbing a hand over his head. "I just loosened my hold a little. I guess I'm just used to holding onto the dark magic of the hallows that I didn't realise I was holding all of my magic that way."

Dracka barked a laugh as Severus just shook his head.

"What were you doing out here anyway?" Dracka asked.

"Concealment pendants," Blake replied, holding up the leather pouch. "These will help us move through the compound. They have limitations but as long as you stick to the shadows we should be able to gather the information we need without being detected. No, Dracka you can't have them."

Dracka frowned.

"The magic won't stick," Blake explained. "They will only last a day after I activate them."

"Even with the amount of magic you put into them?" Dracka asked.

"Yes," Blake laughed. "Even then. Come on, let's head up to the castle, I'm starved."

Blake took Severus's hand in his and they made their way up to the castle leaving Dracka behind to find his own way up.

xXx

Severus didn't see much of Blake throughout the day as he moved from class to class and when he did the man was on his phone or talking to Dracka. He wouldn't admit it out loud but the stab of jealousy that would run through him at the sight of his lover and the vampire surprised him. He chalked up to the way the two men moved together as if they were more than just friends as he took his seat at the Head Table that night. It normally didn't bother him but every now and again it would.

"Here," Dracka said, giving Severus a small piece of metal on a leather cord. "Blake said to put this on and keep it under your shirt. I've given the Headmaster the two for the werewolf and the animagus. They should be here by tomorrow morning. We move out at ten."

"Is Blake still here?" Severus asked frowning, the man always made sure to tell him when he had to leave but he had been busy.

"He's up in the tower," Dracka whispered. "Doing god only knows what."

"Really?" Severus asked, surprised that the man would go all the way up there with that many stairs.

Severus focused on the ring and could feel that he was up in the tower of the school, in fact the highest point that you could get to. He felt a slight brush of Blake's magic in return and smiled.

"Told you," Dracka said with a smirk. "I have my men in place and Blake's werewolves will be moving into place to wait for us to arrive. That gives us two days to plan."

"Doesn't sound like a lot of time," Severus muttered.

"Yes," Dracka replied, taking a sip of his coffee. "I don't like it, but I have looked over Blake's plans and they are sound. We can't wait another month for the full moon to come back around. Simpson could move or go to ground again. This is our best chance to get an idea of his support."

The two men turned back to their dinner and if Severus kept checking in on Blake as the man worked it was just to make sure that he was safe and no other reason. By the way the other man's magic responded he didn't seem to mind.

xXx

Severus woke to the feeling of someone sitting on the bed and turned to see Blake's naked back in the soft light of the room.

"Hey," Severus said sleepily as he rolled towards him.

"Sorry, I woke you." Blake said with a small smile. "You sleep way too lightly."

"You're not much better," Severus pointed out.

Blake gave him a grin, before joining him under the covers. Severus pulled him tight and gave him a kiss.

"What were you doing up in the tower?" Severus asked as he pulled the man tight against him, his cock taking an interest.

"Um," Blake said softly placing a kiss on Severus's neck. "Checking the wards of the school. I wanted to check how high above the castle the wards stretched."

"Is that so?" Severus asked running his hand down the man's side to his hip and grabbed his ass in his hand.

"Yeah," Blake muttered, kissing along Severus's neck. "When Robbie used that rocket launcher on the giant I wanted to make sure that the wards would force back that kind of attack. Oh god."

Blake smirked up at him his green eyes wide as they looked at Severus intensely.

"Top or bottom?" Blake asked softly.

xXx

Missing sex scene.

xXx

His magic running down Severus's spine making him groan loudly and rolling the man until he was above him and attacking his neck.

He pulled back and looked down at the man below him as he looked up with slightly glowing green eyes seeing the magic swirling around him in equal parts dark and light. The man was beautiful even with the faded scars running down his arms, his skin seemed to glow from the magic.

"Is this what you see?" Severus gasped.

"Look at yourself?" Blake whispered, instead of answering.

Severus looked down and for the first time in his life he was able to look into his core. Yes, he knew how to pull magic for spell work and how much but had never been able to 'see' the magic. He could see the swirling rainbows of his magic and the dark strands twisting around it. He looked at his hands and dark magic swirled to his fingertips.

"Dark magic?" Severus gasped.

Blake reached up and grabbed his hands, the magic around his own hands mixing with Severus's magic, more dark than light.

"From being a death eater?" Severus asked.

"No," Blake said softly, looking up at him. "That is your magic, Severus."

Severus just looked at his hands as he saddled the other man's waist. Slowly the magic started to settle around them and disappear but Severus could still feel the dark magic at his core as Blake held his hands. Now that he was aware of it, he couldn't ignore it.

"I never…" Severus whispered.

"I know," Blake said softly.

"You knew," Severus questioned as his eyes locked with Blake.

"Having dark magic doesn't make you evil, Severus." Blake said softly as he wiggled so he could sit up in front of the other man, still holding his hands. "It can attract you to other sources of dark magic."

"The Dark Lord," Severus whispered.

"And me," Blake said and Severus's eyes snapped to his.

Blake just smiled at him softly, his eyes guarded.

"That's why it's taken so long for us to get to this point?" Severus asked.

"In part yes," Blake admitted. "The other part was I was scared."

Severus's eyes widened, he had never heard this man admit to being afraid.

"What?" Severus gasped.

"I was afraid of the way you would react," Blake said looking away. "I believed when you saw the magic and I explained that you would believe the only reason that you are attracted to me is because of the dark magic."

"You're an idiot," Severus snapped, cupping the man's face and turning it so he could look into Blake's wide eyes. "I love you, you idiot."

Blake's eyes flicked between his before he smiled. "I didn't realise this was going to get so sappy…I love you too."

Severus pulled the man into a hard kiss before pinning the other man to the bed.

"My turn now," Severus purred in Blake's ear making the man shiver.


	28. Chapter 28

"Oh god," Dracka gasped. "You had sex."

Severus turned to the vampire with a raised eyebrow.

"Ah, I mean…" Dracka trailed off. "No that's what I meant. You stink of Blake's magic. He's going to have to sort that out before we get to the compound."

Severus had been waiting in the entrance hall for everyone else to arrive when Dracka had appeared.

"Which I will," Blake said limping closer, holding out another pendant on a leather cord. "Lean forward Dracka."

Dracka looked puzzled but did as ordered and Blake looped the cord over his head, the vampire shivered and looked at the pendant with wide eyes.

"Don't let it touch your skin," Blake snapped as the vampire reached for it. "It's made with pure light magic so it will burn you."

"What is it?" Severus asked.

"It will allow him to walk in the sun," Blake replied with a smirk. "It will only last a week. So, you better work on your tan quickly, Dracka."

"Ha, ha." The man said staring down at the pendant in wonder.

"Ah, I see we are all here." Albus said as he moved out of the Great Hall with Black, Remus and Ry on his heels.

Ry dashed forward and gave his father a hug. Blake grinned and ruffled the boy's hair and Severus sneered as it spiked it up in a mess.

"How come I can't come?" Ry asked, with a pout.

"Because you are a child," Severus purred.

"I'm an adult now!" Ry snapped back to Severus.

"And yet still a student of this school, Mr Potter." Albus said resting a hand on the boy's shoulder.

"Plus," Blake said with a smirk. "Just remember, you won't have potions with Snape for a whole week. Hey!"

Blake yelped when Severus smacked his arm.

"Behave, Mr Sun." Severus purred.

Blake just grinned as the others watched them in amusement.

"Now Ry," Blake said turning to his son. "You have an important job, you have to keep the school safe, okay?"

Ry pouted even more as he glared at his father.

"But dad…" Ry whined.

"Come on, Mr Potter," The Headmaster said. "I'm sure I can use your help with some charms on a new classroom."

The Headmaster turned the boy away with a hand on his shoulder, giving Blake a wink over Potter's head.

"Good luck, Dad." Ry called over his shoulder.

"I think it's Potter that needs the luck," Severus muttered into Blake's ear. "The Headmaster just got a new supply of Lemon drops."

Blake grinned before turning to Black and Remus.

"Thank you for coming on such short notice," Blake said softly. "We should be leaving now. It will take a while to get to the safe house."

xXx

It had taken them until well into the afternoon to get to the safe house in Germany and Dracka had taken off as soon as they got there to talk to members of his team. Remus and Sirius had settled into the larger room at the back of the house since it had two beds while Harry and Severus settled into the smaller room with only one very small bed.

"Will that even hold both of us?" Harry asked.

"You are a wizard, Sun." Severus sneered, looking through his bag.

"I don't like sleeping on charmed beds." Harry said, eyeing it off. "Makes me itchy."

Severus chuckled. "We'll make it work then."

Harry threw him a smile.

"I better put up some wards before we call it a night," Harry said looking around. "It will be a busy day tomorrow."

Severus turned and stalked towards him, Harry tilted his head back and returned the other man's kiss.

"Oh," Harry said as he pulled back. "I should probably remove the magic clinging to you as well."

Harry smirked seeing their combined magic coating the other man's skin marking him as his, most wizards wouldn't be able to pick up on it but anyone with creature blood would.

"What do you see?" Severus went to ask. "Ah, forget that question. I give up with trying to understand you and magic."

Harry laughed and with a hand brushed the magic off the man's skin. The magic fell away like he was brushing off dust. He could still feel Severus's own magic on his skin but he left it there, it would make it easier for him to find the man if he needed to and he could cover it up without a problem. With a last kiss he moved out of the room to set up the wards.

The next day went past in a blur as Harry worked out plans and made sure that everyone knew what they were doing and where they had to be the next night. They were planning on moving on the compound at just past midnight the next night. The guards on duty should be getting sleepy at that point and it gave the Concealment Pendants a better chance to let everyone blend into the back ground as they worked. The full moon was a upside for the werewolves but a down side for the added light.

From all the reports coming in, Simpson didn't have much support at the compound and Harry hadn't told Severus and Dracka that if he had a chance to take Simpson out that he would take it. He had worked on hit teams before and he wasn't going to let an opportunity pass him by.

He had his muscle potion ready to go the next day and was looking forward to being able to move almost like normal again, if only he could get the potion right to use it all the time instead of just for twenty-four hours but at least it was progress. With Severus's help they had gotten further than Harry had without him.

Harry had given them a day to move towards the compound and had the werewolves and vampires coming after nightfall, he didn't want them in place before and run the chance of tipping Simpson off. He should really head to bed but his mind kept running through his plans looking for any loopholes. He would have Dracka look them over when he got back just in case.

He tapped his pen against the table as he reread the reports just in case he missed something. Dracka was still out and Remus and Sirius were talking quietly in the next room. He wasn't sure where Severus was and used the ring to find the man in their room doing something. The man's magic brushed him back and he smiled. He was sure that Severus didn't even know he was doing that as he turned back to his work.

"Did you call me?" Severus asked.

Harry jolted and looked up at the man.

"Oh, sorry." Harry said softly. "Did you feel that?"

"Yes," Severus replied, sitting next to him at the table. "Felt odd."

Harry sat back in his seat and looked at the man.

"I was using the link between us to see where you were," Harry said, showing the man the ring. "You haven't felt that before?"

"Not like that," Severus whispered. "That was different…"

"That's interesting," Harry mused. "Nothing to worry about though, probably just a by-product."

"Has this happened before?"

"Um," Harry said, thinking back. "Not that I can think of, it might just be because of the connection in the ring as well."

"What about with your wife?"

Harry laughed. "Ginny wouldn't have noticed if magic wacked her over the top of her head."

Severus paled. "You married Ginny Weasley?"

"Oops," Harry smirked.

"Does that mean Potter will…"

"Ha!" Harry laughed. "I'm not sure Ry would even notice if Ginny threw herself at the boy fully naked and covered in whipped cream."

"Ah, yes." Severus smirked. "He does seem a little clueless."

"I don't think it helps that we are together," Harry said softly. "Not to mention the fact that I used to be Harry Potter."

"I can understand how that would confuse the boy," Severus said with a soft laugh.

"He'll get past it once he understands that we are not the same person," Harry mused, sitting back in his seat.

Severus looked at him with dark eyes.

"Plus, he is still a child." Dracka stated, coming into the room.

"Have you just been standing out there, listening?" Severus asked of the vampire.

Dracka flashed his fangs at the man as he collapsed in one of the seats. Harry pushed his plans before the man for him to look over as he got up to make a coffee. He limped back to the table with three mugs, as Dracka looked through the plans.

"Can you only make one gap in the wards?" Dracka asked.

He didn't like the fact everyone except the animagi had to go through one gap.

"Yes," Harry replied. "I don't like it either but it's the best I can do. Any more than that and they will know that I'm bending the wards. Now if we breach here…"

xXx

The next night found a sad group of people, vampires, wolves, a dog and a hawk waiting in the pouring rain in the woods to the north of the compound. Harry had already activated the Concealment Pendants and the magic buzzed on the surface of his skin as they waited for the right time to move.

"Okay," Harry whispered to the group. "I'll move forward to bend the wards, Severus watch my back. Once I give the signal move into the compound. This is just a scouting mission people we don't want any heroes. Follow the plan then get out."

Murmurs of agreement answered him softly.

"Black I want you to move out now and breach on the Southside. I want you to be seen okay?" Harry ordered.

The dog nodded his head, he was the only one not wearing a concealment pendent but he did have one in his pocket just in case.

"Act like a stray," Harry reminded the man. "I bet you've had plenty of practise of that."

Black barred his teeth with a slight growl. Remus, in wolf form, bumped his shoulder into the dog, unbalancing him slightly with his larger frame.

"Off you go." Harry ordered, waving his hand.

The dog lopped off into the bush. Harry watched him move off as he moved forward with Severus a step behind. He was lucky that the person that had laid the wards wasn't battle trained or he wouldn't have placed the wards so close to the tree line.

Harry moved through the trees, the potion working wonders on his leg, as he was almost able to walk with the grace he'd used to have when he was younger. He waved Severus behind a tree and gestured for him to wait as he crawled forward on the ground, he could see people moving around the compound and didn't want to be spotted before Black was.

He reached the wards and placed his hand next to the barrier, reaching out with his mind and magic. They weren't strong wards but were strong enough to keep people out and would have taken time and power to pull them down. Harry picked up the wards, shaking his head at the laziness of the wizard that had cast them. They had only made one strand of magic and tied it to Simpson and not the ground. That made it both easier and harder at the same time. To make the gap he had to link himself to Simpson through the wards to keep them 'alive' but had to be careful since they weren't linked to anything else.

Harry carefully grounded himself as he worked quickly to bend the wards around the place he was laying until he made a gap in the wards big enough for two people to stand abreast. He kept the link with Simpson, once he had made the gap, and resisted the temptation to follow it with his mind. He would have time later to do that.

He tied the gap into the ground, placing two rocks on both sides of the gap, as he waited for the guards to notice Black. He knew the minute that Black had been spotted as the few guards around started to float off leaving his side empty of people. He waved over his shoulder at Severus and he rushed back to the people waiting.

Harry moved to the side and pointed to the rocks and signalled two at a time to the group waiting. The wolves rushed through first followed by the rest as they spread out. Dracka gave him a grin as he moved off with Severus. The vampire would look after his lover.

Harry waited to make sure the night was still and quiet before focusing on the link with Simpson, while he kept a look out for trouble. He grinned when he located the man and moved off silently into the night.

xXx

Severus and Dracka moved through the compound, both men not making a sound. The years Severus had been a spy, coming back to him as they hugged a wall waiting for a wizard to walk passed. Blake's spell working wonders as the man passed without a glance in their direction. Dracka peeked around the corner and nodded and they headed off, they were tasked with finding Simpson's office.

They could hear the barking of a dog in the distance as Black drew attention to himself and Severus was sure that the man was made for this kind of assignment. Severus followed Dracka's lead as the vampire lead him further into the compound and towards the office building to the east.

They stopped and Severus quickly picked the lock on the building's door, the silver lock picks slicing through any spell work, and flashed the vampire a grin. Dracka flicked him the bird as he moved passed and down the silent hallway, following Simpson's scent to the man's office.

Severus made quick work of the lock on the man's door, again marvelling at the fact that wizards forgot the muggle way of locking when they charmed their doors. It would have taken him more time to work through the charms, as it would be to pick the lock.

They moved into the tasteful office and Dracka moved to the filing cabinet and started to copy the files. Suddenly both men looked over towards the desk as a whiff of magic came across the room.

Severus pointed to the desk.

Dracka nodded and waved him back.

Severus nodded and stood back.

The vampire moved towards the desk and carefully pulled a sliver dagger with a full leather hilt out of his holster as he opened a drawer.

Severus reeled back from the dark magic and moved back towards the door to the office. He knew that kind of magic and it had him paling in remembrance.

Dracka carefully moved things around in the drawer as the demon yelled at him to take the wizard and drain him. He knew his eyes were shinning red and made sure he didn't look towards Severus. The man's heartbeat was already calling him as he located the horcrux. He used the silver knife and his hand carefully wrapped in his cloak to pull the silver cup out of the drawer and onto the table.

He pulled a containment jar from his pocket and pushed the cup into it and screwed the top on tightly, sighing when the dark magic cut off sharply. He glanced over at Severus and the man flinched back from his red eyes. He held up the jar before placing it into his pocket and moving back to the files.

Severus watched him from the door as he finished off copying the files and placed them back where he'd taken them from before moving back to the door. Severus relocked the door before they moved out of the building.

They were halfway back to the edge of the wards when Severus stopped and pulled Dracka behind some car parts.

"What is Blake doing?" Severus hissed in the vampire's ear.

"He should still be where the gap in the wards are," Dracka hissed back.

"He is doing something," Severus whispered. "I can feel it."

"What?"

"I don't know," Severus replied. "Should we go after him?"

"Can you tell if he's in danger?"

"He isn't in danger," Severus whispered back.

"We move back then," Dracka said. "He knows what he's doing."

Severus looked torn but followed the vampire back to the gap in the wards marked out by the two rocks. They slipped back through, his gut churning, as the two moved back towards the safe house. Following orders.

xXx

Harry finished placing a containment charm around the building, to warn him of anyone coming or going as he moved closer. He silently slipped into the warehouse. A shiver running down his spine when he realised he had found Simpson's followers sleeping area. People were scattered everywhere and snoring rang out throughout the room. He pulled his magic tighter around him so that none of the people would be able to sense him through the Concealment Pendent and carefully picked his way through the men and women around him.

He made his way to an area at the back of the room where a door lay. He silently knelt down and picked the lock as he cast his mind out to the other side. He could feel Simpson further in than the door so he pushed it open carefully. A hallway greeted him on the other side and he found himself in a small office space with doors on both sides of the hall. He moved along until the link led him to one of the offices.

He placed his ear to the door and listened carefully, he couldn't hear anything so reached for the door handle and slowly turned it and slipped into the room, closing the door behind him silently. A man lay on the camp bed slightly snoring. He was a short man with a mop of brown hair. He lay with his back faced towards Harry as he carefully moved across the room, only stopping when he saw a chalk line on the floor.

The man had a protection circle around the camp bed he was sleeping on. Harry knelt down and reached out with his magic, very carefully, and brushed it across the ward. Harry cursed silently as there was no way he was bringing that down without waking the man and alerting everyone else in the warehouse behind him.

He very carefully moved his magic through the barrier like mist getting into the very small gaps and stretching them out towards the man. Dark magic was the first thing he touched on, this man was no Dark Lord but he was defiantly a very powerful Dark Wizard.

Harry pulled the magic back very carefully and stood. There was nothing he could do here. He quickly and quietly made his way out of the building and collapsed his ward around the building as he slipped back out into the night feeling cheated. He'd had the man within striking distance but could do nothing about it.

xXx

Severus tapped his wand against his leg as they waited at the safe house. Everyone was back except Blake. Dracka's men had given their reports quickly and had left leaving just Dracka, Remus, Black and Severus in the house.

"Can you feel any danger Severus?" Dracka asked for the fifth time.

"No," Severus growled.

"So, he didn't tell you what he was going to do?" Black questioned.

"No," Severus said shortly, tapping his wand.

Suddenly Blake rushed into the room, his eyes wide.

"Get your stuff, we need to move now!" Blake cried before moving quickly to the back room.

The others jumped into action.

"Dracka!" Blake called. "Tell your men to scatter. Black change forms and disappear with Remus now!"

"Blake what's going on?" Severus asked.

He quickly shrunk his trunk and Blake's and placed them in his pocket as the man quickly gathered up any files and shoved them towards Dracka. Yelling suddenly sounded outside and Blake paled as anti-apparation wards flared to life.

"Fuck," Blake swore. "This is going to hurt. Dracka do you have everything?"

"Yes," Dracka replied, his eyes red.

"Okay," Blake looked around and quickly cast a fire spell.

Severus stepped back as fire started eating through the bed they had shared last night before quickly setting alight to everything else. They could hear more yelling outside.

"Okay, okay." Blake grabbed Severus's arm in a steel grip and Dracka's in the other hand. "Get ready to catch me."

"What-"

Then there was a ripping sensation, fire, yelling and white noise drowning everything else out. Pain spiked through him but he wasn't sure if it was his pain or someone else's, then Blake's body crashed into him and he wrapped his arms around the smaller man as Dracka grunted near him.

"Dracka!" Severus snapped.

The vampire appeared at his side and helped him with Blake's weight. The man was out cold.

"What happened?" Severus gasped, looking around at the clearing they'd found themselves in.

"He smashed through the anti-apparation wards!" Dracka gasped, with wide eyes. "With three people!"

They slowly lowered the other man to the ground with his back against one of the trees. The man was paper white and sweating slightly.

"No wonder he's out." Severus said as he checked him over, that's when he noticed the blood and swore.

He quickly undid the man's belt.

"Not sure this is the time," Dracka muttered with a smirk.

Severus glared up at him as the lowered Blake's pants to reveal the large gash across the scaring from the snake bite on the man's leg. He heard Dracka curse above him as he pulled a potion from his pocket as Dracka passed him a towel from his trunk.

"Looks like a cutting curse or a sword cut," Dracka said over his shoulder as Severus cleaned the cut. "They must have hit him from the side."

"Something must have gone wrong," Severus agreed, in frustration. "And we weren't there to help him!"

"We followed orders, Severus." Dracka said calmly, placing a hand on the man's shoulder. "That's what he asked of us."

Severus finished cleaning the gash, he pulled his wand and tried the basic healing charm he knew but it just failed and he frowned. He tried the charm again with the same results as fresh blood started to weep out of the wound. Dracka passed him a couple of bandages and he cleaned off the cut again and wrapped it up tightly. The cut really needed stitches but it looked like this the best they could do until they were able to get him medical attention. Severus quickly finished binding off the wound tightly and pulled the man's pants back up.

"Do you know where we are?" Severus asked looking around at the clearing. It looked like any other stretch of forest to him.

"No idea," Dracka replied. "But he brought us here for a reason."

Blake suddenly started shivering slightly even though it wasn't cold and Severus frowned in concern.

"We won't be able to apparate with him like this," Dracka said. "I'll have a look around to see if I can find anything."

"Be careful," Severus said softly.

Dracka just grinned showing off his fangs as he moved into the night. Severus took a seat on the ground and pulled Blake into his arms and placed his robes over them to try and stop him shivering.

"I've found a small house." Dracka announced, coming back into the clearing sometime later. "I can feel Blake's magic on the wards."

Dracka knelt in front of them and placed his hand against Blake's forehead.

"He's running a fever," The vampire said with a frown. "Was he sick before?"

"No," Severus stated. "Give me a hand getting him up and we'll move to the house."

"We may not be able to get through the wards, Severus." Dracka warned as he helped him pull Blake up.

"Not much else we can do," Severus replied stiffly.

It didn't take them long to make their way to the small house, more of a cottage than anything else. Severus knew the moment that they came across the wards as Dracka hissed, pulling back slightly. Blake stirred in their grip as the wards touched them.

"Blake!" Dracka hissed. "You have to let us in! Blake!"

Blake groaned and Dracka took more of the man's weight as Severus moved the man's hand forward to touch the wards. Green eyes blinked open slightly before he went limp again, against Dracka. Severus quickly got back under his arm.

"Was it enough?" Severus asked.

"Yes," Dracka replied, stepping forward. "Let's get him inside."

They moved into the small house. The living room led into the kitchen to their right and a small study next to that. To the left a door stood open to a bedroom so they moved Blake in that direction. The room was decked out in soft greys and was mainly just a bed and side tables.

They moved Blake to the bed and Severus unbuckled the man's pants and slipped them down before they sat him on the bed and he was able to take his shoes off. Dracka helped Severus take the man's shirt off to reveal bruising already coming up on his side.

"Gee, they got him good." Dracka said as they moved him onto the bed and covered him up with the blanket.

Blake groaned softly and Severus grabbed his hand.

"Blake?" Severus whispered.

"Hey," Blake whispered back, eyes just slits of green.

"What happened?" Dracka asked, sitting on the bed next to him.

"The wards," Blake whispered. "They were tied to Simpson instead of the ground. I had to move the link to myself when I made the gap."

Blake stopped for a minute and closed his eyes, as if in pain.

"When I went to link them back into the wards after closing the gap, they collapsed." Blake whispered, eyes still closed. "Wasn't expecting that and the back lash caught me. I think a tree stopped me."

Severus tightened his grip on his hand.

"I bolted once I could get my feet under me again." Blake said softly. "Who ties wards to a person and not the ground first? Idiot."

Dracka snorted and clapped a hand on Blake's shoulder before leaving the two alone. It had been a bloody long night and he still had to make sure that everyone got away clean.

"I'll see you in the morning," Dracka said softly as he closed the door behind him.

Severus took his place next to Blake.

"I could feel you doing magic," Severus said softly. "What were you trying to do?"

"Went after Simpson."

Blake's words froze the blood in Severus's veins and he tightened his hold on his hand.

"Needed to know if he was a Dark Lord," Blake explained.

"Dracka and I found a horcrux," Severus whispered.

Blake's eyes flew open than he groaned and shut them quickly.

"Do you need a pain potion?" Severus asked in concern.

"Yeah, hit that bloody tree hard. Hit my head."

"You have a nice bruise coming up on your side as well."

Blake snorted and took the pain potion Severus gave him.

"Can you grab my phone and call Black?" Blake asked looking up with pain filled eyes but at least they were open. "Where's Dracka?"

"In the other room." Severus stated, concerned that the other man didn't realise the vampire had left as he collected Blake's phone. "There's no Black in here, is it under Sirius?"

"Annoying bastard," Blake replied with a smirk.

"Ha!" Severus barked. "Wait, isn't he is your godfather."

Blake snorted then winched. "Not my godfather, he's Ry's godfather. The amount of times that man has smashed me up against a wall proves that."

Severus smirked at him and dialled the man's number.

"Blake! Are you all okay? We saw the house go up in flames!"

Severus held the phone to the side as Black's voice came through.

"It's Snape," Severus said when the man stopped yelling.

"Is Blake okay?" Black asked.

"He's been injured," Severus said softly. "Dracka and I made it out okay. Blake wants to know if you two are okay?"

"Oh, yeah." Black said. "They had werewolves with them but we got away clean."

"They got out okay," Severus said to Blake.

"Tell them to get to the German Portkey Platform," Blake whispered. "There will be a portkey there under my name, code word 'Big Mutts'."

Severus smirked and relayed the message, then hung up.

"There's a first aid kit in the kitchen, can you grab it please?" Blake asked. "And a glass of water?"

"I'll be right back," Severus replied, placing Blake's phone in his pocket.

He nodded at Dracka as he spoke on the phone, the man flashed him a thumbs up. He searched through the cupboards and drawers until he found a plastic box with muggle first aid supplies in it. He placed it on the bedside table, with the glass of water. Blake pulled himself up into the sitting position and grabbed a bottle out of it and rattled a couple of pills out and took them with water.

"Thanks," Blake said softly as he wiggled back down into the bed.

Severus quickly undressed and slipped under the covers. Blake curled up and was out quickly. Sleep took a lot longer for Severus as he listened to Dracka's voice in the other room.

xXx

Dracka looked around the house in interest the next morning, it had been lived in at some point but not any longer. From the amount of baby gear in one of the bedrooms, he was guessing it was when Harry Potter was a young child. He walked into the man's office and glanced around. He found a lot of books on time and theories of time travel. He guessed that this was one of the first houses that Blake lived in when he'd come here, which just made him think what time he had come from and whether the man had wanted to go back.

He moved over to the desk and sat in the chair. The desk itself was cleared off, not even a pen on its surface, which was odd for Blake. He opened the drawers and generally just snooped around. He found a small green notebook in the back of one of the bottom drawers and pulled it out.

Blake's neat script greeted him as he flipped through the pages. It looked like a collection of thoughts of when Blake was Harry Potter and it got him thinking. Did the man need to write it down to remember what happened when he was a child?

He could tell that large sections in the book had been crossed out and rewritten and Blake's normally neat witting grew sloppy in some places and had arrows crossing over parts and references to other pages. Like the man had gotten frustrated while writing. He frowned as he looked at the pages. He couldn't work out much in the book, since it seemed to be more random thoughts than in any order.

"Reduced to snooping?"

Dracka looked up to see Severus standing in the doorway his arms crossed over his chest.

"Found his notebook," Dracka said with a grin. "Looks like the old man had to write down what happened at Hogwarts when he was a child and from the looks of it, he'd had trouble working it all out."

Severus moved over towards him and Dracka held the book out, the other man took it from his hand before putting it back away in one of the drawers.

"What happened to Blake when he was young is private to him," Severus said softly.

"It could give a clue about how to kill the Dark Lord," Dracka pointed out.

Severus raised an eyebrow and leaned back against the table.

"If it could," Severus said slowly. "Blake would have told us."

"Do you think our plan will work?" Dracka asked. "That Harry Potter will be able to kill this Dark Lord. He's only a child."

"With Blake backing him up. We have a chance." Severus said slowly. "Which is more than Blake had in his time."


	29. Chapter 29

"Snape," Severus answered the phone.

"Um."

Severus looked at the phone in his hand before realising he was holding Blake's phone and not his own.

"Sorry," Severus replied. "Were you after Blake?"

"Um, yeah." The voice said. "I'll call back."

Then the person hung up.

Severus frowned down at the phone.

"I better give this back to Blake," Severus said as Dracka started laughing.

Severus gave the other man a glare as he walked into the bedroom to see Blake standing in front of the chest of drawers in only his underwear. The bruise looked like an ink stain down his left side.

"That's a beauty," Severus commented.

Blake looked over his shoulder with a sly smile.

"I hope you mean me?" Blake smiled.

Severus smirked and moved closer.

"Your phone," Severus said and placed it on the chest of drawers. "I answered it thinking it was mine."

Blake grinned.

"We should get going," Blake said as he pulled out a shirt and pants from the drawers. "I'll feel more comfortable once we're back at the school."

"Do you feel up to travelling?" Severus asked in concern.

"Um," Blake held the chest of drawers and took the weight off his right leg. "Not really. Did you say horcrux last night?"

"Yes," Severus said helping Blake dress.

"Dracka!"

The vampire came to the door then gave him a sly grin.

"Didn't know we had moved to this level yet," Dracka smirked.

Severus and Blake froze and twin glares were aimed in the vampire's direction.

"Horcrux," Blake barked.

"Yes," Dracka said, staying in the doorway. "I have it in a containment jar."

"We really need to move," Blake said, using Severus as a crutch as he made it back to the bed.

Severus spotted the phone still sitting on the chest of drawers and sighed as he picked it back up and gave it to Blake. The man just grinned up at him.

"Ah," Dracka purred. "Aren't you two cute?"

"Shove it."

"There's a cane in the cupboard Severus," Blake said as he stood up.

Dracka lunged forward as the Blake's leg collapsed under him and the man fell into him with a pain filled grunt, his body giving off a lot of heat as Dracka held him.

"Bloody vampires," Blake cursed, trying not to put weight on his right leg.

"Hey!" Dracka yelped. "This vampire just stopped you from landing on your ass."

Severus smirked and held the cane out to Blake as he got under the man's right arm. Dracka passed Blake over to Severus and his eyes locked with the other man's over Blake's head. Dracka titled his head to the side slightly.

"What the fuck?" Blake snapped at Dracka. "No!"

Severus was shocked at the outburst as Dracka stepped back, his face unreadable.

"Dracka," Blake growled and tried to stand up straighter but failed with a hiss.

"What's going on?" Severus asked.

"Nothing," Dracka replied before Blake could say anything.

Blake stared at the vampire until the man looked away.

"We should get going," Blake said softly.

They quickly gathered up everything they needed before heading to the front door. Severus helping Blake while Dracka brought up the rear. Once they were outside of the wards, Dracka got under Blake's other arm and apparated them to the German International Portkey Platform.

They looked around at the crowds and sighed. They were going to be there for a while as Blake sent Dracka off for the portkey as they took a few seats in the back of the large building.

"What was that about before?" Severus asked.

Blake sighed and took a couple more pills with some water from a bottle.

"He was stating his intentions but it can also be a type of bow out." Blake said softly, holding his head in his hands. "Hard to explain because it can mean a few things, I didn't see the whole exchange to give you a better answer. They have their own language, Severus. Most of it silent and can be hard to pick up."

"Intentions for who?" Severus asked softly, rubbing Blake's back.

"To you," Blake muttered into his hands. "To us, it's your guess. Not going to happen."

"You wouldn't have a relationship with him?" Severus asked carefully.

"I didn't realise you hit the tree instead of me," Blake replied, peering up at him with pale green eyes.

Severus felt a tension in his shoulders that he didn't even realise was there ease at the words.

"What about you Severus?" Blake asked, resting back in his seat.

"God, no." Severus grinned. "I have enough trouble with you."

Blake snorted and closed his eyes. Severus laid his hand on the man's knee as they waited. Ignoring any looks cast in their direction.

"I follow your lead in this Severus," Blake said softly. "I am yours until you tell me otherwise."

Severus squeezed the man's knee in response knowing that words weren't needed between them. Blake smiled keeping his head tilted back on the seat as they waited. It was a good twenty minutes before Dracka appeared, winding his way through the crowd.

"It's going to be a while." Dracka said softly, when he returned. "We got behind a big group, is he out?"

Blake didn't react when Dracka appeared, as he sat sprawled out in the chair.

"I think so," Severus replied. "It's not like him. He's still running a fever."

"Yeah," Dracka agreed taking a seat next to Severus. "They gave me a buzzer for when they are ready for us. Could be a while. Do you want something to eat?"

"Sandwiches and water," Severus replied softly. "Chicken if you can find them."

Dracka nodded and moved off.

"Blake?"

Severus shook the man's shoulder and Blake's eyes blinked a few times before glancing over at him.

"Wha'?" The man slurred.

"It's going to be a while, Dracka has gone for food if you're hungry?" Severus said softly.

"I'm good," Blake replied running a hand over his face.

"Here," Severus said moving a couple of seats down and pushing the armrests up. "Lay down."

Blake complied and laid down on his right side using Severus's leg as a headrest. Severus ran his hand over the man's head, his hand lightly touching on the swelling at the back. Blake fell asleep quickly and was out with one arm hanging over the side of the seats when Dracka got back with the food. His eyes falling on Blake before flicking up to Severus as he placed the food and drinks on the seat next to the man and took the next one over.

It was over an hour and a half until Dracka's buzzer went off with a Platform number and time. Severus shook Blake's shoulder gently, the man jolted and looked up at him.

"They have buzzed us," Severus whispered. "Portkey in fifteen minutes."

Severus helped Blake up as Dracka cleared everything away. Blake leaning move heavily on Severus than before as they made their way to the platform and he could feel the heat coming off him. Severus glared at anyone that dared look in their direction but Blake's cane turned a lot of eyes away before Severus's glare could. Dracka kept close to Blake's left side, just in case.

They made it to the platform and stepped into the room as they were handed a Portkey. Dracka got under Blake's left side and they activated the portkey. Severus was happy to be back on British soil as they moved off the platform and towards the apparation zone and back to the school.

xXx

Harry groaned softly and leaned into Severus's side as his right leg screamed at him, it was like he had been bitten by that bloody snake all over again as the dark magic of the hallows burned in his blood. He could feel Dracka on his other side but he was just focused on the warmth of Severus and his magic beside him.

"Blake?" Severus asked, resting a hand against his face. "He's heating up again."

Harry thought that was odd since he felt cold, except his leg, which felt like it was on fire.

"He seems out of it?" Dracka asked on the other side of him.

Harry missed a step and grunted as more weight came down on his right, which collapsed under him. Severus pulled his arm further up on his shoulders as he felt sweat running down his face as he shivered slightly.

"Come on," Severus whispered. "We need to get him to the school. The wound might have gotten infected, I'll get Poppy down to look him over."

"Dad!"

Harry jolted but didn't have the energy to lift his head.

"Give us room, Potter." Severus snapped, making Harry's head swim.

"What happened?" His son asked.

"He hit a tree," Severus deadpanned.

Dracka snorted as Harry just thought one step in front of the other. He missed another step and the pain that shot through his right leg left him tumbling in darkness.

xXx

Severus grunted as Blake suddenly went limp between them.

"Potter," Severus snapped pulling Blake up further. "Run up and get Poppy, something isn't right."

Potter took off, as Dracka got further under Blake.

"This seems to be becoming a regular thing," The vampire muttered.

"That's because he's an idiot," Severus muttered, not letting the concern he felt get to him as they got closer to the man's rooms. "He has no concept of mortality."

"I suppose that happens if you can't die," Dracka muttered and Severus glared over at him. "Young vampires have the same problem."

"Vampires can be killed," Severus stated mildly. "I made sure to look it up."

Dracka flashed his fangs at the man.

"You will find," Dracka said softly. "That we are not as easy to kill as the books suggest."

Poppy arrived just as they got Blake to his rooms and she quickly ordered his clothes off and had him laid out on the bed. They all looked down at the red and inflamed gash across his leg.

"That doesn't look good." Dracka remarked, stepping closer.

"It's badly infected," Poppy commented. "How long has it been like this?"

"Less than a day," Severus muttered with a frown. "I tried a basic healing charm but it failed. Where's Potter?"

"I sent him to get the Headmaster," Poppy said as she ran her wand over Blake. "This is too much of an infection for less than a day. Severus could you clean this while I work on the head injury? It's a bit messy."

Severus nodded and set himself up to clean the wound. He worked slowly making sure he cleaned it out as much as he could as the bowl of water slowly turned red. While Poppy worked on the swelling on his head.

"Dracka," Severus said softly looking up at the vampire. "Can you go into Blake's office and grab the red notebook off his table?"

The vampire nodded and disappeared quickly. Severus stood and washed off his hands before taking the notebook when the vampire returned. He flicked it open and Dracka could see Blake's neat writing inside.

"What's that?" Dracka asked.

"His notes on the muscle restoration potions and balms we've been working on," Severus replied as he flipped through the pages.

"Do you think that's why the cut has gotten infected so quickly?" Poppy asked as she finished up.

"Maybe," Severus muttered, until he can across a balm that the man had made. "This might be promising."

He flicked forward in the book keeping the other page marked with his finger as he looked at the potion that Blake would have taken the night before and started to grin.

"Ah, crap." Dracka moaned. "I know that grin, that's a Blake grin."

Severus gave him a wink. "Can you go to his office, in his second drawer there are containers of balm. I need number…twenty-six?"

"What do you have in mind, Severus?" Poppy asked.

"I'll need a steel knife as well," Severus said softly. "I'm sure Blake has one."

xXx

Harry woke briefly but Severus was quick to give him a couple of pills and a potion, which sent him back down. If he was more in his right mind he would have wondered why, as it was, his body was happy to drift away again.

When he woke again, Poppy was there shinning a light in his eyes and asking him questions that he may or may not have gotten right before Severus was there with pills and potions. He trusted Severus but something wasn't right.

When he woke for the third time he grabbed Severus's wrist before he could give him the potion he held. His grip may not have had his normal strength but Severus just waited him out.

"What are you doing?" Harry whispered hoarsely.

His head was swimming and he felt the potions and drugs in his system, just grabbing Severus's wrist was taxing him.

"Sh, Blake." Severus said softly, running a hand over his head.

Blake relaxed and his hand slipped off Severus's wrist.

"Are you in pain?" Severus asked quietly, looking up at something before turning back to Harry.

"No," Harry slurred, already starting to lose his battle with the darkness at the back of his mind. "Numb."

Severus looked up at something again before he smiled down at Harry.

"It's okay," Severus whispered. "Just take this and go back to sleep."

Harry tried to lock his eyes onto Severus's but the world kept spinning, he thought he heard someone else say something but wasn't sure then he was tumbling into the darkness again.

xXx

"How strong is that potion?" Dracka asked in surprise as Blake went limp again.

The man had been struggling against the potions for the last week and Dracka could tell that it was wearing down on Severus as the man looked pale and sick as he looked down at his lover.

"A quarter of this can take down a Hippogriff," Severus remarked. "I just gave him a whole vial. God he is strong. He has a high resistance to potions."

Dracka huffed a laugh.

"That's not counting the muggle drugs that Doctor Greenburg sent me," Severus said with a sigh and leaned back in his chair. "We can't keep him under for much longer."

"Will it be enough?" Dracka asked in concern.

"It will have to be," Severus said softly, watching his lover sleep restlessly.

xXx

Harry woke slowly, the drugs and potions in his system making it feel like his brain had been replaced with cotton wool and the bed rocked under him slightly. He was laying on his side with Severus wrapped around him snoring softly. Harry grabbed a hold of the link between then and sent a little bit of magic along the connection to send the other man deeper into sleep, not that it took much. Harry could feel how exhausted the other man was.

"Did you just send him to sleep?"

Harry startled and looked up at Dracka sitting beside the bed, damn them.

"Maybe," Harry said roughly.

Dracka snorted.

"Are you here to drug me?" Harry whispered.

"No," Dracka replied. "Severus said you have'd enough. He also said you wouldn't wake for another few hours."

"Can't keep a good man down," Harry stated with a grin.

"Or a bad one apparently," Dracka said with a snort.

Harry grinned as Severus turned away in his sleep rolling onto his other side.

"Why?" Harry asked softly, pulling himself up into a sitting position, ignoring the spinning in his head.

"Your leg…" Dracka trailed off.

Harry frowned and grabbed both of his legs.

"Are both still here," Harry said slowly. "Can't quite feel them but they are there."

"We should probably wake up Severus," Dracka whispered looking nervous.

Harry looked at him sharply, his eyes narrowing.

"What did you do?" Harry hissed.

"Um," Dracka stuttered, looking very nervous as he played with his hands. "A cutting curse got you right across where the snake had bitten you…"

Harry frowned and carefully pulled the blanket down to look at his leg, it was red and bruised but the scaring and muscle wastage wasn't there and the skin looked shinny. He felt the muscle and could still feel the damage under the skin but it wasn't what he was used to.

"The cut was badly infected," Dracka explained, not looking away from Harry's naked form. "Severus looked up your notebook…"

"He worked it out," Harry whispered.

Now that he was looking at the wound it started to throb painfully, but nothing like what he was used to. He rubbed it absentmindedly to ease the pain.

"He's not sure it has worked," Dracka said softly, his eyes red. "It's still healing. That's why we had to keep you under for so long."

"How long?" Harry asked turning back to the other man.

"About a week," Dracka replied, sitting forward in his seat.

"Please tell me you had my phone," Harry groaned.

Dracka barked a laugh.

"Don't worry, Blake." Dracka laughed. "Everyone doesn't think you're dead."

"Ha!" Harry grinned. "Give me a hand, I have to pee."

Dracka happily helped him from the bed. Harry's legs felt like rubber and his head was swimming as Dracka helped him, if the Vampire's hand strayed a little Harry didn't say anything just trying to keep his feet under him. Hope blooming in his stomach for the first time since the snake had bitten him so long ago.

xXx

Severus woke with a start and reached out for Blake but the man wasn't there. He sat up in a panic looking around. He wasn't in the room and neither was Dracka. Cursing, he pulled himself out of bed and pulled on some pants before opening the bedroom door. Blake looked up at him from the living room table. His phone next to him and files scattered across the tabletop.

"Morning, Severus." Blake said with a grin.

"For fuck sake," Severus cursed as he came into the room. "When did you wake up?"

"Yesterday morning," Blake said calmly.

Severus stared at the man as Blake sat back and smirked at him.

"You sent me to sleep?" Severus accused.

Blake barked a laugh. "I could say the same, love."

"You two are just as bad as each other," Dracka said from the lounge.

Severus glared over at the vampire before snagging up a shirt and pulling it on.

"Out," Blake ordered.

The vampire smirked but did as ordered leaving Severus and Blake alone. Severus made his way over to the table noticing the horcrux sitting on the table top.

"Coffee?" Severus asked.

"Yes, please."

Severus gathered his thoughts as he made the coffee.

"I looked over my notebook," Blake called out to him. "What did you see that I didn't?"

Severus walked back out of the kitchen with the mugs of coffee and placed them on the table before snagging up Blake's notebook. He flicked it open to the two pages he needed and handed it back to the man. Blake looked down at the two pages.

"But this balm didn't work." Blake said softly, with a frown. "The potion worked, of course…"

"The balm would have worked if the bite had been fresh," Severus said smugly.

"I'm still not seeing it," Blake said, running a hand over his head.

"The cutting curse that hit you was fresh," Severus said softly, taking a sip of coffee.

"So, the balm would work on a fresh wound?" Blake asked.

"The cut got infected too quickly," Severus explained. "It ate into your skin because of the potion."

"Like the snake venom did," Blake whispered. "So, you…?"

"Cut the skin down with a steel knife," Severus said. "And used the balm to build the muscle up."

"It's not as painful," Blake admitted.

"Yes," Severus said. "We're hoping it will give you more movement."

"And less pain," Blake said softly.

"Yes," Severus agreed. "But it could take a while to see if we were right."

"I can almost forgive you for keeping me asleep for a week," Blake said with a smirk. "Almost."

Severus looked at the other man over the table as he stared at the notebook in his hands. Blake looked up at him and gave him a smile that went straight through him.

"Thank you."

xXx

Harry tipped the cup out of the containment jar that Dracka had put it in and into the bronze circle of his classroom. He quickly pulled up the protection charm around it and stood back. Dracka, Severus and the Headmaster watched him as he looked down at it.

Something wasn't right about the cup but he couldn't put his finger on it. He lowered himself to the floor with the help of his cane and looked at the magic in the cup. He could feel the darkness of the horcrux but it didn't feel like the others had. He could feel the two souls tangled up in it, so it was a horcrux, it just didn't feel right.

"Are you just going to stare at it, Blake?" Dracka asked from behind him. "Because I have students to fail."

"Come here," Harry said softly.

Dracka moved closer, unsure.

"Please stand on the other side of the circle," Harry ordered, frowning.

Dracka moved to the other side of the circle and Harry closed his eyes and tapped into his magic. He looked over at Dracka his eyes glowing slightly, making the vampire shiver as he looked into the dark power the man held before focusing on the horcrux again.

"Severus can you stand next to Dracka," Harry requested softly, something wasn't right here.

Severus moved next to Dracka and Harry looked at his dark magic with his head tilted to the side slightly before focusing on the horcrux again. What was he missing here?

"What is it, Blake?" Albus said softly.

"There's something wrong with it," Harry said softly.

"It's a horcrux," Dracka said with a snort. "'Wrong' doesn't cover it."

Harry looked up at him with a grin, still seeing his magic swirling around him, making the vampire shiver slightly even Severus shifted uncomfortably.

"You know that gives me the creeps," Dracka said, flashing his fangs.

Harry pulled back on the magic and gave him a wink.

"Better?" Harry asked in amusement, as Dracka's eyes flashed red.

Severus pushed Dracka's shoulder before moving back to Albus leaning on the table. Dracka smirked over at the two men.

"Stay there," Harry said softly, as Dracka went to move. "I'm going to creep you out again."

Severus snorted as Albus coughed a laugh.

Harry closed his eyes again and relaxed his body as he focused on his breathing for a second. He pulled both of his wands from their holsters and placed them on either side of him as he looked closely at the horcrux. He could feel it pulsing slightly like a heartbeat and he cocked his head to the side. He wasn't sure if he was hearing a slight beat or not as he focused more on the magic.

He brushed his magic over Dracka and felt the man shiver as he took a look at the man's curse and the darkness in his magic before focusing on the horcrux again. It felt similar, but not the same. If anything, it felt halfway between Severus's dark magic and Dracka's curse and not like the other horcruxes.

He pulled his magic back and refocused on his breathing and the pulse of magic he could feel from the cup and very carefully reached out towards it but bumped up against his barrier and stopped. He opened his eyes and Dracka jolted back from him as he stood and stepped over the bronze line of the circle and brought the barrier up behind him before sitting again. He would have to work with this one closer this time, which made it that much more perilous.

He could hear the beat stronger now that he was within the circle and he closed his eyes again. He could feel the dark magic reaching out towards him and he gently touched on it to hear whispers in his mind as the heartbeat grew louder and his head tilted again as he listened to it.

The horcrux felt drained in some way, like someone had tapped into its dark power but that just confused Harry even more. How could someone do that without the magic taking them over? Unless they already knew how to control dark magic to a high degree.

Harry tapped his hand on the stones beside him absentmindedly, tapping along to the beat he could hear in his mind. He focused on the voices, being very careful not to let the dark magic of the horcrux mix with his own as he opened his mind a little more. He knew he was stepping into dangerous territory here.

.

 _He stood with a knife in his hand as he sliced through a man's throat as green light flared out around him._

 _._

 _Dark magic swirled around him as he called out in Latin, the cool night breeze drifting around, as the dark magic twisted out into the night._

 _._

 _Dark power cracked along his skin as dark power poured into his body burning him from the inside out._

 _._

 _He looked up to see bodies scattered around him in piles so deep he couldn't see the ground as crows cawed loudly and he felt dark glee run through his body at the death and destruction._

 _._

 _He rubbed his fingertips together, his hand covered in blood, as dark sparks flew from his fingertips catching on the air to drift away._

 _._

The whispers grew louder as the heartbeat drowned everything out and Harry's hand stilled. The voices screamed and Harry grabbed a hold of the dark magic harshly and pulled, ripping it free of where it had lived, as he heard a soft crack.

Harry hissed as the darkness turned on him and he brought up his light magic to block it as it turned like a snake to bite him. He very carefully wrapped the darkness up as he panted slightly at the effort and his other hand reached out for a wand that wasn't there and he cursed his stupidity.

The darkness found a weakness and tried to strike out but Harry was quicker as he ripped into it, ignoring the pounding in his head. A hand falling on his shoulder, startled him and he looked up in shock. A young woman in her late teens stood next to him and gave him a soft smile, her brown hair braded down her back as she stood in a blue dress, her pale skin glowing softly as she looked down at him.

Harry got a quick glimpse of pain and suffering before the woman smiled and Harry could feel the light magic touch him as he held the darkness in his hands and Harry released it. The woman took the darkness into her hand and gave Harry a smile, her brown eyes dancing.

" _I'll take it from here_ ," The woman whispered in his mind as he felt light magic brush over him.

Harry could only stare up at the woman as she turned and stepped away. She puffed into smoke, which settled across the ground. Harry listened as the beat slowly drifted away and he opened his eyes and found himself staring at the silver cup in front of him and the crack running down the side of it. He reached out and broke the protection circle around him.

Harry yelped when hands suddenly grabbed him pulling him to his feet and he grabbed Dracka's wrists, as he looked into the vampire's red eyes, his own eyes wide. Dracka shook him slightly as Severus and Albus tried to grab the vampire.

"Whoa," Harry snapped. "Settle down!"

Dracka's eyes bled back into black as he looked at him and Harry patted the hands clenched in his shirt.

"Blake?" Dracka asked softly.

"That's me," Harry said softly with a crooked grin. "Not anyone else."

Dracka gently released him and Harry set his feet on the ground as he picked up the dark magic around them and pushed it down into the stones below them. Dracka stepped back and Harry's eyes flicked over to a very pale Severus.

"Hey," Harry said with a grin.

"What the hell was that?" Severus said softly and Harry wasn't sure if he was talking to him or Dracka.

"I broke the protection charm too early," Harry said as he straightened his shirt. "There was still too much dark magic around me."

"I wasn't sure if the horcrux had taken you over," Dracka said softly and Severus paled even more.

Harry gave the vampire a lopsided grin and a wink, which just made Dracka growl at him, and Severus's glare kick up a notch.

"What happened?" Albus asked softly, breaking into the stand off.

"Someone had siphoned off some of the magic in the horcrux," Harry said softly. "There were memories in it…"

Harry trailed off as his mind went back to what he had seen and felt and Dracka grabbed his shoulder, pulling him back sharply.

"Ah, sorry." Harry said, distracted. "I could tell there was something wrong with it. It wasn't as dark as the others, more like a mix between your magic Dracka and yours Severus."

Albus glanced over at Severus but the other man hadn't taken his eyes off Harry.

"I'm not sure what you saw?" Harry asked.

"Not much," Dracka replied for the other two. "Just flashes of light and dark magic, not all of it yours."

"Yes," Harry replied with a frown. "He used a light witch to make the horcrux. That was very risky, or he wasn't aware of it, it weakened the dark magic over time and I think that's how Simpson was able to break into it."

Dracka swore.

"He has the knowledge of how to become a Dark Lord," Harry said softly to the room. "He got it from the horcrux. I was looking for a connection between the two men but there wasn't one to find. He stole the horcrux and fled into hiding."

Dracka paled and the other two men didn't look much better.

"He has the Dark Lord's memories on how to do a dark ritual to become a Dark Lord," Harry said softly to the room.

The thought alone made Harry shiver. The man may have tried and failed to become a Dark Lord in the past but he now held memories on how to become a Dark Lord from a man that was already at that level. It looked like it was just a matter of time now, until the man acted on the memories he had gained.


	30. Chapter 30

Warning: Non graphic torture.

xXx

 _Harry was screaming, he knew he was screaming for he could feel the blood in his throat as lines of fire burned across his back. A network of fire as the dark magic of the hallows burned in his veins and his blood spattered to the floor. The man behind him paused and Harry was left boneless and gasping._

" _Where are they?"_

 _Harry watched his blood and sweat drip to the floor as he hung from the chains rigged to the roof. Holding his arms slightly to the side of his body, his wrists burning as much as his back as he swung slightly. His legs had given out days ago as he hung loosely._

" _Start again."_

 _Fire laced down on his back, ripping through his skin and tearing open the wounds that had tried to heal. Harry was screaming and he didn't care as the darkness over took him._

 _Cold salt water jolted him to awareness, tearing a scream from his raw throat. The hallows's dark magic swirling in his head as men grabbed his arms dragging him down the hallways. Harry didn't know how long he had been kept here but his team's lives depended on him._

" _Mr Potter," A man drawled._

 _Harry hung his head as the men handcuffed his wrists to the chains from the roof. He hung limply, his energy gone._

" _You'll be happy to know that your team were successful in their mission."_

 _Harry jolted but the pain in his body kept him from looking up as small shivers racked his frame._

" _You don't need to hold on to that information anymore."_

 _Harry just panted feeling hot and cold at the same time as the hallows swirled in his head and blood. Keeping him alive, keeping him in pain._

" _Now, I want to know how you are still alive. Start."_

 _Harry grunted under the first lash across his back, he was screaming by the third and lost his voice by the twelfth and they just kept falling without pause._

" _I was sure we killed you."_

 _Fire running down his back as his blood hit the floor in splatters._

" _How are you alive?"_

 _The sound of Harry gasping was the only sound in the room as mist swirled in his head. Fire and blood were his world as his vision dimmed down to the concrete floor below him covered in his own blood, both old and new._

" _Harry, Harry, Harry." The man's voice purred. "How long do we have to do this?"_

 _Harry could feel himself slipping, the mists starting to take over his mind. Suddenly a bucket of cold salt water splashed over his back, tearing a scream from him._

" _Are you paying attention, Mr Potter?"_

 _Harry just swung there, unsure if he was alive or dead as the hallows burned in his veins setting his back on fire. He could feel his lungs filling with blood, making each breath a challenge. His mind in confusion. He didn't know where he was or why everything was covered in dark mist._

" _Cut him down."_

 _Harry felt men beside him before he was lowered to the ground in a heap. He didn't bother moving. He had no energy to do so anyway. He felt a hand roughly rolling him onto his back and his world exploded in pain._

 _The hallows jolted him back to life and he just wanted to cry. He whimpered, his mind in tatters. He just wanted to curl up in a ball, away from the world, and die. He didn't want the fire to eat him or the darkness to claim him. He just wanted it all to end._

 _Somehow, he was crawling, his hands and knees ripping open as he moved. Unsure about where he was going. He bumped into a wall and collapsed against it. His mind over taken by black mists. He couldn't see, just feel pain and fire. That was his world._

" _Where are you going, Mr Potter?"_

 _Harry flinched at the voice as he wrapped his hands over his head, curling into a ball as he tried to drown out the sound._

" _You will break."_

 _Harry curled up tighter, ignoring the added pain when the wounds on his back split open. It was nothing compared to the burning and darkness._

" _You will tell me, Harry. Why you can't die?"_

 _Harry whimpered as the hallows burned, he did not know how he hadn't burst into flames. It hurt so much._

" _Come now, Mr Potter." The voice cooed. "You killed Voldemort without flinching, can't you even look at me?"_

 _Harry shook._

" _Do I need to string you up again?"_

 _Harry shook harder._

" _Mr Potter?"_

 _Harry felt hands on his head, his shoulders, his hip and he just shook. Curling up as tight as he could. A cold hand grabbed his wrist and with strength, that Harry didn't have, lifted his arm away from his head._

 _Cold brown eyes stared down at him as a man in a suit crouched before him._

" _Come now, Mr Potter." The man purred. "We are all friends here."_

 _._

Harry woke with a start with an arm wrapped around him. He ripped himself away in a panic, pulling at the blanket as he tried to scramble from the bed. His legs tangled in the blanket and he fell to the ground painfully.

"Blake!"

Harry glazed around, sightlessly, the taste of blood still in his mouth and the phantom feeling of hands and fire lashing across his back as he tried to get his feet under him. His right leg collapsing as he tried to get away from the hands reaching for him and he crashed to the floor again.

"Blake!"

He flinched back from the sound and scrambled across the floor until he collided with the wall and slid down. Curling up with his hands over his head. He could hear a voice and hands on his body and he whimpered. The darkness in him flaring as he shivered.

"Blake!" A voice called from above him. "Dracka! Get down here, now! Just calm down, Blake."

Harry shivered, curling up tighter, his hands clenching around his skull and he was sure he was going to leave marks. Couldn't tell, had to keep his team safe.

"No," Harry whispered. "Won't tell, won't. No."

"Fuck."

Harry flinched, curling tighter.

 _Leave me alone! Just want to die, leave me!_

"He just panicked."

"Flashback maybe. Looks like it. Blake?"

Harry whimpered.

"Has this happened before?"

"No. Do you know what to do?"

"Um, just let him relax. Blake, can you hear us?"

Harry shivered, he just couldn't stop, still caught up in his memories as fire raced up and down his spine.

.

 _Cold water splashed over him jolting him awake._

" _Come now, Mr Potter." A voice said calmly from above him. "It's rude to pass out when someone is talking to you. Now tell me how you are still alive?"_

 _._

"Blake?"

Hands were touching him again and he tried to move back across the floor but his back was already hard against the wall and he whimpered.

"Just step back Severus. I don't think he's here with us. He might lash out."

"Blake…please."

.

 _Harry shivered as ice and fire ran in his veins. His breathing becoming harder to draw into his lungs with the knife between his ribs. He looked up into the other man's brown eyes as the man looked down at him coldly. There was no expression on the man's face as he held the knife. Harry had a hand wrapped around the man's wrist but was losing strength quickly as the hallows took glee in eating through him. His mind swimming in mists, he could barely see the man in front of him through the darkness._

" _Not long now, Mr Potter." The man said and smiled._

 _._

Harry whimpered, curling his hands further around his head feeling the knife slip between his ribs all over again. Voices spoke quietly above him, pulling him back with their soft tones. He relaxed slightly, one hand falling away from his body towards the voices. A soft familiar hand took his and Harry whimpered again.

"Come on, Blake." A soft voice whispered. "You are safe here."

.

 _Harry could feel his mind slipping as the brown eyes watched him in interest. The man released the knife and sat back on his heels. Harry used the last of his strength to pull the knife free. The silver knife glinting in the light as he held it in his hand._

" _You think you can attack me?" The man asked softly. "I can already see the life draining from you!"_

 _The man laughed and Harry lunged. He plunged the knife into the man's heart with the last of his energy as his life fled him._

 _._

Harry tightened his hold on the hand in his, fire racing up and down his back, and he whimpered in remembered pain.

"Sh, it's okay Blake." The voice said softly. "We have you."

.

" _He's in here!"_

 _Harry jolted awake, the silver knife still griped in his hand and a body lying next to him._

" _Holy fuck! Medic! Quick!"_

 _Voices yelling, hands on him, on his throat, on his shoulders and rolling him onto his back. Pain and screaming he wasn't sure if it was his own or not, everything was drowning in mists._

" _Harry!"_

 _Ron's pale face appeared above him._

" _Roll him back to his side! You idiots!"_

" _Harry!"_

 _Ron was kneeling beside him, a hand on his shoulder, shaking him slightly._

" _Hold on, mate." Ron said in a rush. "We have you! You are safe now."_

 _._

"We have you Blake, you're safe."

Harry relaxed, his body going slack, the hand in his tightened as he looked up into Severus's pale face.

"Hey," Severus said softly.

"Hey," Harry whispered, eyes flicking over to Dracka before going back to Severus. "What happened?"

"You tell us?" Dracka said softly, kneeling down next to Severus. "Was it a flashback? You were mumbling but we couldn't work out what you were saying."

Harry frowned as he could still feel the dark power of the hallows running down his spine. He tried to get up but his right leg failed him and he slipped back to the floor.

"Just take a moment," Dracka said softly.

Harry gritted his teeth and used the wall to pull himself up, his head swimming and he almost landed on his ass again. It was only sheer will power alone that kept him on his feet.

"Blake?" Severus asked softly, hovering near him but not helping him.

Harry ignored him and moved towards the chest of drawers, using the wall to keep himself up. He felt like he'd been in battle for two days straight. He made it to the chest of drawers and pulled the top one open and pulled a silver knife out.

Severus's hand wrapped around his wrist tightly and Harry looked up at him in confusion. The man was so pale but his grip on Harry's wrist was like steel. Then it dawned on Harry.

"It's okay," Harry whispered.

Severus didn't release his wrist, his black eyes wide. Harry let the knife clatter onto the top of the chest of drawers and stepped back. Dracka moved forward and picked up the knife with a shirt wrapped around his hand.

"I know this isn't the time." Dracka said softly, into the silence. "But I'm getting a good eye full here."

Harry and Severus looked over at the vampire and Harry noticed his state of undress and Severus was only wearing underwear.

"Don't get used to it," Harry smirked as Severus blushed. "I would call you a dirty old man but you are younger than I am."

Severus and Dracka relaxed as they stared at Harry and he realised how much he had scared them but since his hands were still shaking, he knew they weren't the only ones that were spooked.

"I took that knife," Harry said softly into the silence of the room. "From the man that tortured me."

Severus paled even more and Dracka didn't look much better.

"That's what…" Severus trailed off.

"Yes," Harry said softly with Severus's hand still wrapped around his wrist. "I think the hallows had something to do with it."

"But why?" Dracka asked as he placed the knife into his pocket.

Harry didn't take offence at that.

"I don't know," Harry said softly. "Let me get dressed. Dracka can you put the kettle on?"

Dracka nodded and left the lovers alone. Severus took Harry in a hug and if it was a bit tighter than normal Harry didn't say anything and just hugged him back. Letting the tears fall as Severus rubbed a hand up and down his back. They stood there for a while listening to Dracka in the next room as Harry just soaked up the comfort the other man was offering, trying to get his thoughts back in order.

When they walked out of the room, some time later, Dracka didn't say anything about Harry's red eyes and just pushed a mug of coffee his way. Harry nodded in thanks and sat at the table and idly picked up a pen and started tapping the table. Severus and Dracka shared a look but didn't say anything.

Harry looked over at the files on the table, that he'd been reading the night before. There were only three files in a neat pile in the middle of the table. The ones that the Headmaster had given him about Graham Simpson and the one he'd gotten from America.

Dracka placed the silver knife on the table in front of him and Harry's eyes darted over to it as his tapping paused slightly. He knew if he reached for it, that the vampire would pull it away.

"Why did you keep it?" Dracka asked with a frown.

Harry sighed and put the pen down and held his head in his hands. Severus rubbed his back as he tried to sort out his thoughts.

"I don't know," Harry replied. "Felt like I had earned it or something. Ron took it from my hand and gave it to me after I was released from hospital."

"No sense that boy," Severus muttered.

Harry huffed a laugh and looked up as he palmed his chin with his elbows on the table. Dracka frowned at them but didn't ask any questions.

"He thought it was mine," Harry said softly. "He could be a bit thick sometimes. Ginny ripped him a new one and tried to take it away from me. I wouldn't let her."

Harry pulled his two wands from their holsters and placed them on the table. One pale and the other dark. He placed his hand on top of the wands, thinking.

"I was held for about two months." Harry whispered, looking at the wands. "The team that I was a part of had a mission…"

He pushed the wands towards Dracka and the knife just out of his reach. The vampire raised an eyebrow as he reached for the wands. Placing them beside the knife on the table.

"I knew the battle plans," Harry said softly, taking a sip of coffee. "We had split up about two weeks prior. I was the secret keeper for the team. Bit stupid really, but I wasn't the one in control of the planning, I was just taking orders."

He picked up the pen on the table again and Severus groaned. Harry looked at him then the pen and flicked it towards Dracka. The vampire grinned and added it to the pile in front of him.

"Anything else?" Dracka asked.

Harry flicked his wrist at his side and held his sword out towards the vampire, hilt first. Dracka picked up the shirt to cover his hand as he grabbed the sword and placed it onto the table with a grin.

"That's it?" Dracka questioned, with a raised eyebrow.

"That's all you're getting, vampire." Harry growled.

Dracka grinned showing fangs, Severus just sighed. He was getting used to dealing with these two men.

"The mission?" Severus prompted softly, bringing the men back to the conversation at hand.

"Was a success." Harry said, eyes locking with Severus. "I believe that I was supposed to be killed after my team was successful and I was no use to them anymore…It didn't go to plan for them."

"The hallows?" Severus whispered.

"Yes," Harry replied. "Then they had found something more interesting than just finding out battle plans."

Severus paled at the words and laid his hand on top of Harry's on the table. Harry turned his hand so he was gripping the other man's hand.

"There was only one problem." Harry commented, sitting back in his seat. "I didn't know how the hallows worked. Yes, they had saved my life before but I had no idea about how they did it or if they could be taken from me."

"They killed you?" Dracka asked softly.

Harry nodded.

"Quite a few times, I think." Harry replied. "I killed the man that tortured me, he let down his guard and I used his own knife. That one."

Harry's eyes flicked over to the pile of his stuff in front of the vampire. Dracka grinned at him showing fangs.

"You're smug," Harry said to him. "You do realise I can call the elder wand and the sword back at any time?"

Severus huffed a laugh as Dracka looked like he had eaten a lemon.

"So," Severus said slowly. "The wand and the ring you showed me are parts of the hallows?"

Dracka frowned in confusion.

"Wait a minute," Dracka said. "That's not right."

Harry grinned and sat back in his seat and slipped the ring off his finger and placed it on the table and slid it across the tabletop towards Dracka. The vampire reached out, his eyes red, as he picked up the ring.

"The three parts of the Deathly Hallows," Harry explained. "The stone, the cloak and the wand."

Severus frowned. "But the ring?"

"The first time I died," Harry said softly. "Was when the Dark Lord killed me. I didn't have the wand or the stone or even the cloak on me, that I can remember, but I was their master. Not that I knew it then. I took up the elder wand when I killed the Dark Lord. The ring came to me later, I'm not even sure when. I just noticed it one day. It has the symbol of the Deathly Hallows on it."

Dracka held up the ring, Harry grinned and held his hand out and the ring appeared in his palm and he closed his hand over it. When he opened his palm again it was gone.

"This is the hallows when it has a master," Harry said softly.

"Master of Death," Dracka breathed.

Harry nodded.

"I've been called worse." Harry said, with a wink. "Even now, I have no idea how the hallows work. All I know is their dark power is mine, just as much as the light power I wield."

"What is the sword then?" Dracka asked.

"Um, a silver sword." Harry deadpanned.

Severus smirked.

"You said you can call it back," Dracka explained.

"Because it's linked to me." Harry said, then amended his answer. "Well, linked to my magic."

Severus snorted and Harry looked over at him, still confused and tilted his head in question.

"I believe," Severus drawled. "That linking a sword to yourself is not common magic."

"Ah," Harry said in understanding. "A time difference?"

Severus nodded with a fond look in his eyes and a smirk.

"It's easy magic," Harry said with a grin.

"I imagine that a lot of 'easy' magic to you, Blake." Dracka growled. "Is what us normal people call bloody damn difficult!"

Harry just grinned, feeling a weight lifting from his shoulders as he looked at the other two men.

xXx

Harry lay awake for the third night in a row with Severus snoring softly beside him as his mind kept bringing up the cold eyes of the man that had tortured him. He couldn't even recall the man's name as he lay there and even with the scars to remind him every day what he had been through, he hadn't even thought of the man or the experience in a long time and it confused him why he had thought of it at all.

He pulled himself to his feet, pulled on some jeans as he moved into his main room and looked around. He limped over to the lounge and flopped down onto it and glared at the clock in the room telling him he should be asleep and not awake at two in the morning. He tilted his head back against the lounge and looked up at the ceiling his eyes running along the wooden beams above him but he couldn't shake his thoughts.

He got to his feet again and walked back and forth as he let his thoughts drift. His right leg stiff but he walked through it as he moved. He flicked his wrist and his silver sword fell into his hand and he swished it through the air, feeling the blade's perfect balance. He floated his furniture to the sides of the room with a wave of his hand and fell into a balanced stance, taking into account his leg, as he calmed his breathing.

He moved the sword to his left hand and slowly moved through a couple of moves keeping his right leg back before switching hands and moving through the same moves on his other side. He paused before moving the sword to his other hand again and working through the moves quicker as he fell into each stance. Switching back and forth from hand to hand.

So many people had told him that he was lucky to walk after he was bitten but there was no way he was going to take that as an answer. He had a long life ahead of him and he would not lie down. It's what pushed him to still work on the potions and balms to restore the muscle in his leg even after all these years.

He knew he could be stubborn and stupid and so many other things but it didn't matter to him. If he was going to live, he was going to live. He swung the sword around his body knowing the moves as the muscles in his body fell into each stance and he pushed himself to the edge of his endurance as he worked through his swirling thoughts and the new movement in his leg, due to what Severus had done.

He slowed his movements down and held each stance a little longer testing his muscles and the changes that he would make to his thrusts and movements as he worked.

When he finally stopped he was panting hard and he leaned on his sword as his leg disagreed with so much movement but he felt better. His thoughts settling around him and his mind felt clearer. He looked up when he heard slow clapping to see Severus looking at him with dark eyes. Harry wiped the sweat away from his eyes and stood up a little straighter.

"Hey," Harry panted. "Did I wake you?"

Severus moved towards him without answering until he stood in front of him and wrapped his hand around the hilt of the sword. Harry gave it to him with a slight frown, as the other man looked it over.

"Goblin made." Harry said softly, as he stepped back to the lounge to lean on it as he watched Severus. "Pure silver that has been hardened. Nothing will break it and I keep it razor sharp, so watch your fingers."

"When did you get it?" Severus asked as he held the sword in his hand.

"Very long time ago," Harry replied. "My master in Japan used to laugh at it because it's a straight blade."

Harry stepped forward with a grin and grabbed Severus's hips and kicked his right foot slightly. Severus moved the foot and Harry kicked the other one into place until he had Severus in a stance.

"Move your weight back slightly and hold the sword up," Harry said softly. "Hold that."

Harry moved back to the bedroom and picked up another sword from his cupboard in a black sheath. He moved back into the main room and moved into a stance before Severus, the sword still sheathed.

"Swing it towards me," Harry said.

"Blake?" Severus questioned softly.

Harry tapped his blade against Severus's sword with a grin as he stepped forward. Severus quickly stepped back and brought the sword up. Harry fell back into stance and waited. Severus stood there for a moment before stepping forward and swinging the blade, which Harry blocked easily.

"Again," Harry said softly. "Step back, move forward on your right and keep yourself balanced."

Severus grinned as he did as he was instructed and Harry blocked, the silver sword 'thunking' softly against the black covering of Harry's sword. Harry gently tapped him with the sword on his side.

"Protect your side," Harry suggested as Severus moved back into stance. "That stance is similar to a stance you would take in a wizard duel."

"Yes," Severus agreed. "Have you duelled?"

"Um," Harry replied. "Never had the time. Didn't see the point. Most of the time whenever I found myself at the other end of a wand, they wanted to kill me."

Harry stepped back as Severus swung this time and the other man over balanced and stumbled, Harry moved forward and placed his blade against Severus's back. Severus looked over at him as Harry stepped back and placed the tip of the sword on the floor.

"That sword is lighter," Harry commented and held out the hilt of the sword he held.

Severus took it in his hand and could feel the difference. He held out the hilt of the silver sword out but Harry just dismissed the blade from Severus's hand and he startled as Harry grinned at him.

"That's a steel blade," Harry said gesturing at the sword in Severus's hand. "From Japan."

Severus looked at the slightly curved blade in his hand in interest as he looked at the well looked after leather curled around the hilt and slowly drew the blade to see Japanese writing down the blade in interest.

"Different name, different life." Harry said softly.

Severus ran his fingers down the characters in interest, feeling the etching in the cold metal.

"How do you move so smoothly?" Severus asked.

"With my leg?" Harry asked in amusement.

"Yes."

"Lots of practise," Harry said in amusement. "I had to relearn how to move with the injury. To turn a disadvantage to an advantage."

Harry took the blade from Severus's hand and slipped the sheath off and handed it to the other man before giving himself space and stepped into a stance. He flicked the blade and fell into the moves as the blade sung around him. Swing, step, turn and thrust. His feet always moving as he danced with a blade everything else falling away as his body moved through the stances and moves.

He hadn't worked with this heavier sword in a long time and he could feel the strain as he slowed the movements down and his leg protested slightly. He could have lightened the sword with magic, but he didn't, preferring to work the sword the way it was. He moved through the last move and held his last stance slightly before lowering the blade as he panted slightly.

Harry startled when Severus wrapped his arms around his waist and Severus chuckled in his ear sending a shiver down his spine as the man kissed the back of his neck.

"You're beautiful," Severus whispered in his ear.

"Not bad for three in the morning," Harry huffed as he leaned back in Severus's embrace.

Severus breathed across his neck and Harry shivered again as the man held him close as he kissed along his bare shoulder.

"Like what you saw?" Harry murmured as he wiggled slightly against Severus.

"Yes," Severus breathed in his ear holding him tight.

Harry tilted his head back to look up at the other man and Severus gave him a small smile as his hands ran down his sides. Harry turned in the man's embrace and placed the sword on the table beside them as he pulled Severus's head down and kissed him deeply.

Harry reached between them and rubbed Severus through his pants making the man moan and pull him closer. Harry held his ground as Severus went to walk them back towards the bedroom.

xXx

Missing scene.

xXx

Severus went to reach for him but Harry grabbed his wrist stopping him.

Severus pulled back and looked down at him with a frown but Harry just took his hand and pulled him back towards the bedroom. Severus followed after him, slightly puzzled.

"Back to bed," Harry said with a grin. "We both have classes in the morning."

"Blake?" Severus asked softly as he went to grab the other man again and he moved back.

"I'm fine Severus," Harry said softly.

Harry slipped out of his pants and moved into bed, feeling tired from working with his sword. His thoughts settled for now as he curled up in the bed, Severus settled along his back and Harry grabbed his hand and held it against his stomach as he wiggled back and settled in.

"Are you okay?" Severus muttered.

Harry started at the words, having already drifted off.

"Sure," Harry replied. "Tired."

Harry felt Severus run his hand down his side and he closed his eyes just soaking in the feeling of the man behind him and the heaviness of his body as sleep over came him.

xXx


	31. Chapter 31

"Are you just hanging around girl's bathrooms now, Mr Sun?"

Harry looked up to see Severus leaning in the doorway of the girl's bathroom on the second floor with a smirk on his lips as he looked down his nose at Harry kneeling on the floor in front of the sinks lining one wall.

"It's not what you think." Harry replied, with a smirk.

"With you, Blake." Severus drawled. "It could be worse"

Harry barked a laugh and pulled himself to his feet.

"The Chamber of Secrets," Harry announced and waved his hand around. "The secret lair of Salazar Slytherin starts in a girl's bathroom. I'm not sure if that's smart or perverted."

Severus barked a laugh and gave the man a smirk.

" _Open_." Harry hissed, making Severus jump.

"You should warn someone before doing that!" Severus snapped as Harry grinned at him.

He turned back to the tunnel that had been revealed to them and frowned.

"What do you have in mind?" Severus questioned beside him.

"It's big enough down there as a staging point for bringing people into Hogwarts," Harry replied as he stepped towards the tunnel. "I'll have to look at the magic to see if I can make it easier to get in and out of there and whether the wards reach that far down."

Harry grabbed the edge of the tunnel and swung in with Severus yelling after him. Harry grinned as he slid down the slide and wondered about the sanity of Slytherin as he stumbled to his feet at the other end and looked around. It was just like he remembered, but then again, he doubted anyone else had been down here since Ry, Lockhart and Ginny were. He looked over his shoulder as Severus landed with a curse and smirked over at the other man.

"You are insane, you know that!" Severus snapped as he got to his feet with a disgusted look at the dirt on his robes.

Harry just laughed and limped off down the tunnel with Severus muttering under his breath behind him. The other man gasped as they stepped out into the main cavern and looked around with large eyes.

"He had a flare for drama, right?" Harry said as he looked around. "Must have run in the Slytherin line."

Severus's eyes locked on the skeleton of the basilisk and his whole face lit up. Harry patted his shoulder as the man went over to have a better look as Harry moved further into the room.

"Potter killed this thing?" Severus called, crouching down near the skeleton's head.

"Gives you a shiver doesn't it?" Harry called back as he stopped in front of the statue of Salazar Slytherin.

"That doesn't cover it," Severus said quietly. "I could use this in my potions."

"Go for it," Harry called over his shoulder. "I'm just going to look at the wards…oh, I may have to speak in parseltongue…just a warning."

Severus flashed him a smirk as Harry turned back to the statue. He closed his eyes and focused on his breathing as Severus moved around quietly behind him and the slow drips of water the only noise around them. He slowly opened his mind to the magic in the cavern.

He frowned when he didn't find much magic and no dark magic tainted the cavern as he opened his eyes. He could feel the wards pulsing under his feet and knew that they lay very close to him. So, Slytherin had made his secret chamber within the wards. He frowned and felt further out but just touched on the charms and spells that you would expect from a cavern made underground.

"Was Slytherin a Dark Wizard?" Harry called to Severus.

"From reports he was," Severus replied. "But that was a long time ago."

"There is no dark magic here," Harry reported. "Nothing."

"Maybe he didn't want to give the Headmaster a headache," Severus said with a smirk. "Unlike someone else I know."

"Ah," Harry stuttered. "I did apologise to Albus after the last time."

Severus barked a laugh.

"I think the old man is getting used to it," Severus said as he worked on removing a rib from the basilisk.

"Maybe that's why there's no dark magic down here." Harry remarked, looking around. "The wards lay just under our feet so any use of the dark magic would have been picked up by the Headmaster of the school."

"You do know, that most people with dark magic don't throw it around like you." Severus remarked. "It could have just faded over the years as well."

"Maybe," Harry replied as he looked around. "The Dark Lord would have been too young to use dark magic when he was at school."

Harry kneeled down and felt the pulse of the wards under his palm and goose bumps came up on his arms with the feeling of static electricity nipping at his fingertips.

"Talking to the wards?" Severus called.

"Ha, ha" Harry replied as he moved back to Severus. "I'm going to take a walk around and see if there's another way into the chamber."

"Right," Severus replied, busy with taking the snake apart.

"Keep an ear out in case there are more of them around," Harry said with a smirk and Severus's hand stilled.

"There could be more?" Severus asked, his eyes glinting.

"Are you hoping for fleshy parts?" Harry laughed as he moved off.

"Do you know the kind of potions I could make with those parts!?" Severus called after him.

Harry grinned as he moved towards one for the tunnels branching off from the main cavern and threw a light up into the air to see better as he worked his way through the passages.

xXx

Severus looked around when he heard a slight scuff but there was nothing there as the dripping of water played games with his head. The cavern was bloody creepy as he looked up at the blank eyes of Salazar Slytherin and he shivered. He'd noticed the marks on the floor of the cavern and Severus was sure that it had been used for duelling down here at some point and he wasn't sure if Blake had picked up on that.

The running water and dripping making him think he could hear whispers from the tunnels was putting him slightly on edge as he worked on the snake's skeleton before him. He would be able to sell a lot of this at the apothecary in Diagon Alley for a good price. Severus looked up again and frowned, Blake had been gone for a while now. He stood and looked around, wondering where the man could have wandered off too.

"Blake?" Severus called out, his voice echoing around the chamber.

' _Where could the man have gotten to?_ ' Severus thought as he looked around.

"Blake?" Severus called again.

Suddenly the man appeared with his silver sword in one hand and the cherry wand in the other and a slightly wild look in his eyes.

"Hey!" Blake panted. "You know how I said that you could have some fleshy ingredients?"

Severus's eyes widened and he pulled his wand as a rumbled started up under his feet and he swore.

"Get back towards the entrance!" Blake barked and Severus didn't argue. "Don't look it in the eyes!"

A large snake's head appeared further down the cavern and swung its head towards the two wizards and flicked its tongue out. Severus quickly looked away as Blake pushed him further back in the tunnel. A shimmering wall of whiteness appeared in front of them as the snake hissed and started to move towards them.

Blake grabbed his hand and he felt something run over his body, he shivered and his eyes widened as everything in the cavern suddenly had a soft glow around it.

"What did you do?' Severus hissed.

"You should be safe from its gaze now." Blake whispered, moving them slowly back as the snake moved towards them and Blake hissed something beside him making him shiver.

The snake paused before rearing up and Blake pushed him to the side as he went the other way as the snake lunged at them. Severus landed against the wall hard as the snake dived passed them. He quickly ducked behind one of the pillars, his heart beating a hundred miles an hour and he could hear Blake hissing something as the snake slid passed him. The beast was huge.

Severus tightened his grip on his wand and quickly moved after the snake, towards where he could hear Blake further along the cavern. He slid slightly on the wet floor and swore as he skittered towards another pillar as the snake's tail flicked out. It smashed into the pillar near him, sending chips of stone flying.

" _Sectumsempra_!" Severus hissed and slashed his wand down.

The white spell smashed into the snake and the sound it made shook the chamber. He hit the floor as the beast swung around with speed, he wouldn't think something so big would be have been capable of, as it crashed into the pillar next to him. Stone and dust rained down on his head as he ducked quickly.

Blake darted forward and slash at the snake's side with his sword and it swung its head towards the wizard, then Blake was moving out of Severus's sight again drawing the snake off. Severus quickly scrambled to his feet and darted down one of the side tunnels, the sounds of hissing and crashing coming from everywhere making it hard to pin point where the animal was.

Blake yell out from somewhere and headed in that direction but the tunnel split into three different directions before Severus and he swore. He quickly placed his wand in his hand and hissed the point me spell. It locked on Blake and pointed to his right and he ran forward.

A loud crash had the floor shaking and Severus paled and hoped the roof didn't come down on their heads as Blake yelled out something else that he couldn't work out, followed by another loud crash. He slid out of the tunnel just to duck a spell as it sailed over his head.

"Sorry!" Blake called.

Severus quickly sent a cutting spell at the snake and it howled, its head swinging in his direction and Severus ducked back into the tunnel, the snake on his heels.

"Severus!"

Severus panted as he ran, he could hear the basilisk behind him, but it was falling back as he ran and slipped through the tunnels until silence descended around him and he glanced over his shoulder. The beast was gone.

He placed his hands on his knees as he tried to catch his breath as he looked around with wide eyes. All he could hear was dripping water and his own breathing, he moved away from the wall and walked further down the tunnel as it started to widen into another small chamber. He looked around with wide eyes at the number of tunnels leading off this one.

He held his wand out again and did the point me spell but it just spun unable to pick up on Blake. Severus cursed since it looked like the spell got confused, like owls did sometimes, when trying to find Blake.

He went to try the connection in the ring next but lost his concentration as the cavern shook slightly and he threw his hand out to the side of the tunnel to steady himself. He could hear a distant rumble to his right, so he ran in that direction. Blake skidded around the corner with his silver sword in his hand.

"Other way!" The man snapped.

Severus quickly ran the other way, Blake's heavy breathing behind him as they dashed back into the small chamber. Severus grabbed the man as he went to move past and pulled him to the side. The man yelped at the sudden move and dropped his sword which clattered to the stones as Severus pulled him around and pushed him up against the stone wall beside the tunnel.

Severus picked the sword up and held it in his hands and waited as Blake panted beside him. He could hear the snake as it moved towards them and Severus held the sword up waiting. The best stuck its nose out and Severus smashed the sword down on the beast's head slicing deep into its skull.

The beast hissed loudly and threw its head to the side, smashing it into the sides of the tunnel and throwing Severus off balance. Severus tumbled to the side as the sword just disappeared from his hands and Blake was rushing in front of him and thrusting the sword up into the beast's jaw and into its head.

Severus rolled out of the way as Blake cursed and stumbled to the side as the beast crashed down between them, shaking the ground. Severus panted and sat up covered in water, dirt and basilisk blood. Blake's head appeared over the top of the snake and grinned at him, blood dribbling down the side of his face and soaking into the collar of his dirty shirt.

"Right there, Snape?" Blake called.

Severus picked up a stone next to him and threw it at the man. Blake laughed and used the sword as a cane to move around the beast's head towards him.

"Hey," Blake said as he settled down next to Severus. "At least you have your fleshy ingredients now."

Severus snorted a laugh as he looked over at the other man, the slight glow to his sight making the man's skin shimmer slightly.

"I'll even let you keep the profits," Blake said with a wink.

Blake yelped in surprise when Severus tackled him to the ground.

xXx

Dracka's nose wrinkled up as a smell crept in to him while he'd been marking papers in his office. He set his pen down on his desk as the smell got stronger. He moved to his feet and across the room to his door. He carefully opened the door before peering into the hallway and held a sleeve over his nose as the smell curled around him.

He stepped into the hallway, hearing voices coming to his right and frowned. He walked towards the sounds, trying to breathe through his mouth. He could make out Blake and Severus's voices as he crept closer. Even the demon in him, which normally took notice at Blake's voice, had hid away from him.

"Are you sure there are no more?" Severus questioned from around the corner.

"Yes," Blake snapped back.

"Well," Severus drawled. "You didn't know that one was there!"

"For the last time, Severus." Blake snapped, making Dracka grin. "There was only the one!"

Dracka heard a sliding noise followed by Blake cursing and he smirked even more. Dracka peeked around the corner and could see Severus standing there in just his shirt and pants with his arms crossed over his chest as he looked at something in a disused girl's bathroom. The smell that rolled over to him made his nose wrinkle up even more and he noticed the dirt covering Severus and he frowned.

"Are you just going to stand there!?" Blake snapped and Severus smirked as he looked into the bathroom.

"Yes," Severus drawled drawing out the word, as he tapped a pale wand against his arm.

Dracka snickered and Severus looked over at him and the vampire could see the amusement on the man's dirty face as Blake swore at him. Severus stepped to the side as Blake's silver sword came flying from the bathroom and Dracka raised an eyebrow as he crept closer.

"How did I get stuck with doing this?" Blake snapped from the room.

"Because, Mr Sun." Severus purred. "You have a silver knife and were already covered in dirt and blood."

Dracka's curiosity kicked up a notch as he moved closer, that offensive smell getting worse.

"You're just as dirty as me!" Blake pointed out.

Severus held up the wand in his hand for Dracka to see and the man noticed that it was Blake's cherry wand.

"But I'm the one holding you to ransom," Severus smirked back. "And you were nice enough to give me your sword as well. Feel free to give me your other wand, Mr Sun."

"Smug bastard!" Blake cursed and Dracka heard something splat on the floor.

"What's he doing?" Dracka hissed from the safety of the side of the doorway.

Severus's smirked, as he looked into the room his face pale under the dirt.

"Cut the other way!" Severus snapped. "Have you not done this before, Blake?"

"Shut it!" Blake cursed. "You can still come in here and do this yourself!"

"I don't know, Blake." Severus said with a smirk. "It looks like you need the practise."

Severus yelped and skipped to the side as a spell sailed out of the room and he bumped shoulders with Dracka beside the doorway, his hands on his knees as he chuckled softly.

"I didn't realise you liked poking dragons, Severus." Dracka hissed.

Severus looked up at him and grinned, dropping years from his face in that one moment.

"Is that Dracka I hear?" Blake yelled.

"We should run," Severus suggested and grabbed Dracka's arm.

"Severus?"

"Go," Severus hissed and pushed Dracka. "There is no way I'm being dragged into helping him."

"Severus! Dracka!"

xXx

Harry cursed as he cast the spell to clean up the rest of the basilisk blood from the girl's bathroom. He'd already placed all the parts away in containers and placed them in a trunk to be taken to Diagon Alley, which Severus could do since he knew the right prices and places to sell it all.

"Bloody, Slytherins." Harry swore as he looked around to make sure the cleaning charm had got everything.

Severus had left him to skin and cut up the damn basilisk, blaming it all on him for the beast. He had even tackled him and stole his wand, the bastard.

" _Close,"_ Harry hissed to the sinks and the entrance closed.

He was covered in blood and dirt and he was even thinking of using a cleaning charm over his body and put up with the itchy skin, it was that bad. He could deal with small cleaning charms but not a whole body one, the itching always drove him mad until he could wash it off.

With another curse he moved out of the room happy for the fact that it was past curfew, so none of the children would be walking around the hallways as he dismissed his sword and made his way to his rooms.

He wasn't surprised that Severus wasn't in the room and he was sure that he'd heard Dracka at some point as he moved into his bathroom and stripped off his clothes and stepped into the shower.

The water turned an interesting shade of red-brown as he stuck his head under the water and washed himself off. The bathroom door closed loudly and he looked over wiping water out of his eyes to see Severus grinning at him, fully naked and looking interested.

"Room enough for two?" Severus asked as he stepped in.

Harry grabbed the man and Severus squeaked as he pushed him back into the tiles and held him there as the water ran over his back. Harry grabbed the man's wrists in one hand as he pinned him to the wall of the shower.

"And here I thought you were smart," Harry hissed and Severus's eyes widened.

Harry's grip around the man's wrists were like steel as he reached for Severus. Harry placed a foot in between his feet and nudged them and the other man moved his feet apart, his eyes guarded as Harry stepped between them.

"Blake?" Severus asked, unsure.

Harry tugged on Severus's wrists making him lower his head and he snaked a hand behind the man's head and pulled him down for a rough kiss.

"You owe me," Harry purred in the man's ear as he pulled back and kissed his neck.

"Will you take your wand in payment?" Severus purred back, trying to wiggle his hands free without any luck.

Harry chuckled and released the man's wrists.

"I'll think about it," Harry hissed.

Severus gave him a sly grin before turning Harry until he had his back to the tiles. He knelt down in front of the other man and gave him a smirk.

"Maybe this might help," Severus replied with a glint in his eye.

xXx

Missing scene due to rating.

xXx

Ry rolled his eyes at Ginny as Ron and Hermione hissed between each other in front of them. Ginny gave him a grin and mimed the two in front of them with her hands and he smirked as they made their way along the hallway. He glanced over at Neville and Luna behind them as the spoke quietly to each other.

"Why does your father want to meet with us?" Ginny asked softly beside him.

"I don't know," Ry replied. "He just called and said that he wanted us to meet him outside his classroom for some reason."

"You didn't ask him?" Ginny hissed.

"Well," Ry said and rubbed the back of his neck. "It's best if you don't ask him."

"Why?" Ginny asked.

"Two reasons," Ry pointed out. "He just gives you that look or he won't shut up."

Ron snorted.

"Ry!" Hermione hissed. "He's your father!"

"Come on, Hermione." Ry whined. "You take his classes, you know how he is when he gets going. He doesn't stop."

"Hmm," Hermione hummed as he lips thinned. "At least he knows what he's talking about."

Ry chuckled as his father came into sight leaning against the wall next to his classroom with Snape, the Headmaster and Draco Malfoy near him. Ry could tell he was tense for he was tapping his wand against his leg as he waited. He looked up and Ry gave him a grin.

"Hey Dad," Ry called.

Blake pushed away from the wall, his wand disappearing as he placed his cane on the ground and gave Ry a smile.

"Hey everyone," His father greeted as Ry and his friends came closer. "Headmaster, do you want to lead us to the first staging point?"

"Of course, Blake." The Headmaster replied with a smile.

The Headmaster led the way down the hallway as the students fell in behind him as Snape and his father walked at the back of the group. He glanced at his father before giving Ginny a smile and falling back to walk next to the man.

"What's happening?" Ry asked, his eyes flicking over to Snape briefly.

"We need to set up staging points," Blake said as they walked along. "So that our people can get to the school quickly if we are attacked. We'll need two people at each point to let everyone in. I'm going to key two of you to the wards and the port keys with the Headmaster's help. Shouldn't take too much time."

' _Yep_ ,' Ry thought. ' _Way too much information_.'

Ry saw Ginny look over her shoulder at them and he gave her a smile but she just turned around quickly while Snape snorted.

"This is the first one, Blake." Dumbledore announced as he stopped at a nondescript door on the second floor.

"Perfect," Blake cried and Ry rolled his eyes as his father stepped forward.

Blake placed his hand on the door and closed his eyes and Ry glanced over at Snape to see the amusement in the man. Severus caught his eye and Ry knew they were thinking the same thing as Severus gave him a smirk. His father was talking to the wards.

"Okay," Blake said, pushing open the door. "Ms Lovegood and Mr Longbottom could you please step into the doorway?"

Ry's two friends stepped forward, Neville looking around nervously as Luna just glazed around serenely. Once the two students stepped into the doorway, Blake lopped a leather cord around Neville's neck and another around Luna's with one pendant hanging from both cords

Blake stood back and pulled out his cherry wand and Neville's eyes widened as he looked at Blake. His father just grinned and pulled a leather bag out of his pocket and held it out.

"Both of you please hold the bag," Blake said and Luna took the bag in her hand.

Neville nervously touched the bag with his fingertips.

"It's not going to bite, Longbottom!" Snape snapped.

Neville jolted and grabbed the bag as Blake glared over his shoulder at the man and Ry sniggered as his father turned back to his friends.

"Okay, I'm going to key you to the wards." Blake said softly.

Ry could feel the magic around his father as he picked up the wards and placed his wand against the pendent that hung between Luna and Neville as the two of them held the leather bag.

"Headmaster," Blake said, not looking at the man. "Do I have permission to key Luna Lovegood and Neville Longbottom as well as the portkeys to the wards?"

"I give you permission," The Headmaster replied.

Blake tapped the pendent and it broke down the middle into two parts as Blake grabbed the leather bag from Luna and Neville hands.

"You won't be able to take those off unless I remove them or they run out of magic," Blake warned as Luna looked at the pendent. "So, I hope you like them."

Ry and Severus snorted then glanced at each other before looking away.

"Okay Headmaster," Blake said with a grin, ignoring the others. "Lead on."

Dumbledore gave the man an amused look before moving off down the hallway with Blake falling in beside the man.

"If he asks you to be keyed into the wards," Severus said softly beside him and Ry glanced over at the man. "Don't."

"What? Why?" Ry asked.

Severus sighed and when he looked at Ry again he could see something unreadable in the other man's eyes.

"You can't be keyed to the wards, Ry." Severus whispered to him as he kept an eye on Blake. "You have a more important job to do."

Ry paled and he felt a little faint at Snape's words. The man grabbed his shoulder and gave it a squeeze and Ry hated to admit it but it was moments like now that he could see what his father saw in the man. He nodded his head and Snape released his shoulder as they came to the staging point and Ron and Hermione stepped forward and his father quickly repeated what he had done before.

This time when they set off, Blake lead the way and stopped in front of a statue of a snake on the first floor and turned to Ry, with unreadable eyes.

"Ry could you say 'open' in Parselmouth please?" His father asked and Ry frowned.

"Can't you-Oi!" Ry cut off as Severus elbowed him and he glared up at the man.

"When you are ready, Ry." His father said in amusement, his green eyes shining.

Ry stepped forward and looked at the statue.

"Open," Ry said.

"In Parseltongue, Ry." His father said with a smirk and Ry blushed as Ron laughed.

Ry focused on the statue and tried to imagine that the thing was alive and that the eyes on the stone were slightly flickering with life.

" _Open_ ," Ry hissed and the stone snake swung outward to reveal the room beyond.

"Okay, Draco and Ms Weasley please step forward," Blake said and the two students stepped forward and Blake keyed them and a leather bag to the wards.

Ry looked over at Snape but the man was frowning as he watched Blake. Ry moved back beside him and Severus looked down at him.

"Your father is as cunning as a Slytherin," Severus hissed at him.

"He's worse," Ry whispered back and the two men shared a smirk before they realised who they were agreeing with and turned away.

Blake had just managed to make sure that Ry was needed to open the access point so that Draco and Ginny could open the way into the castle. He had managed to outsmart the two of them in one move and neither could do anything about it.

"Okay," Blake called out as he closed the snake statue. "When the time comes, your pendent will get warm and you will have to get to your staging point as quickly as possible, both of you will be need to open the way. Ms Weasley and Draco your code word is Slytherin. Anyone coming through here with a portkey will need to say the codeword to pass over. Ms Lovegood and Mr Longbottom your code word is Ravenclaw and Hermione and Mr Weasley your codeword is Gryffindor.

"We will use these points as an evacuation point as well and a codeword will not be needed to pass over," Blake explained. "Ry you'll need to open the way here for Draco and Ms Weasley, everyone know what you are doing?"

"Yes, Dad."

"Yes, sir."

"Okay," Blake said with a smile. "Off you lot go then."

Ry grinned as they moved off down the hallway and he fell into step with Ginny.

"How cool does this look?" Ginny cried and held out the pendent for Ry to see.

Ry leaned forward and if his eyes strayed a little while he looked at the pendent, he blamed it on how the light from the windows shone off the metal of the pendent, or that's what he would say if Ron questioned him later.

xXx

Harry woke with a start as his phone rang, pulling him out of a very pleasant dream of whipped cream, chocolate and Severus Snape. He moved Severus's arm off him and groped around for his phone before snagging it up by the cord.

"Blake Sun," Harry whispered into the phone as Severus woke up beside him.

"Blake," A shaking voice said into the phone. "It's Conner Fritz."

"Conner?" Harry echoed and pulled himself into a sitting position. "What's wrong?"

Severus looked up at him with blinking black eyes and Harry placed a hand on his shoulder.

"We need you to come here." Conner said softly, his voice breaking. "It's bad."

Harry pulled himself out of the bed and started going through his drawers with one hand.

"What's happened?" Harry demanded.

"The muggle police contacted us," The man explained. "A small village near the town of Hamburg…he just killed them all."

Harry's stomach dropped at the words as his hands stilled with pulling a shirt on and looked over at Severus. The other man must have seen something in his face for he cursed and started dressing as well.

"I'm on my way, don't let anyone in there." Harry said softly. "I'll meet you at the Ministry?"

" _Ja_ ," Conner replied. "Thank you, Blake."

Harry ended the call then called Dracka.

"What the fuck?"

"Dracka!" Harry snapped, tightening his belt. "German Ministry just called, there has been a mass murder of a town."

Harry glanced over at Severus when the man swore.

"Severus and I are getting ready to leave now," Harry replied quickly as he grabbed his bag out of the cupboard. "I need you to stay here and call your Coven and the others to warn them."

"Alright, Blake." Dracka said softly. "Stay safe."

Harry hung up the phone and just looked at it until Severus wrapped his arms around him from behind. Harry leaned back against the man feeling shaky and sick to the stomach, this was not going to be pleasant.

xXx

Harry walked down the silent street, looking down at the bloody bodies that lay out around him, under the glow of the streetlights. Men, women and children with blank staring eyes. He could still taste the dark magic on the air and feel it puffing up like dust at his feet, the corruption of dark arts strong in the magic. He'd hoped that he would never have to see such a sight again and yet here he was.

He stopped walking at the crossroads and looked around. He stood alone after leaving Severus behind at the protection barrier that the Ministry had set up. The other man wasn't happy but he didn't want to burden the man with the nightmares. This was something he had to do alone.

A scraping noise had him turning and he faced a misty image of a woman, her throat ripped out staring at him blankly. Harry shivered but didn't step back as she floated closer.

" _Make it end,"_ Whispered across his mind. " _Make it end."_

Harry stepped forward and worked his way towards the middle of town, the misty forms floating around him, watching him. Harry wasn't sure if they were real or just a by-product of the dark magic as he walked. He shivered now and again as he walked through the forms as he moved towards the middle of the town and where the ritual had taken place. He could feel the pull.

The taste of the dark magic almost making him gag as the bodies piled up around him, until he came to a stone table still laid out from the ritual. He stopped before the woman's body, which had been tied down to the stone. Her blonde hair spread around her head and slowly waving in the slight breeze as her blue eyes stared at Harry blankly. She had been cut from throat to pelvis with her ribs cracked open and the cavern of her chest open to the air.

The cawing of crows the only sound around him as he stepped forward, the dark magic was thick on the ground here and he could feel it lapping at his ankles. He looked down at the woman on the stone table and flinched. The woman was missing her heart. Harry stepped back as a crow flew down and landed on the corpse and looked at him with beady black eyes as the first rays of sunlight reached out towards him.

"Take them," Harry said softly.

The crow tilted its head as it looked at him and cawed loudly, stirring the magic around them.

"Please," Harry begged.

 _Caw_.

Harry let one knee touch the ground and placed his hands on either side of him as bowed his head.

 _Caw_.

He heard a fluttering of wings around him and kept his head bowed and waited. A single black feather fell to the ground in front of him and Harry looked up at the dark-skinned man before him.

"Why?" The man croaked.

"They died in blood and dark magic." Harry said softly. "Please take them."

"What would you give us?" The man asked.

Harry reached into his pocket and pulled out a small silver cord twisted into the shape of a snake with shining black eyes. He held it out to the other man, who took it in his hand with his head cocked to the side as he studied it.

"Agreed," The man said softly and Harry bowed his head again.

"Thank you," Harry whispered.

He felt the wind swirl around him as cawing sounded out around the village as the crows descended on the misty forms, taking them on to the next life as the dark magic seeped into the earth at his feet.

Harry looked up at the flashing traffic lights as they flicked through their signals as silence descended once again. He slowly stood with the help of his cane, the village feeling lighter again despite the bodies. He turned away from the woman on the stone bench and moved back to the edge of the protection circle. Empty eyes watching his every step until he came to the edge of the circle and stopped.

"Blake?" Severus asked softly as he came up to the barrier.

"Hey," Harry said softly, his green eyes hollow.

"Hey," Severus replied, his eyes flicking over him in concern.

Harry tapped his cherry wand to the protection circle and it dropped.

"Can we move in?" Conner asked his face pale as he came up beside Severus.

"Yes," Harry said softly. "I hope you haven't had lunch."

Harry limped forward as the Ministry workers moved into the village. He didn't envy their task, it was going to be hard. Severus took his hand in his and stopped him.

"Blake?" Severus asked softly. "Are you okay?"

Harry rubbed his head

"Yeah," Harry said softly. "Come on, let's go home."

"They don't need us?" Severus asked, looking around.

"They can handle it," Harry said softly. "…Please."

Severus jolted at the word and nodded.

"Let's go home."

xXx

Severus watched Blake carefully as they walked up the lawn towards the castle. He was concerned. The man had barely said two words on the way back to the castle and seemed to be somewhere else. He looked up at the castle to see Dracka in the shadows waiting for them.

Blake didn't seem to see the vampire, which concerned him even more. He was prepared to enter the village but Blake had insisted and the Ministry workers had warned him that there were spirits and dark magic floating around, that's why the protection circle had been placed in the first place.

He reached out a hand and curled it around the other man's arm, stopping him. Blake looked up at him and gave him a small smile but his green eyes looked hollow and haunted.

"Hey," Severus said softly.

"Hey," Blake replied.

Severus brought the man's hand up and kissed his fingers, the ring he'd given him glinting in the sun.

"Is this our first date, Mr Snape?" Blake asked softly with a smile, but the joke fell short.

Severus smiled, feeling a weight lift off his shoulders at the weak joke.

"Hurry up you two!"

Severus gave the vampire the finger over his shoulder. Blake grinned wider as neither man looked away from the other.

"Are you okay?" Severus asked softly, his hand cupping the other man's face.

"No," Blake replied, his voice breaking on the word.

Severus took the man in a tight hug, rubbing his hands up and down the man's back. Blake held him tightly, his head buried in his chest.

"Hurry the fuck up!"

Blake snorted and pulled back, looking up at the vampire standing as close to the sunlight he could get.

"We better head up there," Blake said softly. "Before Dracka burns himself."

Blake stepped forward but Severus didn't release his arm. The man turned to him in question and Severus grinned.

"He could do with a couple of burn marks," Severus smirked.

Blake returned his smirk and gave Severus's shoulder a smack. He smiled briefly as they made their way up the front lawn of the castle and towards the vampire waiting for them.


	32. Chapter 32

Harry stared down at the closed file in front of him, ignoring the feeling of Severus's dark eyes watching him. He hadn't even touched the coffee the man had placed before him on the table as he gathered his thoughts together. Harry looked up and met Severus's eyes before glancing at the Headmaster then Dracka. His eyes lingered on the vampire until the man raised an eyebrow in question.

"So, yeah." Harry said quietly. "We have a knew Dark Lord."

Dracka cursed as Severus and the Headmaster paled.

"We were called to Germany after the Ministry got a phone call from the police about a mass murder in a small village." Harry said softly and opened the file. "The Ministry moved in and a man call Conner Fritz called me. They quickly realised that dark arts had been used and placed a protection charm around the area. I'm still waiting for the full report…"

"When we got there, the Ministry was set up outside the protection circle," Severus continued, when Harry just looked at the file. "Minister Fritz informed us there were misty forms floating around the village. They waited for Blake to arrive before they could go in to collect the bodies."

"I left Severus outside the wards," Harry took up the story. "The dark magic was coating the ground, the ghosts of the dead roaming the streets. The crows took them."

Harry stopped talking, he could still feel the dusting of dark magic on his arms. The corrupted feeling of dark arts.

"Crows?" Severus whispered.

"The crows are half in this world and half in the spirit world," Dracka explained. "They can ferry spirits from this world to the next, for a price."

Three sets of eyes landed on Harry.

"It was a small offering," Harry said softly. "They took the spirits with them when they left."

"That was enough for them?" Dracka asked with a frown.

"Um," Harry muttered, without looking up as he rubbed his arm. "It was from me."

"What does that mean, Blake?" Severus asked softly.

Harry cupped the back of his head before running them forward over his hair, spiking it up.

"Plus, a token." Harry said reluctantly. "They were happy with the agreement."

"So," Albus said changing the topic. "Graham Simpson has become a Dark Lord?"

"Yes," Harry confirmed. "But it will take him time to get used to the power. So, we have that on our side. With the amount of dark magic floating around from the ritual, his power is going to be strong. I just hope it gives us enough time to plan."

"What kind of time frame?" Albus asked.

"Um," Harry replied as he sat back in his seat. "Maybe six months if he pushes it. Longer, if we are lucky."

"The students leave in about four months," Albus said absentmindedly.

"Yes," Harry agreed. "The Dark Lord will probably attack before then and as bad as it seems we may not have to face two Dark Lords at the same time. If everything goes to plan."

Severus shivered at those words and Harry shared a look with him, facing Voldemort would be enough.

"I will get my people out to see if we can pick up Simpson's trail," Dracka suggested.

"He will pick up on their dark curse first," Harry said softly, then added without thought. "Dark power, pulls dark power."

"What's that, my boy?" Albus asked, sitting forward in his seat.

Dracka coughed and looked away and Harry felt the same, he hadn't meant to say that out loud.

"Blake?" Severus asked softly.

Harry got up and moved over to the kitchen.

"Hey!" Dracka yelped. "I'm not fielding this one!"

Harry dropped a bowl onto the table loudly and glared at the vampire. Dracka flinched back then gave him a sly smile that put Severus on edge. Harry pulled his cherry wand and held it to his temple as he pulled away a silver strand and placed it into the bowl.

"It's easier to show you," Harry said softly. "Vampires first."

Dracka grinned and touched the silver strand and disappeared.

"Well," Harry said softly to the others "Off you go."

Severus hesitantly touched the memory and disappeared along with the Headmaster. Harry sighed and reached forward.

xXx

Severus looked around at the battlefield in interest, a large dragon roared to the left of them, its green scales shining under the full moon. Werewolves, vampires and wizards fought around them, looking like chaos to Severus's untrained eye. There was a forest to his right as snarls and yells echoed around the grounds. He could see people moving through the trees behind them and a mansion slightly up on a hill in front of them.

A group of about twenty people appeared at the tree line and formed up.

"Alpha right," A short man with shaggy black hair ordered and Severus frowned.

The man stood at the head of the group in only a dragon hide vest and pants. The pants clinging like a second skin to the man's legs as he looked over his men. At his belt hung a silver sword, a muggle gun and a wand. On the other side were a leather pouch and a silver dagger. The power in the man's body clear to see, every time he moved, as he directed people into place. The man's skin seemed to glow slightly in the moonlight as they watched the scene from a slight distance. The man looking slightly familiar to Severus and he frowned as he looked the man over.

"Beta left," The man ordered. "Echo, Delta stay as back up. Charlie with me. Keep in contact at all times."

"Yes, sir!"

Four people peeled off to the left along the tree line as the other team of four moved to the right. The lean man stepped forward and pulled his sword as a force lined up before them. Severus could see their red eyes flashing from where he stood next to Dracka. He glanced at the vampire but the man was focused on the man giving orders, a glint in his eyes.

"Beta in position?" The man asked. "Beta confirmed. Alpha?"

Suddenly the man looked up and towards Severus and he froze as those green eyes looked through them. He was looking at a young version of his lover. The dark messy hair around his head reminding him of Ry and as he ran a hand over his head, he caught sight of the faint line of the curse scar and he gasped as his eyes widened. He looked closer and could just make out a few thin lines of scaring on the man's upper arms.

"Alpha Confirmed," The man asked, his voice carrying.

"This might get confusing," Blake said next to him startling Severus. "We are talking between each team via a small device in our ear that we use to communicate with each other. You are looking at Harry Potter in action."

Blake winked at Severus, when he looked over at him with wide eyes. Blake sounded like he was talking about another person and not himself and he frowned. Was this the way Blake thought of his younger self, as a different person?

"Charlie ready?" Harry Potter questioned, drawing Severus's attention back to the scene.

"Yes, sir."

Potter held the silver sword in his right hand as he palmed his dark wand in the other and stepped forward.

"Alpha, Beta now!" Potter shouted as he moved forward with a grace Severus had never seen before, his team of four behind him.

The vampires jumped forward, red eyes and fangs flashing. Potter moved right into the middle of them without pause with his silver sword flashing in the night and they lost him for a few minutes as he clashed with the vampires, with sword and magic.

"Holy fuck," Dracka muttered next to him.

Potter appeared again as he ran a vampire through and danced back, light on his feet as he ducked and thrust his sword into the next vampire, gutting him. He moved like he had been born with the sword in his hand. Always moving, never missing a step as his team backed him up, but gave him space to work. A vampire lunged at Potter and he danced to the side as he brought his sword's hilt down on the back of the man's head with a loud crack. His other two teams moving in on the sides while the vampires were distracted by Potter.

Wizards and witches started to notice the teams and tried to get through to back up the vampires. One wizard got through Potter's left-hand team and pulled his wand, a green light forming at the tip. In one fluid movement, without breaking off his fight with a vampire, Potter dropped his wand and pulled the gun at his belt and shot the man dead. Bullet through the head before he jumped back into the fray again.

Severus sucked in a breath at the move and glanced over at Dracka to see his shock reflexed there. He was seeing his lover in a different light as the man fought. There was a coldness in the way that Potter acted, almost in a detached way as he took down another vampire. Severus could only guess at what point in time they were seeing this scene but he knew from the sight of the scars that is was after the man had been tortured. So, after he had retried from being an Auror and the fact that he didn't recognise anyone else, he was sure that it was further in the future than he'd first believed. Severus also got the feeling this was nearing the end of the time that Blake would go by the name Harry Potter.

Suddenly a ripple went through the ground and people as the dragon roared in the distance. The fighting seemed to pause around them, like everyone had taken a breath and were waiting for something. Except Potter, he never stopped moving.

"Retreat!" Potter barked, eyes wide. "Retreat! Dark teams pull back, Light teams cover! Move!"

Potter swung his sword to the side pushing a vampire back as his teams broke and retreated but the vampires moved in quickly to block him. The man barred his teeth and jumped forward, his wand appearing in his hand as he flicked it out sending a lash of fire towards the vampires but the wizards were starting to gain ground. Moving in to support the vampires.

A wizard stepped into Potter's path bringing him up short.

Potter flicked the fire lash towards the wizard but he just hit a shield. Potter dropped his wand and slashed through the man's shield with his sword, dropping it, just to run into the knife the man was holding in wait. Potter kept going, smashing his swords hilt into the man's chin dropping him. The man was surrounded, his teams holding ground but not moving forward to help him. Potter stepped back and Severus could see the blood running down his side just below his rib cage. The man's green eyes flicking around, assessing everything around him and Severus's gut clenched at the wild look in the man's eyes. He knew he was trapped and was willing to go down fighting.

"Now, now boys." A woman's voice called out and everyone froze.

Severus turned to see a woman in a tight red dress walking calmly across the battlefield. Her pale blonde hair glowing in the moonlight with a werewolf padded along at her heels, as if they were just out for an evening stroll and not on a battle ground. The woman would have been in her late sixties but no one would say she wasn't beautiful as he walked along calmly with a power around her that Severus could almost feel.

Everything stilled around them as all eyes turned in the woman's direction and it seemed that everyone took a breath, waiting.

The woman smiled showing perfect teeth as her green eyes focused on the scene before her. The smile alone, making people around her lower their weapons and the dark creatures' eyes to glow red in the night as they stepped back.

"Harry, dear." The woman said softly as she moved closer, people parting before her, heads slightly bowed. "I didn't realise you were coming, love."

Potter stood up straighter, his sword held loosely in his hand. A cold look in his eyes as he watched the woman.

"Melissa," The man whispered, looking pale and shaky but there was also a hardness.

"Have you come to join me?" The woman asked as if asking for a dance at a ball.

Potter slowly placed the sword back through the loop on his belt and stepped forward. The woman waved her hand and the people around them moved back without question, leaving a space between them and everyone else. Potter's teams slipping further back into the tree line.

"No," Potter replied calmly to the woman's question.

Melissa laughed lightly before her green eyes locked onto Potter and the man tensed.

"Dark power, pulls dark power. Harry, my love." The woman said softly, her voice carrying on the air. "You will come to me eventually, it's in your nature as a Dark Wizard."

Potter stepped forward until he stood toe to toe with the woman both almost the same height. Melissa gave him a tender smile and Severus shivered at the look in the woman's eyes.

"You think that?" Potter hissed.

"I can feel the dark power under your skin, love." The woman said with a smile, running a finger up the man's arm. "It's already reaching out to me as we stand here."

Potter reached forward and cupped the woman's cheek, a very intimate move on a battlefield. Potter's body language closed as he looked into the woman's eyes and even Severus couldn't pick up on what the man was feeling and he felt a coldness in his stomach at the thought. He felt like he was looking at a stranger and not a man that he knew intimately.

"You think that?" Potter repeated, no emotion in his voice.

"You will come to me," The woman said softly, with conviction. "Your dark power will pull you."

Potter let his hand fall as his lips twisted up in a dark smile as he looked up through his hair at the woman with shining green eyes. The breath caught in Severus's throat at the sight.

"You forget, Melissa." Potter said softly.

"What is that, my love?"

"I have light power too!" Potter hissed.

"No!"

The woman screamed as Potter flicked his hand and a sword of light magic appeared arching towards her. A dark shield flared to life and Potter pushed forward with his light sword against the dark shield as his teams broke cover. Gunshots ringing out on the night air.

Suddenly the memory ended and Severus found himself back in Blake's room with the others.

xXx

"Dark power, pulls dark power," Harry said softly. "Every Dark Lord falls into the same trap."

Dracka wouldn't meet his eye and even Severus and the Headmaster looked shaken by the scene.

"They all believe that anyone with dark power will come to them," Harry said into the silence. "That they will shed their humanity to follow them. For that's what they did to get their power. Yes, dark power does pull on those that have dark magic, but it's will power that separates them from blindly following a Dark Lord."

"Blake," Dracka rumbled.

"Um, well." Harry stuttered. "The more dark power they have, the harder it is to resist. Don't get it into your heads that it's just people with dark magic either, light magic can be pulled just as easily, it's just they have a better defence. The woman you saw…"

Harry trailed off trying to gather his thoughts together as the others waited him out.

"She had the darkest power I have ever felt," Harry said softly. "You could taste it on the air and feel it moving under your skin. Your knees would shake and your hand waver and she knew how to wield it. She had worked with that dark power for a long time, perfecting the art of being a Dark Lord. She'd been in no hurry to get to her goals. She didn't care if it took her ten years or a hundred to get what she wanted."

Severus reached out and placed a hand on Harry's arm, offering his silent support.

"What happened to her?" Albus asked softly.

"Um," Harry stuttered and looked away from Severus. "A man named Ben Cooper. He came up with a light spell…"

"What did it do?" Dracka questioned.

"It sent her mad," Harry replied, still remembering the woman's dying screams. "It allowed the spirits of all the people she had killed to attack her mind."

"You and her…" Dracka let the sentence trail off.

Harry sat back in his seat with a raised eyebrow.

"You seemed to be close…" Dracka leered.

"I have that effect on people," Harry smirked. "Must be my rugged good looks."

"Maybe when you were younger," Dracka muttered. "I have that image in my head now."

Harry kicked him under the table and felt satisfied when the man yelped.

xXx

Dracka glanced over at Blake as they entered the Ministry of Magic a week after Simpson had done his Ritual. The man may have looked calm as they made their way to the reception desk but Dracka knew the man well and could see the tension in the man's body and the sharp look in his eyes as he looked over the crowds. The last week had been hard for the man.

"I hate coming in this way," Blake muttered softly beside him and Dracka noticed his eyes were on the statute of the wizard lording it over everyone else. "I swear that a Malfoy had something to do with that."

Dracka snorted.

"Where do you normally come in?" Dracka asked in interest.

"Straight into the Department," Blake replied. "Can't do that with you with me."

Dracka tensed at those words and Blake glanced over at him and gave him a grin.

"Due to you not having a badge," Blake expanded.

Dracka flashed his fangs at the man and a few wizards and witches gave them space. They quickly handed their wands over to the wizard on duty and the man looked his wand over for a while before passing it back to Dracka. Blake just glared at the man and they were through quickly after that.

There were more than a few whispers as they made their way to the Minister of Magic's office and Dracka wasn't sure if it was him or Blake that drew the stares. They came to the Minister's outer office and Blake paused when he spotted a rough looking man with blonde hair and a scar running across his face.

"That's my boss," Blake said. "Dylan Dogwood. I'll just be a minute."

Dracka waited as Blake limped forward and he could tell that Blake had pulled up a silencing charm around them. He looked the other man over, he was heavy set and a head taller than Blake making the other man look small as he stood next to him as the man glared down at Blake with a dark look in his eyes.

Dracka had to hold himself back as he could tell that Dogwood wasn't happy with Blake and he was sure that more than a few swearwords were being thrown at the smaller man from the one time that he had heard Dogwood on the phone. Blake just leaned on his cane and gave a nod now and again as they spoke.

"Better him than me." Sergeant Miller said as he moved towards Dracka. "He's been growling at everyone since Blake called us last week. How are you Mr Dracka?"

"I'm well," Dracka replied, his eyes not leaving Blake and Dogwood. "Are you staying for the meeting?"

"No," Miller replied simply. "I'm just here to get the reports off Blake. We've been on alert since Blake called which Dylan isn't impressed with."

The two men looked over as Blake and Dogwood came towards them.

"Miller," Blake greeted and pulled the man in for a quick hug. "How are you?"

"Still kicking around," Miller replied with a grin. "Do you have those files."

"Yes," Blake replied and pulled out a small box from his pocket and held it out.

"Thanks, Blake." Miller said with a smile as he took the box and slipped it away in his pocket.

"Dylan, this is Rolf Dracka." Blake introduced. "Dracka this is Dylan Dogwood the Head of the Department of Mysteries."

Dracka took the man's hand, his grip strong and hand rough in his. He resisted the urge to flash his fangs at the man, a vampire response, as they looked each other over. Sizing each other up.

"I hear you have been scaring the children at Hogwarts?" Dylan growled. "After a werewolf and a Death Eater, a vampire must have been the logical progression from there for that position."

Dracka wasn't sure what way to take that.

"Dylan," Blake warned and Dogwood barked a laugh with a glint in his eyes.

"I hope you like the Squirts I sent your way," Dylan said with a smirk. "Better than sipping on the students, I tell you. More fun to wrangle as well, they give you more of a fight than any student. If you can keep away from their bloody claws."

Dracka's eyes darted between Dogwood and Blake.

"Don't mind him, Dracka." Blake said softly. "He just wanted to get rid of the animals and thought they would make a good snack for a vampire."

"Good luck," Miller whispered in Dracka's ear and clapped his hand to his shoulder before bidding them goodbye and walking off.

Dracka looked after the man before looking back at Blake and Dogwood and felt envy for Miller for being able to walk away.

"Right," Dylan growled. "Is it time to scare the shit out of the Minister? We can send the vampire in first…no wait. Blake you go first."

Blake groaned as Dracka glanced between the two men.

"Um, sir?"

The three men turned to Percy Weasley standing there, nervously fiddling with his hands and looking pale under his freckles.

"The Minister is ready for you," Percy announced timidly.

"Perfect!" Dylan barked. "I hope you got my coffee right this time, Weasley!"

"Yes, sir." Percy replied quickly. "Please follow me."

"We know where his bloody office is!" Dylan snapped.

"Thank you, Percy." Blake said softly.

Percy quickly nodded and dashed off as Dylan watched him.

"Shame he didn't take after Arthur," Dylan muttered as Blake fell into step with him.

Dracka followed behind the two as the spoke quietly. He was unsure about Blake's relationship with the other man but they seemed to know each other very well. Not even Severus knew how long that Blake had worked for the Department. Since Blake didn't or couldn't talk about the work he'd done for them.

They came to the Minister's door and Dylan just barged through the door without knocking with Blake sighing and sharing a look with Dracka as he closed the door behind them. Dracka could feel it when Blake pulled up some wards around the room and he tensed slightly.

"It's called knocking, Dogwood!" The Minister snapped from behind his desk and Dracka could tell this meeting had already started out on the wrong foot.

"Weasley said that you were ready for us," Dylan replied mildly. "I didn't believe knocking was needed."

Blake looked over at Dracka and gave him a wink as he came to stand next to the man.

"It's called manners," Minister Rufus Scrimgeour countered. "Something you missed in your training, amongst other subjects."

Dylan gave a laugh as he moved to the long table and took a seat as he pulled out a few files and resized them. The Minister moved around his desk to stand in front of Dracka and Blake.

"Mr Blake Sun," Scrimgeour greeted as his gold eyes looked Blake over before he glanced at him. "And Mr Rolf Dracka."

"Thank you for meeting with us, Minister." Blake said calmly as he held out his hand and the Minister took it.

"Dogwood didn't give me much of a choice in the matter," Scrimgeour replied sourly before shaking Dracka's hand.

"He can be convincing," Blake agreed.

"He can be inpatient as well," Dylan growled over at them from the table.

Blake gave a laugh as he moved over to sit next to the man while Dracka sat next to him and the Minister took a seat on the other side of the table and looked them over.

"I'm assuming this is about Graham Simpson?" The Minister questioned, once everyone was comfortable with their drinks in front of them and all the files had been resized and sorted out.

Blake picked up a file that Dracka noticed had his number on it as well as Blake's name and the Gringotts's crest and seal. He flicked it over to the Minister. The man frowned as he placed his hand on it.

"In part," Blake replied. "You should have received the files about the dark ritual in Germany that Deputy Minster Conner Fritz called me about last week."

The Minister picked up a file and held it up in answer.

"Not a pleasant read," Blake said softly and Dracka could see the haunted look in the man's eyes. "We now have two Dark Lords to contend with and you know they don't care about borders."

"We have enough problems with you-know-who," Scrimgeour muttered. "Than having to worry about a Dark Lord in Germany."

"Ha!" Dylan barked. "Simpson already made an attack in France before he even became a Dark Lord and he had giants backing him up. There is nothing stopping him from striking here. The man was originally from the States, borders mean nothing to him."

"Yes, his attack against the Council of Magical Creatures," Scrimgeour said softly as his eyes moved to Dracka. "Which the Department and Aurors helped with by the way. I've read the reports."

"We stopped him that time," Blake said softly. "Since he didn't expect us to come to their aid. We then did a scouting mission on one of his compounds which resulted in a lot of intel and a dark artefact being retrieved that will help us against the Dark Lord."

"The down side to that was the fact that the man knew we had been there," Dylan remarked and Dracka started unaware that the man knew about that. "We've been working with the information that we gained but this Simpson is a slippery son of a bitch."

"We lost him," Blake said. "We knew he had the knowledge to do a Dark Ritual but he made no waves or moves to act on that until I received the call from Conner."

"The bastard gave us no warning," Dylan growled. "We were aware he had the information but there were no whispers before he acted. The bastard was able to blindside us."

"Dracka?" Blake asked turning to him. "Please tell the Minister what your contacts have said."

"Mr Dogwood is correct," Dracka said carefully. "We had no warning until Blake received the phone call. He has now dropped off the map and we haven't been able to pick up on him."

"We can only assume that he has something or someone blocking him so that we can't find him," Blake summed up. "Since if there is a dark power to find, a vampire will be able to sniff it out. Like a blood hound."

Dracka flashed his fangs at Blake and the man gave him a grin as the Minister pulled back in his seat from them.

"However," Blake said turning back to the Minister. "We also have another Dark Lord to focus on. We are getting plans in place at Hogwarts."

The Minister snorted.

"Dumbledore playing soldier," Scrimgeour scoffed.

"And has a valid reason to," Dylan growled and the Minister paled as his eyes flicked between them.

"Explain," Scrimgeour demanded.

"The Dark Lord will attack Hogwarts," Blake said softly and Dracka watched in interest as the Minister's gold eyes locked onto Blake.

"How would you know this?" Scrimgeour asked slowly.

"For I have already lived this time," Blake replied and Dracka froze.

"What is this!" Scrimgeour snapped as he rose to his feet with his hands planted on the table. "The use of a time turner is restricted, Sun! Dogwood explain!"

"This has nothing to do with me," Dylan said mildly as he sat back in his chair.

The Minister's eyes locked onto Blake and Dracka could feel the tension in the room. Blake just looked back calmly at the man before him.

"My birth name is Harry James Potter," Blake said softly and the Minister paled. "I was born on the thirty-first of July 1980 to James and Lily Potter. I am from a future timeline."

The Minister fell back in his seat in shock, then his eyes were drawn to the file that Blake had flicked at him earlier, he opened it and swore. He looked up at Blake with wide gold eyes.

"I also hold the Deathly Hallows," Blake said softly and Dylan swore this time.

"Why are you telling me this now?" Scrimgeour questioned after a few minutes of silence.

"You have to understand what is at stake here, Minister." Blake said calmly. "What could have happened and hasn't and what will happen if we don't act correctly."

Blake reached into his jacket and pulled out a vial and placed it on the table, a silver liquid swirling inside of it and Dracka sucked in a breath. Blake had placed a memory in that vial. Blake gave it a soft flick and it rolled across the table to the Minister.

"When we met that first time," Blake said softly. "I gave you a warning. This is what would have happened if you have not heeded it. We'll wait here for you."

Scrimgeour looked them over as he picked up the vial in his hand, his gold eyes looking each of them over.

"I haven't got all day, Minister." Dylan growled. "I have a Department to yell at. They don't motivate themselves."

Scrimgeour lips twisted up in a smile before he moved over to his desk and placed the memory in the bowl before disappearing.

"I hope this works, Blake." Dylan snapped.

"Self-preservation is a good motivator," Blake said calmly but Dracka could see the tension in the man. "We need his support for this to work."

Dracka looked the man over and Blake raised his eyebrow in question.

"What are you hoping to achieve?" Dracka asked softly.

"We need all the support we can get," Blake replied. "Every time we make a hit against the Dark Lord he gains support again. For a half blood, he knows how to stir up the pure bloods."

Dylan swore at him, putting Dracka on edge.

"Except you, Dylan." Blake added in amusement. "You are a shining beacon of what a pure blood can be."

"Don't you forget it, Sun." Dylan growled as he gave the man a smile.

The three men fell into silence until the Minster appeared looking pale with wide eyes as he scooped up the memory and placed it away in the vial. The man made his way around the table and held the vial out.

"Let me make one thing clear, Sun." Scrimgeour growled. "I think you are arrogant and have no respect for people in power. A Dark Wizard making waves here in the Ministry and the magical world."

Dracka growled slightly and Blake placed a hand on his knee and he settled as the Minister glared at Blake. This was between the two wizards.

"You have placed yourself in a position of power," Scrimgeour went on. "You have power in the Department and the Auror department and you hold the Ministry to ransom with your contracts. You have Albus Dumbledore's ear and the goblins of Gringotts in your pocket. You also have the Council of Magical Creatures on your side. You work like a Dark Lord, Sun."

Blake's hand tightened on Dracka's knee but he said nothing.

"Minister," Dylan warned in a growl, his own eyes flashing.

"Except for your goals. Your work speaks for itself and so far has been a benefit to this Ministry and the magical world in general," Scrimgeour said reluctantly. "You nudge people to make their own choices and I now know why."

Scrimgeour looked Blake over from the cane beside him to Dracka and Dogwood on either side of him.

"You have power," Scrimgeour said with a cold look in his eyes. "And I don't mean the magic you hold."

"Are you done pointing out my faults?" Blake asked softly, a hard look in his eyes.

"I wouldn't count them as faults," Scrimgeour said with a twisted smile. "You have the support of the Ministry."

The Minister's gold eyes bore into Blake at those words.

"But let me make my point clear," Scrimgeour growled. "The moment you step over that line, Sun. Is the moment we put you down."

"If that day comes," Blake said softly and Dracka shivered at the tone in his voice. "Is the moment that I let you."

Scrimgeour gave him that twisted smile and held out his hand which Blake took in his.

"Thank you," Scrimgeour whispered and Dracka started in surprise. "Now, we have plans to make, let me call up the Head of the Auror department and ruin his day as well."

The Minister moved over to his desk and Dylan turned on Blake.

"What the fuck was in that memory?" Dylan hissed.

"His death," Blake said softly and both men shivered.

xXx

Harry sighed as Dracka and him moved out of the office at last, he felt wrung out but at least between the Council, Department, the Aurors and the Ministry they were finally on the same page. He glanced over at Dracka and could tell the man felt a little overwhelmed by everything and he bumped his shoulder against the vampire.

"Feel like a drink?" Harry offered as he looked at his watch. "I know a few good bars around London. Some that look the other way when someone wanders down an alley with someone in tow."

Dracka perked up at that and Harry gave him a grin. Vampires were so much easier to deal with than the Ministry.

"It's a school night," Dracka pointed out.

"I don't have classes in the morning and you have vampire healing," Harry replied mildly as they made their way back up to the main reception area of the Ministry.

"That almost sounds like a date," Dracka said with a leer.

Harry gave him a grin as they moved to the apparation point.

"I think you've been at the school for too long," Harry commented. "You can branch out you know, see other people."

Dracka barked a laugh as they stepped into the apparation room and Harry grabbed his hand and apparated them to a bar he knew. Harry lead the way to the front doors of the tavern, the sound of live music spilling out of the open doors as they moved passed the two security men at the door and into the venue.

Harry liked this place for it was over two floors with the main bar and dance floor on the first floor and more of a dining area and second bar on the second floor over-looking the stage and dance floor. It also had a roof top bar but that was only open for events. Harry weaved through the crowds with Dracka behind him and called out two beers to the man behind the bar.

They moved to a bench at the back of the room and Harry glanced over at Dracka to see him eyeing off a few people. He was sure the vampire was hungry, since he didn't get as much of a chance to feed while being at the school. Harry sipped on his beer as he let the noise roll over him and the tension in his shoulders eased. The images of what he'd found in Germany fading slightly as he let his mind wander.

It had been a hard few weeks and the mess with Simpson hadn't helped his mind. He hadn't realised how much he needed this until they had walked through the doors. To just relax and unwind since he hadn't been sleeping very well and his thoughts just wouldn't settle. He turned to Dracka but the man was eyeing off a woman across the room.

"Do you have a preference?" Harry asked in interest.

Dracka started and looked over at him and Harry nodded to the woman.

"When feeding?" Dracka whispered back.

"Yes," Harry replied as he finished off his beer.

"Depends on where I am," Dracka replied softly. "Not going to have much luck picking up a woman at a male gay bar."

Harry barked a laugh at that as he grabbed Dracka's empty bottle.

"Go on," Harry said with a smirk. "I'm going to go upstairs to get something to eat. While you have your fill."

Dracka gave him a look and Harry paused.

"It doesn't bother you?" Dracka asked.

Harry just gave him a lopsided grin before leaning close to him.

"I never forget what you are, Dracka." Harry whispered in the vampire's ear.

Dracka reeled back from him with wide eyes.

"And no," Harry said with a smirk. "It didn't bother me at the Death Eater Prison why should it bother me here."

Harry turned and moved away from the man and made his way up the stairs to order some food and call Severus.

xXx

Dracka watched the wizard walk away unsure by the man's words. Blake had a way of creeping you out and even if the man was completely human he acted more like a vampire or dark creature than Dracka would like to admit.

Dracka's eye caught on the woman that he'd spotted before as he weaved his way through the crowds. He moved with the people, dancing as the music blared and he lost himself to the smell and taste of the crowd. His demon purring as he moved closer to the woman and gave her a sly grin and she blushed nicely. He used a little magic to brush against her and she shivered.

Blake had brought them to a muggle bar as he moved closer to the woman and leaned in to whisper in her ear and she giggled as he let his hands rest on her hips as she fell under his spell. Not that it took much, with the feel of the place, the alcohol he could smell on her breath and that was before mentioning the way that she was looking him over. He glanced over at the woman's friends and gave them a grin and they turned away with a giggle.

He moved his hands on the woman's hips and slipped them under her shirt as they danced closer and the woman grabbed his ass and pulled him flush with her body as they moved to the music. It was very easy for Dracka to kiss her on the neck before with a touch of magic he gently slid his fangs into her throat and she moaned under his hands as they moved together.

He only took a few sips before kissing up her neck, tasting the sweat on her skin as she panted in his ear before moving back down her neck. He slid his fangs back into the same spot and she moaned louder this time as his magic washed over them. Blake's words coming back to him as the woman held him close as they moved together.

He knew how easy it was for people to forget that he was a dark creature until they saw his red eyes, when the demon was close to the surface of his thoughts, or when he showed off his fangs. Blake was different for a wizard, he was a man that knew vampires and their language as much as any other vampire. Dracka hated to admit it but he sometimes forgot that the man wasn't like him even if he could feel the man's dark magic under his skin and it wasn't until Blake would lash out that he would be reminded, normally painfully of the fact that the man was a wizard and not a vampire.

xXx

Harry had lost count of the beers he'd had when Dracka found him sprawled out in a bench seat on the second floor. The vampire gave him a leer as he moved to sprawl out beside him. His legs touching his and Harry could tell that the man had taken his fill.

"Enjoy yourself?" Harry asked with a grin.

Dracka flashed his fangs at him lazily and Harry smirked as he finished off his beer and wiggled it at the bar tender. The man gave him a grin and a nod. Harry placed the beer with the other empty bottles on the table and Dracka looked them over.

"How many of those have you had?" Dracka asked as he looked the table over before looking at him.

"Lost count," Harry replied. "I called Severus earlier to give him the heads up that we'll be back late."

"Should I avoid the man tomorrow?" Dracka asked in amusement.

"I'm thinking I might need to avoid him tonight," Harry remarked as he pulled out his wallet and pulled out a couple of bills as the bar tender placed two beers on the table. "Thank you."

The man took the bills with a grin and gave them a once over before walking off with a slight sway to his steps. Harry felt Dracka take an interest next to him.

"He's mine," Harry said blandly as he picked up the new beer. "Do you know how hard it is to train a good bar tender?"

Dracka barked a laugh as he picked up the other beer and glanced around. It was getting late and recorded music had taken over from the band. He was a little surprised by the crowd on a Thursday night but they were in London. Three women stepped off the steps and spotted Dracka and the vampire smiled as they made their way over to them.

"Dracka," One of the women said loudly. "There you are."

"You found me," Dracka replied. "Have a seat, my love."

The woman took a seat next to Dracka and glanced over at Harry, she couldn't have been older than twenty-five and her two friends would be around the same age as they moved to sit next to her and gave him a look before turning to each other. Dracka wrapped his arm around the woman's shoulders and pulled her close as he took a sip of his beer.

"This is my friend, Blake." Dracka said to the woman. "Blake this is Rebecca and her two friends. Ally and Connie."

"Nice to meet you," Blake replied as he signalled to the bar tender.

The man made his way over with a grin and took their orders and Harry gave him a card.

"Start a tab, Please." Harry said with a smile. "Add in a nice tip for yourself."

"Thank you," The man replied with a grin as he leaned forward and picked up the empty glasses making sure to keep his eyes locked on Harry as his shirt hung low.

The man finished picking up the bottles and moved off with a sly grin over his shoulder and a sway to his hips and Harry watched him casually.

"I think he likes you, Blake." Dracka said casually as the man moved back around the bar and Harry held up his hand with Severus's ring on it.

"Taken, love." Harry replied with a smirk at the vampire.

"Oh!" Rebecca cried as she looked between the bar tender and Harry before turning to her friends with a giggle.

"Really?" Harry said dryly to Dracka.

The vampire just flashed his fangs at him.

xXx

Dracka glanced over at Blake as they made their way down the street with his arm around Rebecca as the other man spoke quietly to Ally and Rebecca was talking to Connie beside her. It had surprised him how much alcohol the man could put away and he wondered if the man would still be standing if it weren't for his cane.

They came to a fancy hotel and the women moved them through the reception area and into the lift. Rebecca suddenly grabbed him and pulled him into a kiss and he returned it, tasting the alcohol as he deepened the kiss. They piled out of the lift and the woman pushed him into the wall as Blake and her friends moved off to the women's hotel room. He growled slightly as the woman grabbed him through his pants.

"I have my own room," Rebecca whispered in his ear as she rubbed him. "I'm sure Ally and Connie will keep your friend entertained for a while."

"Lead the way, my dear." Dracka purred.

She did just that, they barely made it through the door before the woman was pulling his shirt over his head and running her hands down his sides and he was unbuckling his belt as she stepped back to slip out of her shirt and pants, until they both stood naked as Dracka moved them back towards the bed.

xXx

Cut scene.

xXx

He rolled to the side as Rebecca panted and he gave her a sly smile. He ran his hand down her side feeling the soft skin under his hand before sitting on the side of the bed and carefully removing the condom. He glanced over to see Rebecca watching him with slightly glazed over eyes from a combination of alcohol, sex and his feeding and he knew that she wouldn't be awake for long. He leaned over the bed and gave her a slow kiss taking his time before pulling back. She curled up as he moved towards the bathroom to clean up.

When he moved back to the bedroom, Rebecca was asleep sprawled out across the bed. He gently moved the blanket over her and ran a hand over her hair. He was sure that he would be seeing her again as he pulled his clothes back on.

He moved to the door when he heard a soft knock and opened it to see Blake on the other side, leaning his shoulder into the door jam. The man glanced over to the bed before turning his green eyes on him. Nothing in his expression.

"Finished?" Blake asked quietly.

Dracka gave him a sly smile and Blake raised an eyebrow. Dracka could see the glazed look in the other man's eyes from the alcohol he'd consumed. They moved into the hall and Dracka closed the door behind him. The two men fell into step with each other and Dracka glanced over at Blake.

"What did you show the Minister?" Dracka asked.

Blake stopped in the hallway and leaned back against the wall, Dracka wasn't sure if it was because Blake needed the support or not.

"He would have been tortured and killed by the Dark Lord," Blake said with a slight slur to his words. "I showed him what could have happened. With the threat of both Simpson and the Dark Lord. We needed him on board."

Dracka stepped closer to the man and took in his scent and the smell of alcohol on him as Blake looked up at him. He reached forward and cupped the man's face and Blake tensed.

"I believe you did that," Dracka replied with a leer.

Blake reached up and grabbed his wrist, then in one movement Dracka found himself pushed face first into the wall that Blake had been resting against. He froze as Blake held his arm up behind his back and he could smell the man's scent around him. Blake growled low in his throat and Dracka tilted his head to the side.

The man held him in that position for a couple of seconds more before releasing him and stepping back. Dracka turned back to him warily but Blake just gave him a slight smile before reaching down and picking up the cane he'd dropped.

"There's too much of a vampire in you," Dracka remarked and Blake barked a laugh.

"Oh, god." Blake said as he paled. "Don't make me laugh. I think I might be sick."

Dracka gave him a smile and Blake shared a look with him before looking at his watch.

"Do you think we could find a coffee shop open at two in the morning?" Blake asked. "I don't want to throw up when we have to apparate back to the school."

Dracka barked a laugh as he moved closer to the other man and they moved off down the hallway together.

xXx

Severus dropped the thick potion's text book right next to the vampire's head, that was resting on the Head Table. Dracka groaned loudly and grabbed his skull as Minerva thinned her lips while Albus looked over in amusement. Severus then dropped the next book he held, with a loud bang and Dracka swore at him.

Severus smirked and held up the third book.

"You drop that one, Severus." Dracka hissed, his eyes flashing. "And I'll snap."

"I'm just placing the books I need for my morning lesson on the table," Severus remarked with a smirk. "Hardly my fault that you are hungover from taking my partner out until the early hours of the morning."

Severus then dropped the last book in his hand onto the table and Dracka flinched at the loud sound. Cursing his vampire hearing as his head pounded.

"I hope you gave Blake the same treatment," Dracka groaned as he rubbed his temples. He knew the pain would be gone by lunch time, due to his healing, but that didn't help him now.

"The Department called him early this morning," Severus replied as he took a seat next to the vampire. "I'm sure he only got a couple of hours of sleep after your adventures last night."

"You two are worse than teenagers," Minerva snapped and Dracka winched again.

"Feeling like one too. A hungover one," Dracka muttered. "Bloody, Blake Sun."

Severus snorted in amusement.

"God, that man can drink." Dracka groaned. "For a small man he can put it away and still be standing. I still reckon it was only his cane keeping him up."

Severus snorted as Minerva's lips tightened even more as she looked at him in disapproval.

"Speak of the devil," Albus muttered.

They all looked up as Blake walked into the hall. Dracka looked him over but he didn't seem to be showing the effects of the drinking that he'd done the night before.

"Don't tell me that you gave him a potion," Dracka accused Severus.

"Not me," Severus replied with a smirk. "I don't want to encourage him into a repeat performance."

"Like Blake needs encouragement to act like a child." Minerva stated as they watched him work his way through the students before moving to the Head Table.

"Morning, everyone." Blake chirped with a grin.

Dracka groaned and grabbed his head as Blake moved around the table and picked up one of the books.

"Hey, this one is mine." Blake said as he looked over the titles.

"They were the thickest ones I could find," Severus replied with a smirk and they shared a look.

"Ah," Blake said with a smirk then let the book fall with a loud bang and Dracka groaned before swearing at the two men.

"You two are as bad as each other," Dracka moaned.

"Think of it as building up your resistance to snapping," Blake said. "See, your demon isn't even showing."

"It's betrayed me," Dracka muttered. "It's left me to deal with you two alone, the bastard."

Blake barked a laugh and Dracka let his head rest on the table as he cursed them, not looking forward to his first class.

"Keep up that language Mr Dracka," Minerva said sternly. "And you'll lose points."

"Bloody Blake Sun," Dracka muttered and Minerva huffed.

"I agree," Blake said with a smirk. "Very bad, Blake Sun. But think of it this way Dracka, you didn't have Dogwood yelling at you earlier."

Dracka snickered.

"I'm thinking a Friday night might be a better night next time," Blake stated mildly as he took a seat and grabbed the whole pot of coffee and pulled it closer. "Dylan doesn't work Saturdays."

Dracka and Severus groaned as Blake gave them a grin.


	33. Chapter 33

Blake was having nightmares and it was concerning Severus. The man normally slept soundlessly but would wake at the slightest noise much like Severus himself but lately he'd been sleeping less and was restless when he did. Severus had found himself waking to find Blake sitting on the edge of the bed, working with his sword in the other room or just holding him as he shook.

He'd left sleeping potions and even a dreamless sleep on the man's bedside table but Blake hadn't taken them. Severus had just left them there, just in case he changed his mind. When he asked the man about the nightmares he would say he couldn't remember or say it was about the torture that he'd gone through but Severus wasn't so sure. His nightmares did flare up every now and again but not like this.

It was for that reason that Severus found himself in Blake's office, not that the man used it often. Preferring to use his dining table or work in his classroom but he did use it sometimes. Severus looked around the space, Blake kept his potion ingredients in a cabinet to his right and shelves of books to his left. This room was the only room that he kept locked but Severus and Dracka were keyed to the door as well as the Headmaster. He moved to the desk and took a seat, looking over the files on the table.

Mostly student files but there were a couple on Simpson and his movements and the murders. Blake's neat writing covering the reports. Severus flicked through them finding nothing out of the ordinary until he got to the file of the murdered village and the photos. He paused as he looked at the woman on the stone table and his stomach rolled at the image as it brought up memories of his time with Voldemort and what that man was capable of.

"Can I help you with something, Severus?"

Severus's head shot up to look at Blake. He didn't even hear the man come into the room and yet there he stood, leaning back against the door with his arms crossed and his cane hanging from his arm. The man looked at him with unreadable eyes as they looked him over.

Blake sighed and moved towards Severus. He hung his cane off the edge of the table as he limped slightly towards Severus and looked down at the file in his hands frowning. He leaned back on the table edge beside Severus and looked down at him.

"What are you looking for?" Blake asked softly.

"Your nightmares," Severus whispered.

"You think they are in those files?"

"Are they?"

Blake sighed and Severus could see how tired the man was.

"No," Blake said after a couple of minutes. "No, they are not."

Severus laid his hands on the other man's thighs making Blake look down at him. Tried green eyes locked onto his and suddenly the man's barriers around his mind were gone. Severus sucked in a breath as his eyes widened.

"Blake?" Severus questioned softly.

Blake gave him a soft smile but didn't bring his walls back up. Severus stood up and cupped the man's face. He could faintly hear the man's surface thoughts like whispers in his ears with no distinct words. He could easily push into the man's mind but he held back.

"If you're not going to look," Blake said softly, then gave him a lopsided grin. "I think a pen is sticking into my bum."

Severus barked a laugh and pulled the man forward by the hips and looked behind him before clearing off a part of the desk and placing Blake onto the surface. Blake grinned at him as Severus gave him a soft kiss and pulled back. He looked down at the man and smiled.

"Well?" Blake asked. "Mind full of hundreds of years of history here."

"With many holes," Severus muttered. "And forgotten things."

Blake barked a laugh then looked back at Severus with a soft smile.

"Show me one of the nightmares?" Severus whispered.

Severus looked into Blake's eyes.

 _Then suddenly he was falling and there was screaming and pain. He could feel a burning on his back and blood on his hands as he screamed. His veins full of fire and ice, he was so cold and hot at the same time and it made his head swim and all he could see was a dark mist. He felt dark power at his fingertips and running over his back._

" _You will tell me, Mr Potter." A voice said beside him and he rolled his eyes slightly._

 _A man in a suit was crouched beside him, brown hair hanging slightly in front of his cold brown eyes as he looked down at him. A dark mist was coating the man's skin and Severus squinted his eyes in confusion. A lot of the man's features obscured by the dark mists covering his eyesight. Severus shook his head slightly but the mists remained._

" _Come now, Mr Potter." The man said with a smirk._

 _The man looked up and suddenly hands were grabbing his arms and shoulders and pain burst through his body. Dark mists swirling around him as he was dragged through the hallways. Fire ran up and down his back as he shook in pain. They reached a large room with chains hanging from the ceiling._

 _He felt the men pull first one hand then the other up and lock his wrists into place with the handcuffs. He tried to get his feet under him but he just couldn't hold his own weight as the man in the suit moved into his line of sight, those cold eyes locked onto him._

" _Shall we start again, Mr Potter?"_

 _Severus screamed as the lashes fell on his back tearing it open._

Severus came back to himself panting, his eyes wide with his hands on either side of Blake as his stomach rolled and he wasn't sure if he was going to be sick or not. Blake didn't look much better.

"Oh, god." Severus whispered.

He laid his head on the man's shoulder as Blake wrapped his arms around him, his legs on either side of his body as Severus leaned into him.

"They are memories?" Severus whispered.

"Yes," Blake replied. "Are you okay?"

Severus huffed a mirthless laugh and pulled back to look into Blake's eyes. He cupped the man's cheeks, feeling the man's soft hair under his fingertips. Blake closed his eyes as Severus ran his hands through the man's short hair. He could feel the man relaxing under his touch.

"Come on," Severus said softly.

Blake frowned but followed Severus back to his rooms. Severus moved into the bedroom and slipped the man's jacket off his shoulders.

"Severus?" Blake asked softly.

"Take off your shirt." Severus replied, as he stripped down to his pants.

Blake frowned but complied. He reached for his belt when Severus placed a hand on his.

"On the bed," Severus gently ordered. "On your stomach."

Blake hesitated for a second, his eyes unsure. Severus just waved him to the bed.

"Severus?" Blake whispered. "What do you have planned?"

Severus grabbed the other man's hips, leaned down and kissed him before stepping him back towards the bed. Blake was tense under his hands and he lightly rubbed his thumbs over the man's bare skin. He walked him back until the man's legs hit the bed then released him. Blake's eyes were wide as he looked up at Severus and he felt his heart beat that little bit quicker as he gave the man a soft smile.

Blake returned the smile before sitting on the bed. He turned and crawled up the bed before sprawling out on his stomach. Severus could see the tension in the man's back and was a little unsure why. Severus moved onto the bed and saddled the man's waist. He noticed that Blake's hands were curled into fists above his head and that his head was slightly turned to the side as he watched him.

Severus reached over to his bedside table and pulled out a vial of lube. He poured a little into his hands and warmed it up before placing his hands on Blake's tense back. The muscles were as tight as ropes under his hands, the scaring plain to see and his gut clenched at the sight, knowing how it had felt as those scars were made. The phantom feeling of lines of fire on his own back.

He gently ran his hands up the man's back to his shoulders and worked on the tight muscles there. Carefully working out the knots he found as his hands worked down his back and then back up as Blake's hands slowly relaxed out of the tight fists they were curled into. He took his time to work every muscle as the man slowly relaxed under him. He leaned forward and kissed the man's left shoulder.

"Better?" Severus purred in the man's ear.

Blake gave a sharp nod but stayed silent as Severus sat back up.

"Lift your hips?" Severus said softly.

Blake tensed slightly but did as he asked and Severus quickly loosened the man's belt and slipped his pants down. Slipping each of his shoes off until he lay naked under him. Severus settled back, saddling the man's waist and worked the muscles in his back again until Blake relaxed under him.

He poured more lube on his hands and slid his hands down Blake's sides then over his hips as he moved further down the bed. Working the muscles in the man's thigh, Blake groaned when he worked on the tight muscles around his right leg and Severus took great care as he kneaded his fingers into the muscles. Still feeling the damage under the skin where he'd cut back and rebuilt the muscles. His actions giving Blake more movement and less pain and yet still not enough.

Blake panted but didn't say anything and Severus could feel himself hardening at the sounds but he ignored it. He moved down the man's legs before moving back up again. Working his fingers into the tight muscles of the man's hips especially his right hip. Before working up his back to his shoulders.

The man had finally relaxed, his breathing deepening. Severus stepped off the bed to strip down as Blake watched him with slitted green eyes. Blake went to move his legs as Severus moved back to the bed but he stopped him and saddled his waist.

"Severus?" Blake whispered.

"Sh," Severus replied, placing a hand on the man's back.

Blake was tense again and Severus sighed. He poured more lube on his hands and worked on the muscles until the man was boneless under him and had closed his eyes for the first time. He worked on the man's neck before moving back to his shoulders, gently easing off, so that his hands were just running over his skin softly.

Severus could feel the moment that the man fell asleep under him and laid his hands on the scaring, tracing his fingers along the overlapping lines. He'd felt those lashes on his back, the lines of fire as the whip hit again and again without mercy or pause. He'd felt the echo of the pain that Blake had felt as his back was torn open and he shivered slightly. He couldn't imagine having to endure that for days and weeks on end and he wasn't sure if that was the only kind of torture that Blake had endured while he'd been captured.

Blake moved under him slightly and Severus moved to lie beside him instead. Blake moved onto his side in his sleep, his hands near his head. Severus frowned and looked at the man's wrists, only just now noticing the very faint line around each one. He leaned over to have a closer look, running his fingers over the man's wrist and could feel the slight line of scaring under his fingertips. If he hadn't been looking for it, he probably wouldn't have seen them, and it sent a chill down his spine that he'd missed something like that for so long.

Severus lay back down on the bed and scooped up his wand from the side table and a blanket fell over the two, Blake jolted slightly at the use of magic but didn't wake. Severus rolled towards the man and tangled his legs with the other man as he placed his arm around his waist just listening to him breathing softly. Sleep didn't come easy for Severus that night but Blake slept all the way through.

xXx

Severus woke to the feeling of someone running a hand down his side and a mouth on his throat and he rolled slightly onto his back and peered up at Blake above him. The man grinned and slipped his hand lower as Severus rolled onto his back completely. The man had been on the phone when he'd gone to bed, his soft voice in the next room lulling him to sleep but going off the clock on his bedside table that had been a long time ago.

Blake saddled him before gently placing a knee between Severus's legs and nudging them apart as he kissed him deeply, his hands moving on Severus.

xXx

Cut scene, link can be found on my profile page.

xXx

Blake pulled back and moved to the side as he curled up into Severus's side and with a flick of his wrist cast the cleaning charm and Severus's eyes widened as he watched the magic swirling as the charm worked. He glanced around taking in the sight of the magic as it settled around them. Blake watched him in amusement as he curled into his side.

He reached out a hand and touched the magic he could see, it twirled around his fingers and brushed against his arm. Swirling through his fingers and felt slightly cool to his touch. He'd felt the magic before but with the boost of Blake's magic he could see it clearly around him.

"Grab it," Blake muttered into his chest.

Severus closed his hand on the magic and could feel something, no someone, at the other end. He focused on the magic more and suddenly he was surrounded by it, it felt familiar as it ran over his senses and he could feel a connection in the back of his mind.

Then he realised the connection was with Blake, a hint of amusement came down the link as he looked around in amazement, the room was covered in mists, some dark and others light as he took on more of what Blake saw. He knew instinctively that if he focused on a magical object he could see the spells worked into it as he lay there.

Blake nudged him slightly and he turned his eyes on him. His green eyes stood out as the man grinned at him.

"Follow the connection," Blake whispered, he wasn't sure if the man said it out loud or in his mind.

He closed his eyes and grabbed the connection he felt, it slipped from him a few times before Blake's presence pushed him slightly and he grabbed a hold of it. He followed it back to the source feeling Blake around him. Until he stood looking at the man's core, a twirling ball of magic before him. It was like looking at oil on water as the power shimmered every colour of the rainbow, with dark and light mists swirling together around and through it.

Blake nudged him and Severus reached out and touched one of the strands of light magic. He could feel life in that strand, of things he could create and he quickly let go of it. He hesitated to touch the dark strand and this time Blake didn't nudge him but he could feel the man waiting.

He reached out hesitantly and touched the dark strand and felt a cool breeze run down his back. It felt familiar, like an ex-lover, as it danced down his spine. He'd held this power before, he realised with shock and it came easily into his hand unlike the light power that seemed to turn away from him.

Blake gave him a hard nudge and Severus let go of the power with a gasp. Blake wrapped around him and was pulling him back to the surface of the connection and then Severus could only feel himself and Blake was just a thin connection at the edge of his mind. Blake nudged him but it was more an echo and Severus realised that he was in his own mind. Which just felt surreal to him.

Blake gave him another push and Severus could tell the man was frustrated at something, like he was being held back. Severus started and lowered the barriers around his mind in understanding. Blake's presence grew stronger and he was pushing him forward until Severus was looking at his own core of magic, the rainbows paler than Blake's but still there as it moved around him and the dark mists only small strands as they drifted around lazily.

He reached out and the power flowed to him easily as he cupped the dark power, he could feel Blake stepping back. The man was unsure and slightly nervous and Severus didn't understand why.

"Shit!"

Severus startled at the sudden noise and the connection broke around him. Blake was out of bed with a slight burn mark on his chest.

"Sorry," Blake said quickly. "Should have warned you."

Severus quickly slid out of bed in concern, the burn mark was only small but was already puffing up.

"Did I do that?" Severus asked.

"Um," Blake said, as he reached into the drawer of the bedside table. "Yeah, I forgot to warn you, don't worry I don't think it was enough for the Headmaster to notice."

He pulled out a jar of healing balm which Severus took from his hand and worked the balm into the small burn. Severus chuckled suddenly, startling the other man.

"What?" Blake asked.

"Does sex always come with lessons with you?" Severus purred.

Blake grinned back and wrapped his arms around the taller man.

"Hey," Blake smirked. "At least I make my lessons fun, unlike some teachers I know."

Severus laughed as he tumbled the man back onto the bed.

xXx

"We've had no luck in finding him," Dracka said softly as he looked at the files on the table.

"I'm not surprised," Harry replied. "He would have gone to ground quickly after the ritual. His dark power will make it harder for him to hide like before but he has shown he is very good at hiding."

Harry sighed as they looked over the reports.

"We have the numbers of his supporters from when we raided his compound," Harry remarked. "Not to mention a long list of safe houses and other places and agreements he has. One down side to those files is my own stupidity could have compromised them."

"Couldn't have been helped, Blake." Dracka told the man.

"Over confidence is the failing of many leaders," Harry said softly and moved a couple of the files around. "We have to be careful now that he doesn't use the information we gathered from his office against us. Due to us taking the horcrux he will know that we were in his office.

"Another thing that couldn't be helped," Dracka pointed.

"Yes, yes." Harry snapped. "I'm well aware of that."

Harry was frustrated and he sighed.

"Sorry," Harry said softly. "How is the Headmaster going with the Dark Lord?"

Dracka grinned.

"The man has been quiet so far," Dracka replied. "But is gathering support again."

"So," Harry said looking at the other man. "You think he won't make any great moves until he tries to takes the school?"

"It looks that way," Dracka replied then frowned. "Why is he so focused on something that really has no value?"

"I think it's a pride thing," Harry replied as he sat back in his seat. "A half-blood wanting to be recognised as a pure blood due to his connection to Salazar Slytherin. A man, I might add, that has been dead for over a thousand years."

"Blood can be very important," Dracka remarked as he flashed his fangs at Harry.

Harry looked away.

"Blake?" Dracka asked softly, since looking away was unlike him.

"Magic," Harry said softly, as he looked at the table. "Is so much like blood. It has a different flavour but boils down to the same thing in the end."

Harry looked up to see that he had shocked the vampire and gave him a grin, showing off his own teeth to the man and Dracka snorted.

"They are both something that someone would fight for," Harry said to the other man. "And die for and you Rolf Dracka can take both away from someone."

Dracka shivered and Harry gave him a lopsided grin.

"You would make a good vampire," Dracka whispered.

Harry barked a laugh and gave the vampire a wink.

"I've been told that before," Harry said with a smirk. "Now, have you been able to find out if we have gotten all the horcruxes?"

Dracka eyed off him off for a few minutes before letting the conversation change.

"Just the snake and Harry Potter," Dracka replied.

Harry stilled.

"Harry Potter," Harry whispered.

"We have a plan in place, Blake." Dracka said softly and grabbed his hand.

Harry nodded stiffly, he was too close. This was something that he would have to have faith in the other two men for. Since his own feelings for his son would get in the way. It tore at him but he knew he had no other choice in the matter. He ran a hand over his head, feeling the tension in his shoulders.

"Blake," Dracka said softly.

Harry looked up at him, locking eyes with a vampire.

"We'll look after him," Dracka said softly. "You have to trust us. You know what needs to happen."

Harry's eyes bore into the vampire's but Dracka did not look away or flinch.

"I'm guessing," Dracka said softly. "That my life would be forfeit if the boy dies."

Harry looked away.

"I don't know what I would do," Harry admitted softly. "I can't blame you if your plan goes wrong, unless you haven't thought of everything."

"I could just hide behind Severus," Dracka smirked. "And hope for the best."

Harry snorted and looked back at the vampire steadily.

"I suppose an eye for an eye," Harry said softly.

Dracka flinched back at those words.

"Jesus, Blake!" Dracka cursed. "My brother was a clean kill."

Harry looked away but his eyes snapped back when Dracka growled at him and his eyes locked on the vampire's red ones.

"It still hurts," Dracka said softly as his eyes bleed back to black. "But, no one could say it wasn't a clean kill. I was there, I saw him jump on you after killing your team. If you think I would take your son away because of that!"

Harry flinched back as Dracka glared at him. The vampire's chair crashed to the floor as he stood suddenly as anger flooded through him. The fight went out of Dracka as he looked down at Harry and he knelt down in front of the seated man.

"He is your own blood," Dracka whispered. "Your own magic and you have raised him from a child. Something you didn't have to do."

"And I am trusting him to you and Severus," Harry said softly. "All I want to do is protect him. I wasn't there for him as much as I should have been. I couldn't remember as much as I should have and he was hurt by that. Now, I have to trust him to you...Your own brother's blood is on my hands, Dracka."

Harry held his hands out and Dracka took them in his own, his skin slightly cooler than his own.

"And you trust his life to a man you love," Dracka said softly. "A man who you trust completely."

Harry nodded, unable to find the words he needed.

"Trust us," Dracka said softly as he held his hands.

Harry looked at their joined hands and nodded.

"Don't make me have to bury another child," Harry said softly into the silence.

"We'll do everything we can," Dracka replied.

It was a soldier's promise, something Harry knew well. There would be deaths, he just hopped that they weren't friends, family or lovers.

xXx

"So," Harry started as he looked over at Severus getting dressed for breakfast from his place in their bed. "The goblins want me to see if Bill Weasley is ready for the title of Master Curse Breaker."

Severus looked over at him as he tightened his belt.

"What does that entail exactly?" Severus asked.

"Well," Harry replied. "That depends on the person and their level of skill or power or both really."

"Yes," Severus drawled. "That cleared that up nicely."

Harry barked a laugh as he pulled himself out of the bed and moved over to the other man and was pleased to see the way Severus's eyes roamed over him before he snagged up his dress shirt.

"It's not like when you did your apprenticeship," Harry replied as he pulled out a pair of jeans. "Some curse breakers don't even make it to the master level. That's why we are in such demand. The goblins want Bill to get the title so they don't have to keep calling me."

"And sending you all over the world," Severus muttered.

Harry gave the man an amused glance as he finished dressing.

"You knew that before we started a relationship, Severus." Harry replied mildly. "You know I always come back."

"In roughly the same shape," Severus remarked and Harry let that slide as they finished dressing.

The two men moved into the hallway to the sound of yelling. Severus and Harry picked up their speed to see two young students having a fist fight in the hallway before the Great Hall. Severus pulled his wand but Harry grabbed his wrist as Dracka appeared and grabbed the uniform of one of the boys and hauled him off the other one with a growl in his throat.

The other boy jumped to his feet, his face red before he saw the vampire and paled as he backed away. Dracka dropped the boy he held and the student crashed to the ground in a tangle of limbs. Harry let Severus go and the man stalked forward.

"And what, pray tell, would this be about?" Severus asked silkily as Dracka stood between the two students, his eyes red and his fangs barred.

"He stole something from Mr Sun's desk," The third year Slytherin named, Sam Carlson, shouted.

Severus glanced over at Harry and he just shrugged his shoulders. He had no idea what the boy was talking about. The child wasn't even one of his students.

"I did not!" The second year Gryffindor, Callum Genger, yelled back.

Genger stepped forward towards the other boy and Dracka growled, blocking him and the boy paled. Professor McGonagall walked out of the Great Hall and paused as she looked over the scene. She stood up straighter and pushed her glasses up her nose with one finger as she looked over everyone in the hallway as students lined the walls and the doors to the Great Hall whispering.

"Enough," Severus hissed and silence descended.

Harry shared a look with Dracka, that one word from Severus could silence a hallway where a vampire couldn't. Harry limped towards Severus to stand at his shoulder as he looked between the two students.

"What is it, that you believe, that Mr Genger stole from my desk?" Harry asked into the silence.

"That snake of yours," Sam replied as he glared over at Callum.

"What snake?" Harry asked, puzzled.

"I didn't steal anything!" Callum defended.

"Hand it here," Severus hissed as held his hand out.

Callum stiffened and his eyes darted around, making Harry frown as he stepped in front of Severus.

"Show me," Harry said gently as he leaned into his cane.

Callum slowly reached into his pocket and pulled out something silver and held it out in his palm and Harry paled as he looked at it. Dracka growled and moved closer but Harry held up his hand.

"He did not take that from me," Harry said softly.

Callum Genger closed his hand over the silver snake and slipped it back into his pocket. Harry turned to the other boy.

"Did you see Mr Genger take it?" Harry asked, steel in his voice.

"No, sir." Sam said softly and shifted slightly. "But it is yours and you had it on your desk."

"And yet, Mr Sun has stated he did not take it," Severus added silkily. "Follow me Mr Carlson and we will have a little chat about this matter."

Sam Carlson paled and looked down at his feet.

"Yes, sir." Sam said softly.

Severus turned on his heels and stalked off with Sam following behind him, in no doubt that the child would follow him.

"Mr Genger please follow me," Minerva said softly and Callum hung his head as he followed after his Head of House.

Dracka looked around the hallway, his eyes still red and he flashed his fangs at the children which had them moving. Harry looked over at the man in amusement.

"Remind you of fledglings?" Harry asked.

"If they were fledglings," Dracka replied mildly. "I would have waited a little while before stepping in. It's not a good fight until there's blood on the floor."

Harry barked a laugh then an idea came to mind and Dracka pulled back from him.

"Have you had a class on vampires, yet?" Harry asked mildly and Dracka groaned.

"One that I wish not to repeat," Dracka replied. "Idiots the lot of them."

"I wonder if the Headmaster would allow a demonstration," Harry remarked with a smirk.

Dracka groaned before giving him a once over.

"What did the boy have?" Dracka asked.

"The token I gave the crows," Harry said softly and watched the blood drain from Dracka's face as he swore in French. "I wonder why they give him that."

"You know what he will become," Dracka said softly and Harry sighed as he ran a hand over his head.

"Yes," Harry confirmed. "I would be blind not to see what that boy will become."

"What are you going to do about it?" Dracka asked in interest as he moved closer.

"I already offered him to take my classes," Harry replied with a sigh. "He hasn't given me an answer yet."

Both men looked over when Albus Dumbledore made his way down the hallway towards the Great Hall, the man paused when he saw them and Harry gave the man a big grin.

"Albus," Harry greeted cheerfully.

Albus groaned at the look on Harry's face.

"Don't tell me that the Department of Mysteries have sent you another box," Albus said softly as he moved towards the other two men.

"Not that I am aware of," Harry replied as his smile widened. "I have something better in mind."

xXx

"Mr Sun?" A soft voice said quietly from his office door and Harry looked up to see Callum Genger standing there nervously.

"Come in, Mr Genger." Harry said with a smile as he looked up from the file before him. "How can I help you?"

Callum came into the room, leaving the door open and stood in front of his desk. The boy looked around before pulling the silver snake out of his pocket and placing it on his desk. Harry could see the boy did it reluctantly as he held his hands nervously in front of him.

"Professor McGonagall said I should give this back to you," Callum said softly.

Harry looked the boy over, he was small for his age and normally would just disappear amongst the students. There was nothing to make him stand out and from what his teachers had told Harry his work was very much the same. Passing but didn't show any real talent in any one subject.

"It is yours, Mr Genger." Harry said softly. "They gave it to you for a reason."

The boy started and looked around even more nervous as he glanced behind him at the open door. Almost to reassure himself that he wasn't trapped in the room.

"Who, sir?" Callum asked in a small voice.

Harry leaned forward and touched the silver and it slowly morphed under his fingers into the shape of the crow with beady black eyes. Callum gasped as he looked at the silver figurine and Harry pulled back in his seat. The boy picked it up and looked it over in fascination.

"How did you do that?" Callum asked softly.

"If you take my classes next year," Harry replied softly. "I can show you."

Callum looked down at the little silver crow before looking back up at Harry. He tucked a piece of loose brown hair behind his ear as his blue eyes looked Harry over.

"Do you need my parents' permission?" Callum asked softly.

"No," Harry answered with a frown. "But they will be informed that you would be taking extra classes."

Callum nodded and his eyes strayed back to the silver crow in his hand.

"Yes, thank you." Callum said softly before looking up at Harry with a slight glint in his eyes.

"Any other questions?" Harry asked.

Callum slipped the crow away into his pocket and looked over at Harry, his eyes catching on the thin scars on his arms.

"No, sir." Callum replied.

"Well off you go," Harry said with a smile. "We can work out class times when you start next year."

Callum nodded and moved out of the room with Harry looking at the open doorway with a frown between his brows. The crows had taken an interest in the boy with piped Harry's interest. He tapped the table with his pen a couple of times before going back to his work.

xXx

Severus frowned when he moved out into the hallway to see students milling around and he looked over the mostly Slytherin students with slight puzzlement. It was close to dinner time and most of the students were normally seated by now. The Slytherins noticed him and stepped to the side as he moved down the corridor and towards the Great Hall.

He was surprised to see the doors closed and more students of all houses waiting to go in. Minerva stood to the side of the doors and gave him a frown as he moved towards her.

"Do you know what's going on?" Minerva asked as she glanced around.

"How would I know?" Severus asked

"It was Mr Sun that closed and locked the doors," Minerva said sternly and Severus pulled back. "Ah, you can't leave now Severus."

A few students snickered around them as Severus gave the woman a smirk.

"There is always an escape route," Severus replied mildly.

"No there isn't," Dracka announced as he moved towards them with a big smile and a glint in his dark eyes.

Severus pulled himself up to his full height as he looked down his nose at the vampire which just made the man widen his smile, showing off his fangs.

"And why would you say that, Mr Dracka?" Minerva asked.

"Because," Dracka replied, drawing out the word. "Tonight, I am not the only vampire here."

The students around them went quiet before the hissing of whispers started up. They all looked over as the doors to the Great Hall opened and they glanced into the room. Severus frowned when he noticed that all the tables had been pushed to the sides of the room with a large space in the middle.

"Welcome everyone," Albus said with a smile as he moved out of the Great Hall. "Tonight, is going to be a little different. You will not have to sit at your assigned tables, so please come in and take a seat anywhere you wish."

The students flowed into the hall whispering between each other as Albus looked around with a twinkle in his eyes.

"What is this Albus?" Minerva hissed at the older man.

"Mr Sun and Mr Dracka have decided to put on a class tonight," Albus said with a smile and Severus groaned.

"Do I need to get the first aid kit?" Severus asked.

"No need," Sergeant Miller said as he moved into the hall with his team at his back. "I brought a medic."

Severus groaned again and looked around.

"Do I even want to know where Blake is?" Severus asked.

Dracka gave him a leer before moving off into the Hall. Miller just patted his shoulder as he moved passed with his team at his back. Severus looked back to Albus but the man was no help as he just smiled at him, his eyes twinkling behind his half-moon glasses. Before linking his arm with Minerva and moving into the hall. Severus looked around at the empty hallway before with a sigh moved into the Great Hall.

Severus looked around at all the tables pushed to the side of the room and the students scattered around. There were more tables than students as his eye caught on Miller and his team, looking casual in jeans and shirts, instead of uniforms. He frowned when he noticed Bill Weasley, Remus lupin and Sirius Black as well as a few other Order members and some other people he didn't know and which he assumed were from the Auror and Department of Mysteries.

In the middle of the hall there was a large black circle and he followed it around until he spotted Blake sitting next to Ry with a guitar in his hands and his frown deepened. He moved up to the Head Table but his eyes watched Blake and Ry talking quietly with Ry's friends around him. There was a skin drum on the ground beside Ry as Severus took a seat next to Dracka.

"Just a minute of your time before dinner is served." Albus called out, his voice carrying around the hall. "Mr Sun and Professor Dracka have decided to put on a lesson for you tonight. You would have noticed the black circle on the ground, if all students could stay out of that circle unless they are bid to enter it."

Dracka got to his feet and the noise in the hall dropped.

"Mr Sun and myself thought it would be a good idea to give you a taste of what it's like in a Coven," Dracka said softly, his slight French accent a little stronger than normal as he looked around.

Whispers started up around the hall and more than a few glances were being thrown in Miller and the adults' direction and Severus frowned.

"Blake?" Dracka asked, looking over at the man.

Blake picked up the guitar and picked out a few notes before moving into a song as Ry picked up the drum and picked up the beat. Severus watched the two and he was sure that they had done this more than a few times and was surprised that he had never heard them play. He knew Blake had a guitar, of course, but he'd never seen the man pick it up.

Food appeared on the table as a man and a woman moved into the hall and the breath caught in Severus's throat. The two people moved as one as the woman's dress sparkled under the soft light and the music rolled over them. The man wore a suit and both weren't wearing shoes as they moved into the middle of the room. The woman smiled as she looked around the hall, her long black hair pulled back into a bun at the back of her head as the man glanced around in interest as the two fell into a stance and waited.

Blake changed the song slightly and then the two were moving. They hall went quiet as the two people danced, twisting and turning and moving as one. Not missing a step as they danced together and this wasn't what Severus was expecting. He glanced over at Dracka to see a soft smile on the man's face as he watched the two.

He looked back to see the woman twisting around the man before he threw her slightly into the air before catching her again as they twirled around. The beat of the drum drawing you in as the haunting sounds of the guitar as Blake plucked out each note as the two people danced perfectly together. The two came to an end of their dance and gave a bow as the hall erupted in clapping. The two people moved to the table where Miller was seated and took a seat as they piled up their plates as they smiled and spoke to the people around them.

Blake changed the song he was playing and Ry stopped the drum and Severus's eyes was drawn back to the door as a man walked in and he started as he recognised Liam as the man moved forward alone to stand in the middle of the hall and took a bow. Another man came in with a box and set it down to the side of the circle and opened it up. Severus looked Liam over, the vampire had the slim build of an athlete as he stood there, completely relaxed as he looked around.

"You'll like this one," Dracka muttered and gave him a wink.

Severus tensed at those words and looked back to see the man with the box, pull out a coloured ball and throw it to Liam. The man caught it easily and threw it up in the air with one hand as the man threw another ball. Very soon Liam had at least ten balls in the air as he juggled them with skill. Gasping from the students had Severus smirking as the man tossed a couple of balls back to the other man and they moved the small balls back and forth between them until the other man held all the balls again and would toss one in the box ever now and again as he juggled them until there were none left. He moved to the side and closed the box before sitting down on the lid.

Liam gave a grin before he held his arms up and Blake strummed away on his guitar as Ry picked up a beat with his drum. Then Liam was tipping over backwards before flicking his feet over his head as he tumbled back in a perfect flip. Severus breath caught as the man tumbled and twirled across the floor and he was amazed at the skill as the man moved so easily. Flipping and rolling as the students gapped.

"Used to work in the circus," Dracka said softly.

"Before or after he was turned?" Severus asked and Minerva looked over in interest.

"Before and after," Dracka replied. "About all we know about him."

Their attention was drawn back as Liam gave a bit of a run and a jump before flipping across the floor and into a twist at the end and landing perfectly on his feet and gave a bow. The students clapped loudly as Liam gave another big bow before moving over to the man and woman from before. The man flashed his fangs at the young man and Liam give a big grin as he ducked his head.

Dracka snorted at them and gave Severus a grin which turned into a leer.

"He's not just good at Gymnastics," Dracka purred with a wink. "He has many skills."

"Mr Dracka!" Minerva admonished.

Dracka just sat back in his seat and gave the woman a leer and Minerva blushed.

"I'm a vampire, my dear." Dracka said with a smirk. "Blood isn't the only thing we hunt for."

Minerva blushed even deeper as Severus snorted.

Severus looked over when Blake stopped playing and a young girl walked in, she was one of his snakes and he frowned as the girl moved into the middle of the circle with a case and placed it on the ground before taking out a silver flute. She stood up and placed the flute to her lips as she started playing. For a fourth year, the girl had real skill as she played and the students watched her as the music filled the Hall.

"Is this normal?" Minerva asked softly to Dracka.

"Every night," Dracka replied. "Keeps ties strong in a Coven. Helps settle disputes as well. When you live as long as us, you pick up talents along the way. Helps the children show off what they had learnt as well."

Severus started at those words and glanced over at the vampire and he could see a light in the man's eyes as he looked around the hall. He felt a little bad that he hadn't asked or wondered if Dracka missed his home while he was here.

The fourth year Slytherin finished up and another student moved forward with a violin and the haunting sound filled the hall. He glanced over to Blake to see the man talking quietly to Ry and the boy was blushing and he wondered why.

"Probably trying to get him to sing," Dracka said, looking over at the two. "I don't think he'll have much luck. I was trying to get him to spar."

"Blake didn't want to spar?" Severus asked with a frown.

"No," Dracka replied with a frown.

The noise in the hall dimmed as Blake and Ry got to their feet and moved into the circle and Ry placed his wand to the line and it flared up behind them. Severus's eyes looked over his lover as he limped without his cane as the two Potters moved into the middle of the circle. They both pulled their wands before Ry gave him father a big grin. They turned and walked a few paces away from each other as the whispers increased.

"Looks like he got a better offer," Severus drawled as he sat back in his seat.

Dracka flashed his fangs at the other man before focusing back on Ry and Blake. Blake gave his son a mocking bow and Ry followed suit before falling into stance. Blake just looked at his son mildly, standing calmly with his hand in his pocket and Severus frowned.

"He shouldn't give Blake time to think," Dracka muttered.

"He isn't," Minerva replied and pointed to the box that had been left to the side of the circle.

The lid on the box suddenly banged open and a large blue cat lunged out towards Blake. The man yelped and stumbled back a step as he brought up a shield as Ry moved quickly to the side and threw a spell at his father. Blake ducked quickly as he used the shield to push the cat to the side as he skipped to the side as Ry sent another spell hurling at him.

Blake called a lash of fire to his hand and twirled it around and Ry retreated with a shield in front of him. Severus could tell that the two Potters had done this many times before as Blake finally caged the large cat in a wire cage as both Ry and Blake eyed each other off. Ry grinned and pulled a glass sphere out of his pocket and Severus could hear Blake groan from his seat.

"Stop stealing things from my rooms," Blake snapped at the boy and Ry's grin widened.

A few students laughed before Blake pulled something from his pocket and threw little glass beads across the ground as Ry tossed the glass ball up into the air. Both Blake and Ry threw spells at each other and were moving as the glass balls morphed into little glass mice and they went scattering across the floor as the glass ball arched up then down. Blake yelped and ducked down to the floor as one of Ry's spells came close and Severus smirked. The boy knew his father's tricks well.

Then the glass ball smashed on the floor and dark mists rolled out as flashes of lights sparked in the dome of the protection circle.

"Oi!" Ry yelped from somewhere in the mists and Severus smirk widened.

"Which one is the biggest child?" Albus asked with a twinkle in his eyes.

"Blake," Severus and Dracka replied at the same time.

The coloured lights faded, leaving only the dark mists swirling around before they started to fad as well. Severus frowned when he could only see one shape to the side of the dome with his back to the protection ward and his wand out. Ry was nowhere to be seen as the mists cleared and whispering started up as Blake's eyes darted around before focusing on something and sending a spell that way. The spell just crashed into the protection circle flaring it briefly before a spell came out of nowhere and Blake brought up a shield.

"Ha, he's wearing his father's cloak," Severus muttered.

Another spell crashed into Blake's shield and the man held his wand in both hands as Ry poured on the magic. Blake moved to one knee and placed his hand flat on the ground and the spell cut off, Ry well aware that his father was up to something. Blake grinned as he stayed where he was until something silver flashed out and Blake rolled to the side as a small silver ball smashed into his shield dropping it.

Blake quickly pulled a piece of chalk from his pocket as he righted himself and went to jump to his feet but something tangled around his leg and he crashed to the floor with a yelp and Severus winched as Blake threw a spell over his shoulder as he pulled his silver knife and cut through the rope around his leg, just for another to wrap around his other leg.

"Okay," Blake called out. "Yield."

Ry pushed his cloak back, reappearing with a wide grin on his face as he looked over at his father and stopped the rope spell. Ry moved over and held his hand out to Blake and he took his son's hand as clapping started up around the hall. Severus's sharp eyes picked out Blake's heavier limp as the two Potters moved towards the protection circle and Ry dropped it as they moved back to their table. Blake sent a first year off to clear away any of the glass mice and other things from the floor. The small boy ran back to his table and the other students oh and ah over the small frozen animals.

"He's getting very skilled," Albus said softly. "He'll probably move through the ranks when he gets into the Auror program."

"With Blake training him," Minerva replied. "I'm not surprised."

"Hey," Dracka muttered. "He's not the only one training him."

Severus looked back to see Miller and one of his team, Robbie moving forward into the circle and falling into a stance. He looked around the hall to see all the students eating, watching or talking as they focused on Miller and Robbie as they started a bout of hand to hand. He noticed that the floor had a bit of give to it and looked over to see Blake putting his wand away and knew he was the one to cast the spell.

He watched the two men in interest as the noise of the hall washed over him. They hadn't done this before in the hall and as he looked around he found himself smiling slightly. He caught Blake's eye and the man gave him a grin as Miller and Robbie moved back to their seats and two more of Dracka's men moved forward for a bout.

Dracka suddenly yelled out something in French and the two men glanced over at him before one yelled something else back and Dracka barked a laugh before waving his hand. Dracka glanced over at Severus and the man saw a glint in his eye.

"What did you say?" Minerva asked.

"Something that would have lost me points," Dracka replied with a sly grin.

Severus snorted at the look on Minerva's face as he leaned back in his chair and took in the show. Once the men finished, a young girl of about ten walked out onto the floor and one of fighters knelt down as she came closer and clapped a hand to her shoulder before standing and stepping back.

"His daughter," Dracka said softly and Severus looked the pair over. "Lovely voice as you will hear."

Blake scooped up the guitar and started up a song that Severus didn't know and the small girl started singing in French. Severus was captivated as the young girl sang and he could see he wasn't alone. The girl finished up and took a bow and the hall erupted into cheers as the girl took the man's hand. The man looked down and gave his daughter a smile before they moved over to one of the tables.

"She's a werewolf," Dracka said softly and Severus started.

"And her father?" Minerva asked in interest.

"Human," Dracka replied. "They live in the village around my Coven."

"And the man he was fighting?" Severus questioned.

"My cousin," Dracka replied with a grin.

"Vampire?" Minerva asked.

"Born vampire," Dracka replied as he looked around the hall. "Elder vampire."

Severus looked over at the other man and Dracka flashed his fangs at the man. Blake got to his feet with the help of his cane and moved into the middle of the room and the noise started to hush.

"Entertained?" Blake asked as he looked around. "I hope this has given you an insight into a different culture. This is a every night entertainment in a Coven for both the people that live there as well as the village. Dracka?"

Dracka moved from the Head Table to stand next to Blake and glanced around.

"Much like the lessons here," Dracka said softly. "We perfect the skills we have and reinforced what binds us together. Regardless of Blood or magic."

The hall had gone quiet at the vampire's words.

"But never forget that a vampire is a dark creature," Blake said softly, his voice carrying. "But they are also people. Professor Dracka has been teaching here for almost a year and even if he has threatened to drain a few of you. You are all still alive."

"And have less fear of me than Professor Snape," Dracka remarked with a grin in Severus's direction

Blake bumped his shoulder into Dracka's shoulder and the man looked down at him with a grin as Severus glared at the two of them.

"Now," Blake called. "Who can pick out the vampires?"

Severus sat back in his seat as he looked out over the hall as the students called out and Blake and Dracka stood shoulder to shoulder as the lesson progressed. A lesson to the whole of the school, something Severus had never seen before.

xXx

Severus started from his sleep and glanced around, unsure what had woken him as he looked over to the clock on the bedside table. He ran his hand down Blake's side, feeling the slight indents of the scars down his back. He traced his fingers over the scars as he moved his hand down Blake's back to his hip. He let his hand rest there as he ran his thumb over the other man's skin. He could see Blake's short dark hair from the soft light in the room and moved his hand to run through it.

"Right there?" Blake asked softly.

"Yes," Severus replied and kissed the man's shoulder.

"Hmm," Blake replied as Severus kissed his shoulder again as he ran his hand down his side.

"You put on a good show last night," Severus purred as he grabbed the man's hip and kissed down his back.

"Getting my ass kicked by my son?" Blake asked in amusement as he moved to lay on his back. "The bugger knows all my tricks, we agreed that I could only use wizard magic and couldn't call my sword."

Severus chuckled as he ran his hand down Blake's chest and letting it rest on the man's stomach, his fingers idly tracing a scar there.

"He's improved since his first duel in his second year," Severus muttered. "No snakes this time."

"I would hope that he's improved since then," Blake said softly and they both fell into silence.

They both knew what the boy would have to face and they were both afraid of whether he would survive. About whether they would all survive and a chill went through Severus at the thought, knowing Blake was the only one that had any protection.

"Your connection with Ry is strong," Severus said softly.

"We are the same person," Blake said softly as he turned to him and let his hand rest on his side.

"No," Severus disagreed as he looked into Blake's eyes. "You were both born the same person but you are not the same person now."

Blake's eyes darted between his own and Severus gave him a soft smile before cupping his face and pulling him forward for a kiss. Taking his time to taste the man as his hands ran into his hair, feeling the soft strands under his palms. Severus pulled back and looked into Blake's eyes. So much like Lily Potter's and yet not. There was an age to the man's eyes as Blake gave him a smile and he felt a tightness in his chest at the look.

He ran thumb over the man's cheek as he looked at him and Blake frowned.

"Something wrong?" Blake asked.

"No," Severus replied softly. "Not at all."

Blake pushed back the covers before giving Severus a slight push and he moved onto his back as Blake saddled his waist before leaning forward and kissing him deeply as he ran a hand down his side. Blake pulled back and looked down at him as his hand rested on his hip and slightly curled around his bum.

"Love you," Blake said softly as he looked down at him.

"Are we getting sappy?" Severus asked in amusement.

"Only if you want to, love?" Blake replied with a sly grin.

Severus grabbed the man by the hips and rolled them as Blake gave a laugh. Severus attacked his neck as he grabbed him and gave him a pull and Blake moaned softly. Severus pulled back with a grin.

"Love you," Severus purred and was satisfied to see Blake shiver as his eyes darkened. "Even if you are a Potter."

"Ha," Blake barked with a grin. "I think you are getting used to that. You knew the minute you saw me that I was a Potter."

"And you tried to hide behind the Sun name," Severus smirked.

Blake rubbed his hand over his head.

"Can only try so hard to hide the Potter hair," Blake said with a lopsided grin. "Can't do much else for the Potter features either. You can always pick out a Potter in a crowd. Much like a Weasley."

Severus gave the man a soft smile as he looked down at him sprawled out under him. Despite his words, Severus knew that the other man didn't hide who he was and he was sure he wouldn't care if the truth came out tomorrow, the only thing that he was concerned about was Voldemort learning the truth. That the man would learn that the prophecy could talk about two people marked by the Dark Lord and not one.

"You wouldn't care, would you?" Severus asked softly.

"About what?" Blake asked with a frown.

"Everyone knowing the truth," Severus whispered.

"About what?" Blake repeated. "There are a lot of truths I could tell people that would have them in an uproar."

Severus quirked a smile as he looked down at the other man.

"As you grow older," Blake said softly. "You learn there is a time and a place for everything and saying or doing the right thing at the wrong time can fuck things up."

"Are you talking from the future point of view?" Severus asked in interest.

"No," Blake replied with a twisted smile. "That is a whole other type of torture."

Severus started at that as he looked down at the man below him, is that what the man really thought? Reliving his past as a torture?

"A self-induced curse," Blake muttered with a faraway look in his eyes. "Much like the Deathly Hallows. Except one thing."

"And what would that be?" Severus whispered.

Blake reached up and pulled him down and kissed him as Severus moved to lay between the man's legs. He ran a hand down the man's side as he deepened the kiss before pulling back slightly.

"I have you," Blake whispered in his ear and Severus shivered. "And so much more that I didn't realise I was missing."

xXx

Severus moved into Blake's rooms after dinner to see the man sprawled out across his lounge, snoring softly. Blake had left early that morning to assess Bill Weasley and this was the first time all day that Severus had seen him. The man lay on his side with his arm dangling over the side of the bed as he snored softly. Dead to the world.

He smiled at the sight, the man didn't normally sleep deeply and even if the nightmares had started to ease off, he still hadn't been sleeping well. He crouched down before him and reached out and ran his fingers over the man's wrist, feeling the slight scar under his hand. He could almost feel the metal closing over his own as he remembered Blake's memories and he was amazed again that the man could sleep at all.

Severus started when a knock sounded on Blake's door but the man didn't wake. Severus left him to answer the door to find Ry on the other side.

"Hi, Professor." Ry said softly. "Is Dad back?"

Severus slipped out of the room and into the hallway and Ry stepped back.

"He's asleep," Severus replied once the door was closed. "Did you want something?"

"No," Ry replied and shifted slightly. "Just wanted to talk."

Severus looked the boy over and he was stuck with how much he looked like a blend between Blake, James and Lily and how much he was also his own person.

"Nice show the other night," Severus said softly as he moved off down the hall and Ry fell into step with him. "Your father is a bit miffed that you know his tricks."

"Ha," Ry replied with a grin. "He just wanted to call his sword."

"It's his fall back," Severus remarked in amusement as he opened the door to his rooms and held it for Ry to enter.

Ry walked in and looked around as Severus moved towards the small kitchen attached to the living room. The staff rooms were all basically the same with a bedroom, bathroom, kitchen, a small office and living room.

"I didn't know you still had your own rooms?" Ry said softly, looking around.

"Of course," Severus replied as he passed a glass of juice to Ry and took a seat on his lounge with a mug of coffee. "The Headmaster insisted."

"Plus, it gives you somewhere to hide from Dad," Ry replied with a grin and the two men shared a look.

"Are you ready for your NEWTS?" Severus asked as he leaned back on the lounge and Ry winched.

"I think so," Ry replied. "Hermione keeps jumping out of nowhere with questions for us. She scared the crap out of Ron yesterday which has made him a bit jumpy today. He thinks nowhere is safe from her."

Severus smirked at that and Ry gave him a smile.

"With your display," Severus commented. "I'm sure you have a place in the Auror program already."

"See!" Ry cried. "That's what I keep telling Hermione! She just won't listen, saying that the tests are more than just about how good you can fight."

Severus chuckled as the boy relaxed back into his seat and they could just forget for a little while that there was a Dark Lord after the boy's head and what was to come in the coming months.

xXx

Harry collapsed in his chair at the Head Table and grabbed the whole pot of coffee and pulled it close as he took in the scent with a sigh. He was sure that the house elves made one just for him as he poured it into a mug and sweetened it to his liking before resting his pounding head on the table. It was so early that he was the only one at the table and only a few students were scattered around the hall.

A slight huff beside him had him turning his head slightly to peer up at Minerva looking down at him with a stern look on her face as she took a seat next to him. Disapproval in every line of her body.

"Another night out with Mr Dracka?" Minerva snapped and Harry winched at the sound. "Causing trouble on the streets and with the muggle police?"

"They haven't arrested us yet," Harry replied mildly without raising his head.

"You are met to be setting an example for the students of this school, Mr Sun." Minerva remarked primly.

"What kind of example are we setting?" Dracka asked as he moved towards the table and looked him over. "What's wrong with you?"

Harry buried his head in his arms and was regretting coming up to the hall for food, he should have just made his own in his rooms. His pounding head reminded him why he hadn't done that.

"You don't know, Rolf?" Minerva asked.

"No," Dracka replied over his head as he took a seat next to him. "Nothing to do with me."

"For a change," Minerva muttered but Harry heard her.

Harry was sure he would have seen the vampire flash his fangs at the woman if his head wasn't buried in his arms. He started slightly as a hand was laid on his back and glanced over to see Severus looking down at him in concern.

"I shouldn't have come up here," Harry groaned and Dracka snorted.

Severus placed a pain potion on the table next to his plate but Harry didn't take it as Minerva looked him over.

"You really don't look well, Blake." Minerva said softly. "Maybe you should see Madam Pomfrey."

Harry just groaned and buried his head again.

"Going to see Albert soon," Harry said into his arms. "After I can get some coffee into me. Wasn't expecting so many people to be up this early in the morning."

Harry could almost feel the tension from the two men beside him at his words.

"Mr Sun and Dracka were you setting a bad example for this school last night?" Albus asked with amusement in his voice and Harry groaned.

He lifted his head up to look over at Albus and the smile on the man's lips slipped slightly as Harry picked up the coffee, ignoring the pain potion as he took a sip. It was still a bit too hot to drink, but he needed it.

"Are you sick, Blake?" Albus asked.

"No," Harry replied as he pushed the potion towards Dracka. "Severus you can have that back."

Dracka passed the potion to Severus on the other side of him. The man's dark eyes burning into him before he placed it away in his robe without saying a word. Harry finished off the cup of coffee, the slight burn taking away from his pounding head. He used his cane to get to his feet as the other teachers watched him.

"Right there?" Severus asked gently as Harry paused once he was on his feet.

"I'll see you later," Harry replied, sidestepping the question.

"Don't think you can get away with that answer," Severus purred as he got to his feet and fell into step with him.

"Thought I would give it a try," Harry replied as they slowly made their way out of the hall.

The pounding in his head setting him off balance slightly and Severus moved closer as they moved through the hall and out of the castle. Harry eyed the stairs and they paused.

"I'm assuming that Bill Weasley didn't pass his examinations?" Severus said mildly, watching him eyeing off the steps.

"Ah, no." Harry replied. "I would say he still needs a couple more years to learn his craft. He will make the Master title, just not yet."

Harry moved down the stairs, his head pounding on every step while Severus watched him with sharp eyes.

"Always something new to learn in curse breaking," Harry commented, more to distract himself than anything. "Some type of magic or ward that was placed a thousand years ago that someone didn't write down and can cause you trouble when you activate it."

"Like in Russia?" Severus asked softly.

" _Da_ ," Harry replied with a grin. "And that's another thing. Just when you wrap your mind around the magic here, you go overseas and it's another matter. Bill has had a lot of exposure to Egyptian magic and those people knew how to kill someone six different ways before lunch."

Harry paused as his head spun slightly and Severus stepped closer just in case as Harry waited it out.

"Do you need that pain potion now?" Severus asked softly, no sneer in his voice.

"Already took what I could, Severus." Harry replied with a sigh. "Hence the spinning head. Albert will have something for me when we get there."

Harry looked over to see Severus frowning at him.

"How do you know him?" Severus asked.

"Who? Albert?" Harry asked.

"Yes."

"Met him in the town I was staying in after I got here," Harry said softly. "He picked up on my dark magic. I had been in town picking up supplies and got into a bit of an argument with this bloke. The man pulled a knife on me, the bastard. I had Ry with me at the time and the child just squealed at the top of his lungs. Albert came out of the nowhere and grabbed him."

Harry paused as his thoughts went back to that day and he winched slightly and rubbed his temple. Severus waited him out as they stood on the front lawns of the school.

"I must admit, I took a beating from the man until I was able to get over to Albert and Ry," Harry said softly. "I could feel the dark magic pushing to take over."

Severus's eyes widened at those words and Dracka's story of when his brother died came back to him. That was a dark time in the other man's life.

"Albert took one look at me and called me an idiot," Harry said with a quirk to his lips. "As Ry just sat there in his arms and giggled as he looked up at Albert. The boy looked so small in his arms and all the anger just drained out of me. I just stood there as the bloke that attacked me scampered."

"When was this?" Severus asked.

"A few months after I stepped through the time gap," Harry replied as they started moving again. "He said that I needed to control my dark magic if I wanted to give Harry the life he needed. That the man that attacked me had been drawn to my magic. My mind was still a mess from what happened before I stepped through the time gap and pulling my magic close was the last thing on my mind."

"What did you do?" Severus asked.

"After realising my stupidity?" Harry asked with a lopsided grin. "I really didn't know what to do, Severus. From the moment that I picked up the child, I had no idea what I was doing. Then this big man, that I had never met before, was holding the boy and pointing out that I was an idiot. I just stood there, bleeding from the fight in shock and I felt like the idiot that he had called me."

"And still calls you that," Severus muttered.

"That he does," Harry agreed as they stepped passed the wards. "He was there after I got back from Dracka's Coven…after I killed his brother…"

Harry trailed off and Severus let his hand rest on his shoulder.

"I was a mess that night," Harry said softly and rubbed his arching head. "He'd been helping me with Ry and in one move I had undone all that he had done to try and help me."

Severus wrapped an arm around him and pulled him close and Harry took in the comfort.

"Stupidity on new levels that night," Harry said softly. "Can you apparate us?"

Severus arms tightened around him before pushing him back. The man's dark eyes looking him over.

"Just a migraine, Severus." Harry said softly. "Over did it with testing Bill yesterday."

"Are you going to be sick after I apparate us?" Severus asked.

"I'll make sure to throw up the other way," Harry replied with a smirk.

"That answer fills me with confidence," Severus drawled.

Harry gave the man a smile.

"I'm good to go when you are Mr Snape," Harry said with a challenge in his voice.

xXx

Severus leaned back in his chair in the waiting room in Albert's surgery as he glanced around at the people waiting. There was a blonde-haired woman a few seats down from him that he was sure was a Veela or part Veela and a man that would stare at the woman until she looked up then would look away quickly. He smirked at the two and the woman gave him a glance in amusement before going back to her book.

His eyes were drawn to the young child of about five that had a tail as his father played on the floor with some blocks, his own tail wagging slightly and Severus had wondered what the hell he had gotten into. He glanced over at the receptionist but she was busy on the computer after giving Blake a very cold look as the man had moved passed with Albert.

A few people had come and gone and Severus quickly learnt that Albert wasn't the only Doctor that worked in the surgery and wondered how human the people were, patient or Doctor, as the minutes ticked away. Severus was just starting to think he should have brought a book when a young man in his late teens came through the door.

The Veela tensed as the man glanced around with pale eyes as he made his way across the room. Severus looked the man over from his slim build to his pitch-black hair and he found it hard to look away as he moved, with a grace of a dancer, towards the reception desk and spoke to the woman before talking a seat across from Severus. The man gave Severus a smile and Severus felt his gut clench at the look then frowned.

He glared down his nose at the man even if he felt like doing something completely different and the young man looked away and the spell was broken. Severus was unsure what the man was but it wasn't human.

"Incubus," The Veela whispered to Severus and he looked over at her. "He likes you."

"I'm sure my partner would have words to say about that," Severus drawled.

The veela gave a laugh and the young man looked up with interest and Severus felt the draw to the young man but now that he knew what he was, he was able to push it to the side. He had never seen an incubus before since they stayed away from wizards preferring to hunt amongst muggles to satisfy their hunger. They were very much like vampires but their need was different, instead of blood it was sex.

"He's drawn to your dark power," The veela said softly.

"Is that so?" Severus purred and looked over at the young man before focusing on the veela. "Severus Snape."

"Isabella Colington," The veela replied softly. "Yes, he is young and still learning to control the power."

"Much like a veela?" Severus asked with a raised eyebrow.

Isabella's lips curved up in a smile and she gave Severus a wink.

"New meaning to the saying; stuck between a rock and a hard place," Severus muttered and Isabella gave another twinkling laugh.

The Incubus looked over at the sound and gave a soft smile that went through Severus and he shifted slightly. The veela gave a smile over to the young man and he looked away.

Just then Blake limped out from one of the back rooms and the Incubus's eyes snapped around to him and Severus felt on edge as his lover looked over at him and gave Severus a grin. Blake moved closer as the young man sat forward in his seat, an intense look in his eyes. Blake didn't even glance at the man as he moved towards Severus.

"Your partner?" Isabella asked, looking Blake over. "Attracted to power, I see."

Severus straightened at those words, his eyes hardening.

"Please don't take that the wrong way," Isabella said quickly. "I didn't mean to offend."

"Making friends?" Blake asked softly, when he got close.

"Well," Severus drawled. "You do take me to the most interesting places."

Isabella gave a laugh as the Incubus eyed them both off and Severus felt even more on edge. Blake looked over to the young man before looking back to Severus with an eyebrow raised and a smirk on his lips.

"You sounded just like the vampire," Blake said with a smirk.

Isabella tensed and Blake gave her a slight smile and Severus was struck by how comfortable Blake looked surrounded by people that were not completely human.

"Well?" Blake said. "Would you like to head back to the school?"

Severus rose to his feet as Blake glanced around before grabbing his hand and Severus started slightly at the move. He glanced down into Blake's green eyes.

"Do not compared me to Dracka," Severus purred.

Blake's lips quirked up in a smirk that went right through Severus in a way that a spell never could. His eyes only for the man beside him. Everything else falling away.

"Never, love." Blake purred back.


	34. Chapter 34

Harry watched the large brown owl as it flew in circles around the Great Hall as its sharp eyes looked around. He was sure that the owl was for him but it couldn't lock onto him, he frowned as he watched the animal. Still unsure why they had trouble finding him.

"One for you?" Albus asked in amusement as he sat next to him and they both watched the animal.

"I think so," Harry replied.

There were only a few students in the Great Hall this early in the morning and it was only Albus and himself at the Head Table.

"Why are you up so early, Blake?" Albus asked as he sat back in what would normally be Severus's seat.

Not that Dracka, Severus and himself took much notice and would take whatever seat was free when they walked in or Harry would sit with the students. Most of the other teachers would stick to their seats but Harry had noticed that Minerva had started to sit between Albus and Severus for some meals.

"Got an early phone call from France and decided I would need coffee before facing the day," Harry replied as the owl winged down and landed on table before them and looked between the two men. "Have you got mail for Blake Sun?"

The owl cocked its head to the side slightly before hopping towards him, Harry reached out and untied the letter, feeling the magic under his fingers and he frowned. It was nothing dangerous, more a signature of the person that had sent the letter than anything else.

The owl gave a hoot before taking flight out of the hall and Harry flicked the letter open and froze as the blood drained from his face.

"Blake?" Albus asked in concern.

Harry's eyes darted to the man before focusing back on the paper in his hand.

"It's from the Dark Lord," Harry said softly. "He wants to meet."

Albus tensed beside him and Harry laid the letter out on the table for the man to see.

 _'Blake Sun,_

 _I wish to call a meeting between two Dark Wizards under the safe passage pact set forward by my magic and blood and yours._

 _Dark Lord Voldemort.'_

"There is no time and place," Albus said with a frown.

"There is," Harry replied. "You can't see it and I can't tell you due to the spell on the paper."

Harry sat back in his seat in thought.

"Is this a trap?" Albus asked softly, taking the letter in his hand.

"No," Harry replied. "He has stated safe passage, he is bound by his magic. I have no idea what he wants to talk to me about."

"You are both Dark Wizards," Albus pointed out, with no insult to his words.

"So, we have something in common?" Harry asked in amusement. "We are both orphans as well, if you are looking for more similarity."

"That is not what I meant, Blake." Albus snapped. "And you know it."

Harry gave the man a wink but he still felt on edge.

"It is set for two days' time," Harry said as he took the letter back. "That's all I can say. Do you want me to meet him?"

Albus looked taken a back at the question and Harry looked at him in amusement.

"It's your call, Albus." Harry said. "You are the lead on this man."

"It could give us information that could help us," Albus stated, sitting back in his seat as he thought about it.

"Or it could give us nothing," Harry pointed out as more students floated into the hall.

"Nothing ventured, nothing gained," Albus muttered. "Would you be in danger?"

"At the meeting?" Harry asked. "No, but he can make an attempt before or after, just not at the meeting. He would be bound, the same as myself to give him safe passage."

"Is this just a Dark Wizard agreement?"

Harry looked at the man in amusement.

"Are you saying that Light Wizards have higher standards and don't need to be bound by their magic not to harm the other person they are meeting?" Harry asked.

"Mr Sun," Albus said sternly, but Harry could see the twinkle in his eyes.

"It's more common when a Dark Lord is involved," Harry replied. "See I can answer a question."

Albus gave a chuckle before turning back to the letter.

"Very well," Albus replied. "As long as you will be safe."

"As safe as a rabbit surrounded by lions," Harry replied with a wink.

Harry took a pen out of his pocket and signed the letter with a little bit of his magic coating the ink as he wrote and the letter flashed briefly as magic settled around Harry as the agreement fell into place.

"Done," Harry said and slipped the letter away just as Dracka and Severus moved into the hall talking quietly. "Are you going to break the news to them?"

Albus glanced over at his two teachers and they paused when they saw Albus sitting in Severus's seat.

"Ah," Albus muttered and Harry grinned at him.

"Good luck," Harry muttered as the two men moved forward.

Harry pulled out the letter and held it out to Severus, his lover took it with a frown as Dracka sniffed the air slightly.

"From the Dark Lord?" Dracka asked before Severus could open it and the other man paled.

"I'm playing the Albus card," Harry stated as he leaned back in his seat with his coffee in his hands.

Severus gave him a glare before turning back to the letter as Dracka stood close beside him.

"About time he contracted you," Dracka commented mildly before crashing into the seat next to Harry and filling his plate while the others looked at him. "What are you planning Blake?"

Everyone turned to him and he gave a smirk that had Severus groaning as he passed the letter back to him. Albus moved to his feet with a twinkle in his eye.

"Keep me informed," Albus said calmly as he looked over his half-moon spectacles at Harry.

"Sure thing, boss." Harry said with a wink and Albus gave a groan as he turned away.

xXx

Harry flicked the letter open again that night with a frown, looking at his signature at the bottom of the page under Voldemort's own signature.

"Why?" Severus asked softly as he moved into the room and looked down at him.

"More information is required," Harry said softly as he looked at the other man. "I've been on the phone for most of the day."

"Why did you agree to meet with him?" Severus hissed.

"Albus thinks we might get information out of him."

"And what do you think?"

"That it will be a waste of time," Harry replied as he rubbed his head.

"Then why?"

"Curiosity," Harry replied.

"Do you have any idea why he wants to meet?"

"None," Harry said softly in thought. "It could be the simple reason that we hold some of his death eaters or some other reason that we are unaware of."

Severus looked down at him with dark eyes, face unreadable as Harry watched him.

"Will you be safe?" Severus whispered.

"He and I are bound to give the other safe passage," Harry replied. "It's before or after the meeting that is the concern. More after the meeting. This will also come down to how much the Dark Lord knows when it comes to this kind of ritual."

"So, it is a ritual?" Severus asked in interest as he took a seat next to Harry on the lounge

"Oh, yes." Harry replied as he leaned back and moved his leg to rest over the top of Severus's leg and the man let his hand rest on his thigh. "A lot will come down to what the Dark Lord does."

"You have something in mind?" Severus whispered as he ran his hand up and down his leg.

"Yes," Harry said with a smirk.

Severus gave him an intense look before nodding.

"Should be a busy couple of days," Harry said and shared a smirk with the other man.

xXx

Harry sat at the large table in the Department of Mysteries and looked around at the men and women present. Miller was beside him with his team with Kingsley seated on the other side directly across from him. Dylan Dogwood was at the head of the table looking them all over with a glare, the scar running across his face giving him a rough look, as Ben Filter, the Head of the Auror Department sat next to him, with a few other men and women scattered down the table from files and other smaller departments or aids. All were under the privacy spell that Harry had placed on the room when he had arrived.

Harry looked around with a frown, it was very uncommon for both Departments to work together and as his eyes moved to the Minister of Magic at the other end of the table, every person seated were not happy with him.

"Well," Dogwood growled, once everyone was settled. "You called this meeting, Sun. What mess have you gotten into?"

Harry stood up and pulled the letter from his pocket and placed it on the table.

"The Dark Lord has called a meeting between him and I," Harry said smoothly and looked around the room.

The room went silent, everyone stilling at his words.

"Explain, Sun." The Minister of Magic growled, his gold eyes flashing.

"The Dark Lord has asked for a meeting between Dark Wizards under the terms of a safe passage," Harry explained and whispers started up around the table. "I can't tell you the time or place, due to the spell worked into the letter, only that it is tomorrow."

People started calling out questions and Harry waited them out.

"Enough!" Scrimgeour snapped and the table quieted. "What do you have in mind, Sun? You wouldn't have called us here, otherwise."

Harry gave the man a grin, which the man just glared at.

"After the terms of the agreement ends," Harry said softly. "I will no longer be bound to the safe passage agreement. While the meeting is going on, there is nothing to stop anyone from making a strike either."

"While you-know-who is distracted," Miller said into the silence.

"Correct," Harry replied. "It also won't stop him from having something in place. He may try to make a strike here or somewhere else. Albus Dumbledore is aware and will have the school in lock down until after the meeting. Head Auror Filter and Kingsley, he may make a strike against the Death Eater Prison as well."

"We'll have something in place," Head Auror Filter said softly.

"Sun!" Scrimgeour growled in warning.

"Yes, Minister?" Harry asked innocently.

"I am still the Minister of Magic," Scrimgeour said with a glare.

"Yes," Harry agreed. "I am mainly just putting forward suggestions, Minister."

Scrimgeour glared down the table at him and Harry noticed a few people shifting under the man's glaze, even if it wasn't directed at them.

"I wouldn't be able to handle the paperwork," Harry said with a wink to the man and the tension in the room eased slightly.

"What do you have in mind, Sun?" Dogwood snapped and all eyes turned in his direction. "Since I'll be doing a lot of the fucking paperwork!"

Harry gave the man a smirk and Dogwood groaned before swearing at him.

xXx

Harry walked along the path near the river as he looked around the large park and carefully drop a stone to the ground from his pocket as he moved towards the meeting place. People were still out as the sun started to set and he watched the muggles enjoying the large park in the middle of London. He was unsure why Voldemort had decided on somewhere so muggle and maybe he believed that he would have the upper hand due to the chance of innocents getting hurt.

That's where Voldemort had misjudged him and didn't understand Harry and the network he had. He could already pick out the undercover police moving through the people in the park as Harry walked along calmly. The last ray of the sun disappearing as the lights came on around him as he dropped another stone as he circled around where the meeting was going to be held at. He spotted Voldemort easily standing in the middle of a grassy area with no one around him and noticed a few muggles turning and walking the other way as they reached an invisible wall, so Harry knew the man had placed a ward.

Harry looked the man over while he limped towards him over the grass as he dropped the last stone and marker to the ground. The man stood in the middle of the grassy area, in a long black jacket and pants and a light grey shirt as he stood calmly watching him with red-brown eyes and short brown hair. If it weren't for the eyes and the presence around the man he could have easily blended in with the muggles around them.

Harry passed through the anti muggle wards as he moved closer to the taller man. He stopped a few metres in front of him and could feel the magic of the pact settling around them and the dark magic from the other man as he leaned on his cane and looked the man over.

"Mr Blake Sun," Voldemort said calmly.

"Dark Lord Voldemort," Harry replied as he moved his cane in front of him and leaned on it. "What would you like to talk about this lovely afternoon?"

Voldemort looked him over and sneered and Harry could feel his dark magic brushing over him and the slight whispers in the back of his mind.

"You are a very interesting man," Voldemort drawled. "A very Dark Wizard on the side of the light and yet I can find very little about you before you took over guardianship of Harry Potter."

"You are not the first person to point that out," Harry replied mildly. "I'm a man that likes to travel, I get bored being in the same place for too long."

Voldemort's red tinged eyes looked him over as the dark magic pushed on him slightly. Harry loosened his hold on his magic and Voldemort's eyes widened, the only emotion he had shown so far.

"See," Voldemort sneered. "I can taste your dark magic on the air and yet you bow to Albus Dumbledore."

"I have a contract with Albus," Harry replied calmly.

"Is that what it takes?" Voldemort asked and shifted slightly. "You are a man brought by a contract?"

"I also have a contract to protect Harry Potter," Harry said softly.

Voldemort's eyes flashed at his son's name.

"Yes," Voldemort purred. "I can see the Potter line in you, even if it isn't your last name and I can also see the link you have with Severus Snape in that ring you wear."

Harry smirked at the other man as he moved his hands so that the ring glinted in the lights near them around the park.

"Do I hear a hint of bad feelings there?" Harry asked with a smirk.

"Severus always craved power," Voldemort purred. "You have power, there is no doubt there, but can you keep him? He was always a man to play by who holds the most power, whether it was Albus Dumbledore or myself. Are you sure he won't turn on you? Now that he is no longer bound to me?"

Harry clenched his jaw and Voldemort smirked.

"I can forgive you wanting him," Voldemort smirked. "He has his own dark power to be drawn to…as well as the vampire that seems to be your second."

Harry smirked at the man's words.

"Are you having problems drawing them to your side?" Harry asked softly and knew he'd hit his mark at the glare he received in reply. "Power isn't everything, Dark Lord Voldemort."

Voldemort laughed, sending a chill down Harry's back.

"Power is everything!" Voldemort hissed. "And you, Blake Sun. Have power, both magically and your connections."

"What do you want?" Harry asked as he stood up straighter.

"I have an offer," Voldemort said softly.

"I'm listening," Harry replied.

"Harry Potter and Severus Snape have safe passage," Voldemort said softly. "You will stand as my equal, if you give me the Ministry and Hogwarts."

Harry stilled as he looked at Voldemort with the whispers of the man's dark magic pushing at him and he raised an eyebrow at the other man.

"That is your offer?" Harry asked in amusement.

"Yes," Voldemort hissed and the dark magic increased around them, pushing on Harry.

"You are not offering me anything that I couldn't take tomorrow," Harry replied calmly and Voldemort reeled back from his words. "You call me a Dark Wizard, then forget what I am?"

"You stand on the light side," Voldemort whispered.

"And your point would be?" Harry replied mildly. "Do you have anything else to offer? Or is this meeting over?"

Harry watched the other man carefully, the second that he said that the meeting was over Harry was fair game and he had to work quickly.

"There is a prophecy," Voldemort hissed as he stepped forward and Harry got the feeling that the man was trying to play his trump card.

"Between yourself and my son," Harry cut in. "Yes, I am aware of that."

"Then you know what will happen next?" Voldemort said softly and Harry frowned.

" _'Neither can live while the other survives_ ,'" Harry quoted softly.

"Yes," Voldemort hissed as he moved another step closer. "You would risk your son's life on a gamble?"

"I would place my money on Harry Potter any day," Harry replied as he looked up at the Dark Lord before him.

"If you don't take my offer," Voldemort hissed. "I will do more than just kill the boy and don't think for a second that I would stop there. I will destroy everything you have built up and anyone you care about."

"I have no doubt about that," Harry replied as he brought his magic forward and Voldemort took an instinctive step back.

Harry could now taste the magic on the air and he grinned at the other man, dark magic swirling but before the agreement dropped between them, neither man could make a move. This was more a show of power between two Dark Wizards.

"Do you think you can get through me to get to him?" Harry asked calmly.

Voldemort's lips twisted up in a smile and he gave a cold laugh.

"Do you think Severus and the vampire will be able to resist my dark pull?" Voldemort countered with a sneer. "Dark power, pulls dark power, Sun. It may be a lesson that you learn in blood and death."

Harry gritted his teeth as Voldemort's dark power settled on his shoulders. He was in no doubt who held more dark magic, he could never compete with a Dark Lord on power alone. He had to rely on other means.

"You may have power, Sun." Voldemort hissed. "But I am a Dark Lord. This meeting is done."

In a split-second Harry threw up a powerful anti apparation ward as he activated his markers and curled his magic around his body in a shield but Voldemort just looked at him calmly without moving. Both men eyeing each other off, neither one bound by the agreement and Harry was sure that if he hadn't thrown up the anti-apparation ward that someone else would have.

"You trap yourself here?" Voldemort asked in amusement. "Or do you have more to say?"

"You don't think I talk enough?" Harry asked in amusement. "Most people say I talk too much."

A scream split the air but Harry didn't turn as he kept Voldemort in his sights. Harry could feel Voldemort's power swirling around him but he had to keep the man busy. Harry could see movement from the edge of his ward and knew that Voldemort's supporters had started to arrive but he didn't move or lift his wand and Voldemort narrowed his eyes at him.

"Or is this a trap for me?" Voldemort said slowly and looked around.

Harry took a step back, it felt like he was moving through water, the magic was that thick in the air. Both his own and Voldemort's power swirling around them.

"The one thing you should know about me," Harry said carefully as he took another step back. "Is that I am very good at contracts…and their loop holes."

Voldemort's gaze fell on him and Harry gritted his teeth as the man brought his dark magic crashing down on his shoulders. Harry panted slightly at the feeling and pushed it to the side, letting it flow around him, feeling like a pebble in a stream as the magic washed over him.

"Also, that I've had a very long time to work with dark magic," Harry said with a grin.

"So have I," Voldemort hissed as Harry let his cane fall.

Harry smirked and tangled his fingers in the man's dark magic around him and Voldemort's eyes widened. Both men freezing.

"You wouldn't dare," Voldemort hissed, his eyes flashing red.

"Do you want to put it to the test?" Harry asked as he ran his fingers through the dark magic, feeling the magical signals of more people apparating in and crossing his ward.

Voldemort and Harry stood frozen, each staring the other down, both unsure which way this could go. Harry knew he would pay a higher price if he followed through on his threat as Voldemort's eyes bore into him and Harry could see slight doubt in the other man's expression. They had reached a cross road.

Suddenly a net of magic smashed into them and Harry crashed to his knees as pain shot through his head. He heard others cry out around him. His hands clenched into the earth as the magic washed over him and he quickly wrapped his shield around him thickly, but it didn't stop. Voldemort's foot suddenly smashed into his stomach, flipping him onto his back and he grunted at the unexpected attack.

Harry groaned at the pain and looked up into Voldemort's red-brown eyes as the man glared down at him. Still standing as the net of magic pushed on them.

"You think that will work against me?" Voldemort hissed, but Harry could see the strain in the man before his lips twisted up. " _Crucio_!"

Harry curled up on the ground as pain raced over his body and he swallowed down the screams of pain as he pushed against the spell as the net of magic caged him to the ground. He could feel the darkness gathering at the edge of his mind but the pain kept him from sinking into it. He panted loudly when the Dark Lord lifted the spell and Harry chuckled darkly.

"You think they are after you?" Harry panted as he glanced up at the other man, feeling the trembling in his body from the curse. "And they say I have a big ego."

Voldemort's eyes darted around as Aurors started to move in on them with a sneer on his face. Harry struggled to his knees as both the net spell and Voldemort's dark power pushed at him. He grabbed that dark power and gave it a slight tug and Voldemort's head whipped around, his wand out before him.

"Aurors! Drop your wand!" Someone yelled, but both wizards didn't look away from each other.

"Well?" Harry asked quietly. "Do you want to put it to the test?"

With a snarl the Dark Lord lashed out with his magic and Harry pulled on his as he flared the shield around him. It stopped most of the attack but didn't stop him from going sprawling onto his side with his head pounding. He flinched as Voldemort smashed through his ward as he apparated and he quickly tied the ward back into the ground before his eyes rolled up and he passed out from the magic crashing down on him.

xXx

"Stop the spell!" Kingsley barked into his walkie.

The Aurors eased up on the spell and Kingsley's eyes were locked on the still form of Blake. The man wasn't moving.

"Move in," Kingsley ordered with Miller beside him. "Contain all death eaters."

"Yes, sir."

Kingsley and Miller moved forward quickly towards Blake, they had both seen the green spell hit the man and feared the worse as they moved forward. Blake was sprawled out on his side completely limp and pale and Kingsley dropped to his knees in front of him and reached out.

"He's alive," Kingsley announced. "Call your medic."

"David!" Miller ordered as he spoke into his walkie. "We need you here. Blake is down."

"Yes, sir."

Kingsley pushed Blake onto his back and he rolled limply.

"You have to give him credit," Miller remarked with a small smile as he knelt on the other side of the man and glanced around as the Aurors moved in on the death eaters that had fallen under the net spell. "His plans may be mad, but they work."

Kingsley snorted as David knelt down beside them and quickly ran his wand over the man. Blake suddenly groaned and blinked open his green eyes to look up at them.

"What took you so long?" Blake asked softly.

"Your directions need work," Miller replied mildly. "Maybe next time you should place your marker stones better."

Blake just swore at him and the three men grinned down at him.

"He's fine," David said softly with a grin. "Nice dose of the pain curse but otherwise, he's fine."

Kingsley and Miller shared a look, that spell Voldemort had cast had looked a lot like the killing curse. Blake sat up and grabbed his head with a soft groan.

"Right there, Sun?" Miller asked.

"Fantastic," Blake said, sarcasm dripping from his words. "You try being caught in a net spell."

Miller and Kingsley got to their feet and looked around as the Dark Lord's supporters were being rounded up and shared a grin before looking back down at Blake. Kingsley held his hand out to the man and pulled him to his feet as David scoped up his cane and passed it over.

The man didn't look steady on his feet but he was standing as he rubbed his temple with a slightly trembling hand and Kingsley frowned in concern. He looked over to David and Miller and could see the other men watching Blake in concern as well. Blake looked up and glanced around before focusing on them with a lopsided grin, that they knew well.

"Did we win?" Blake asked, a glint in his eyes.

Miler barked a laugh.

"There should be plenty of work for you for the next week," Kingsley replied with a smirk. "Lots of paperwork as well."

"Dylan should be very pleased when he signs off on your pay cheque," Miller added in, sarcasm dripping from his words.

"Something to look forward to," Blake deadpanned. "Do you need me here?"

Kingsley looked around.

"No," Kingsley replied. "I'll call you tomorrow."

Blake gave them a nod then grabbed his head with a winch, David pulled a potion out and held it out but Blake waved him off.

"Do you want me to drop the ward?" Blake asked.

Kingsley pulled his phone and dialled Severus's number as he watched Blake.

"Yes," Miller said softly.

Blake closed his eyes and the ward dropped as Severus answered the phone.

"You can move in now," Kingsley said into the phone.

Severus apparated with a soft pop and looked around before focusing on Blake.

"Why are you covered in grass?" Severus drawled looking the man over.

Blake's eyes shot open then he groaned.

"I'm feeling ganged up on here," Blake muttered.

Kingsley gave him a smile before the three men moved away leaving Severus and Blake alone.

"Hey," Blake said with a grin.

Severus looked the man over and his sharp eyes picked up the tremble in his hand as he pulled out two potions and held them out. Blake took them with a small smile, before taking them and passing the empty vials back. Blake's eyes looked over the scene around them while death eaters were apparated away before turning to Severus with a tired grin.

"If this keeps up," Blake said with a grin. "It may just be the Dark Lord knocking on the gates of the school."

Severus looked the man over and his grin started to slip.

"That would still be a challenge," Severus pointed out. "That man always seems to gather people around him."

Blake gave him an odd look and Severus frowned.

"Blake?" Severus asked quietly as the Aurors moved around them, giving them looks.

"Sorry," Blake said. "Nothing. Let's go, I hear a coffee calling my name."

Severus gave him a last look over before stepping forward and grabbing his arm and apparating back to the school.

xXx

Severus looked up at the knock at Blake's door around lunchtime the next day. He placed his book on the side table next to the lounge he was sitting on.

"Come in," Severus called.

Albus came in with Kingsley and Dracka behind him. Severus got to his feet and they all moved to the dining table. Severus grabbed up the file on the table and held it out to Kingsley and the man gave him a nod of thanks.

"How's Blake?" Kingsley asked as he took the file and opened it on the table before him and taking a seat next to Albus.

"Asleep," Severus replied.

The man had crashed in his bed the moment he'd gotten through the door, only pausing long enough to strip off. He'd only slept for a few hours before he was up and writing his report before heading back to bed again. Severus had watched him the whole time and if Kingsley noticed that Blake's writing in the report wasn't as neat as normal he didn't say anything.

Dracka moved over to the bedroom and stuck his head around the door and Severus could see Kingsley tensing beside him. Dracka moved into the bedroom and Severus smirked. Dracka quickly skipped out of the room with Blake cursing after him and Severus gave the vampire a smirk as the other man grinned.

"He's awake now," Dracka said mildly.

Albus looked over at the vampire in disapproval and Dracka gave him a smirk. Severus moved over to the kitchen to make up coffee as Blake appeared in the doorway in jeans and a shirt and glared at Dracka, his short hair a mess.

"One of these days, vampire." Blake hissed in warning.

"Always with the threats," Dracka said mildly as he moved to sprawl out in the chair between Kingsley and Albus, putting a buffer between him and Blake.

"That's not a threat," Blake replied as he crashed into one of the seats before turning to Kingsley. "How did we do?"

"About twenty death eaters," Kingsley replied. "You'll need to break through the mark. We tried to get into the Riddle mansion but you-know-who turned up and we had to retreat. We believe that the death eaters we captured are only new members."

Blake sighed and rubbed a hand down his face as Severus moved back into the room and placed the tray of coffee and tea on to the table and passed Blake a cup before taking the seat next to him.

"So not as good as it could have been?" Blake asked.

"Afraid so," Kingsley replied with a sigh. "It was the time frame we had to work with."

"We tried at least," Blake replied as he sipped on his coffee. "The Dark Lord had more time to plan this than we did. We took a chance."

"He did try a play against the Ministry," Kingsley announced mildly and watched as Blake paused. "You're in the Minister's good books for the short term."

"Ha!" Blake barked. "That won't last."

Kingsley gave him a smirk.

"Does that extend down to Dylan?" Blake asked with a smirk.

"The Minister is talking about more joint operations with the Department," Kingsley replied with a smirk.

"Ah," Blake muttered. "Might want to avoid the man then."

Kingsley gave Blake a grin.

"Miller would help you out," Kingsley said mildly.

"Are you kidding," Blake exclaimed with a sigh. "Last time I got on Dylan's bad side, Miller and his whole team disappeared on a 'mission' for a month."

Kingsley snorted in amusement as everyone at the table looked at Blake fondly as the man sprawled back in his chair with his coffee cradled in his hands.

"We heard the story up in the Auror department," Kingsley remarked with a smile. "It's not every day that someone sets off the alarms which leads to the whole Ministry building being evacuated and a room needing to be sealed off."

Blake glared over at the dark man and Kingsley gave him a smile as Dracka barked a laugh.

"What did you do?" Dracka asked.

"Someone put two magical items into my office that shouldn't come into contact with each other," Blake muttered. "Hardly my fault."

"Was that before or after he sent that box of Squirts here?" Dracka asked in amusement.

"Before," Blake muttered. "I need an apprentice or at least an aid to sort through all that stuff they shove in there."

Everyone looked at Severus and he just looked back mildly.

"I've already done an apprenticeship, I am not repeating that." Severus drawled.

Blake looked at him in amusement and Severus was glad the man didn't say anything.

"As entertaining as this is," Albus said softly. "We should get back to the matter at hand."

"Dark Lord Voldemort," Blake said softly, Severus started and looked over at the man in surprise.

The man would say Voldemort's name but not often, due to the spell worked into the Dark Lord's name and it was still odd hearing it from him. The only times he may say the name was behind the wards of the school.

"Yes," Albus agreed as he looked Blake over and Severus was sure that he was thinking the same thing he was.

"I've written out some of the conversation that I had with him in that file," Blake pointed out. "I'll get a better transcript when I get a moment to review my memory of the encounter. Nothing much to report. He offered safe passage for Severus and Ry in exchange for me helping him to take the Ministry and Hogwarts."

Severus started at that and looked over at Blake but the man was looking at Albus.

"So, nothing really gained there," Blake stated.

"Except an attempt on the Ministry foiled and over twenty death eaters to be processed." Kingsley pointed out with a frown.

Blake looked over at him and Kingsley gave the man an odd look.

"What?" Blake asked with a frown.

"We were sure that he used the killing curse against you," Kingsley said softly.

Severus tensed and could feel Dracka and Albus tensing as well.

"What!" Blake exclaimed. "No. The killing curse kills, Kingsley. I am very much alive."

"I'm aware of that, Blake." Kingsley said with a sigh. "It was the same colour."

"It wasn't the killing curse," Blake replied in amusement.

"What was it?" Kingsley asked, sitting forward in his seat.

"No idea," Blake replied. "I thought it was just a wave of raw power. Green you say?"

"Yes," Kingsley said.

"There are a few spells that are similar in colour to the killing curse," Blake stated in thought.

"Right," Kingsley said and got to his feet with the file in hand. "Good night, everyone."

Once Kingsley was out the door, the other three men looked at Blake.

"Well?" Severus drawled looking at his lover.

"Well?" Blake drawled back and Dracka snorted.

"Killing curse, Mr Sun." Severus smirked.

"It wasn't the killing curse," Blake repeated.

The three men paused.

"It wasn't," Blake insisted. "Not a mark on me, so couldn't have been the killing curse. Might have just been my magic and his mixing. I'm fine by the way."

"So," Dracka said with a twist to his lips. "What are our plans now?"

The three men turned to Albus.

"Focus on the school," Albus said softly.

"While I process the death eaters," Blake said softly.

Severus grimaced as he looked at his lover.

"Am I going to get another call about breaking you out of prison?" Severus drawled and Dracka perked up in interest.

xXx

Harry gave Dylan Dogwood, the Head of the Department of Mysteries a look over as the man looked up from the file in front of him.

"Good thing you work for me and not the Auror department," Dylan growled. "We can censor out the parts we don't want the rest of the Ministry to read."

"Sounds like the story of my life," Harry replied with a smirk.

"It is with the way you bloody work," Dylan muttered. "Kingsley sent me down the hours you have been working at the prison. I'm cutting it in half and getting him to pay the other half out of the Auror department budget. If he doesn't fucking like it, he can find his own curse breaker to do his dirty work."

Harry gave the man a smirk and Dylan gave him a look over.

"This Graham Simpson?" Dylan asked as he sat back in his seat. "I need Miller to move out on a mission with his team, I could use you backing them up."

"It's not Simpson I'm concerned with at the moment," Harry replied. "It's the Dark Lord and his move on Hogwarts."

Dylan sat forward in his seat his eyes intense.

"Talk," Dylan barked.

"I'm not leaving Hogwarts undefended," Harry said softly.

Dylan looked him over before nodding.

"I'll send a different team," Dylan replied. "And have Miller and his team available to you."

"Thank you," Harry replied softly. "I'll contact Gringotts to see if they can spare a curse breaker."

"You mean I have to break another one in," Dylan growled.

Harry gave the man a smirk.

"One of your favourite past times," Harry said blandly.

Dylan just swore at him and Harry's grin widened as he gave the man a wink.

xXx

Severus was watching Blake from the high table. The man was doing something with a group of third year Slytherins that he couldn't work out. He had placed a light-coloured wooden box on the table and had it open before him. There were small pieces of what looked like wood or stone before him and cards. At first, he'd thought it was chess but then one of the pieces took to the air dispelling that idea.

"You're staring," Dracka stated as he took the seat next to him.

"What's he doing?" Severus muttered.

"Blake?" Dracka asked, grabbing a coffee. "No idea."

Both men watched him as Blake took something out of the box and placed it on the table. A small something went walking off down the table before Blake reached out and grabbed it.

"Don't tell me that he's making more figurines," Severus moaned.

"He better not!" Professor sprout snapped from further down the table. "My roses have only just recovered from his last one!"

Severus smirked in memory until a dark-haired man appeared at the main doors of the hall. He was dressed in a black suit, which fit him like a second skin. His hair cut short in a military style and sharp blue eyes with an air of a man that expects his orders to be carried out immediately, thank you very much.

"I wonder what Sergeant Miller is here for," Severus muttered as the man looked around the room.

His blue eyes caught Severus's eyes and he nodded in greeting as he looked over the rest of the hall. His eyes lingered on Blake but moved on as he moved into the hall.

"No idea," Dracka muttered.

The man glanced in Blake's direction again before moving towards Potter and his friends instead.

"He's here to talk to the students about enrolling in the Auror program. I'm sure that the Aurors and the Department of Mysteries haven't worked together so much before Blake came along." Albus stated as he took the empty seat next to Severus then he frowned. "What's Blake doing?"

Severus just waved his hand while Dracka snorted. Suddenly something small sprinted off down the table to the giggles of the third years as Blake looked after it.

"Perhaps," Dracka said slowly. "We need a Defence Against Blake Sun class next year?"

McGonagall two seats down snorted into her tea as Severus grinned.

"I have enough trouble filling your position, Mr Dracka." Albus said blandly with a twinkle in his blue eyes. "Which reminds me, are you interested in staying for next year?"

Severus watched his lover for a few more minutes before focusing on Miller as he spoke to Ry and his friends and placed a few pieces of paper on the table. His heart clenching at the thought of such young people moving into the Auror program and realised he had come to care about Potter and his friends.

A squeal from his snakes had him looking over and he smirked when the thing that had run down the table was running back towards Blake and the third years as something else flew around the hall to the amusement of the Slytherins. It was good to see laughter amongst the students at his table. He even spied a couple of Ravenclaws sitting there as well as the Hufflepuffs from the next table over.

Blake had a way of drawing people to him, and he was sure the man didn't even realise he was doing it. It would have been unheard of for different houses sitting together when he was a student, it would have been uncommon only a few years ago. He watched in amusement as Miller made his way over to the Slytherin table giving out forms, mainly to students from Blake's classes, he noted. When he reached Blake, he swiped the back of the man's head with the papers.

Severus heard the yelp from his seat as the man dropped some files before Blake and a form for the Auror program. Blake grinned up at him and grabbed up one of the figurines off the table in his hand and held it out to Miller, which had the students giggling around him.

"He's good for this school," Albus said softly.

"That's if he doesn't destroy a part of it," Dracka muttered from the other side. "I caught him eyeing off the Griffin outside your office the other day, Albus."

The Headmaster gave a chuckle.

"What was he doing up there?" Severus asked.

"It's Blake," Dracka laughed. "Why does he do half the things he does?"

Suddenly Blake jumped up from the table cursing, a small black something attached to his finger as he tried to flick it off as the students laughed around him.

"50 points, Mr Sun!" Professor McGonagall's voice lashed out like a whip. "For swearing!"

Severus found himself laughing, it may be dark times, but Blake Sun could always keep them entertained.

xXx

Severus walked into Blake's rooms to see that wooden box that the man had had in the Great Hall sitting on his dining table with the files from Miller next to it. He moved closer in interest, as he looked it over. It was a plain wooden box with nothing on it to hint at what was inside. He placed his hand on the top of it, feeling the rough wood under his palm.

"If you let them out," Blake purred from behind him, startling Severus. "You have to put them back."

Severus turned to the other man as he looked at him in amusement.

"And just what would I be releasing, Mr Sun?" Severus asked as he drew himself up to his full height.

"Pandora's box," Blake said with a wink then added. "It's a game."

Blake stepped around him and picked up the box and flipped the lid open to reveal cards. Blake took a seat at the table and pulled out a couple of the cards and placed them on the table in a row, face up. Severus frowned when he couldn't see any figurines.

He picked up one of the cards to see a dragon looking up at him. He looked at the other cards to see other creatures, spells, or other things on them. He peered back into the box to just see more cards and Blake looked up at him in amusement.

He gently took the card of the dragon from Severus's hand and placed it on the table face down and a small figure of a dragon appeared. It looked like it had been made from wood, similar to some chess sets, as it uncurled its body and stretched its back. It turned around and faced away from Blake and looked around.

"They had a set when I went down into the Department the other day," Blake explained as he looked down at the dragon. "It's a lost and found. They just shoved it into my office. Like most things they can't work out, but still look interesting."

Severus took a seat at the table as he looked at his lover.

"From the future?" Severus asked softly as Blake placed another card face down and vines crawled across the table.

"Yes," Blake replied. "Quite a way in the future. I used to play this game with my grandchildren."

Severus started at the admission, Blake was very sparse with information about his past.

"Very neat spell work in the cards," Blake continued and placed another card down and a phoenix appeared. "I think there's a vampire in here which Dracka would find interesting."

Severus barked a laugh as the phoenix took flight around the room. He looked up at the bird as he swooped down and the Dragon turned its head to watch it.

"It's a strategy game," Blake explained and looked up at Severus and the other man's breath caught in his chest at the raw look in the other man's eyes and he knew that Blake was caught up in a memory. "One of my Granddaughters was very good at it."

Blake looked away and placed another card face down and it looked like a pond of water appeared on the table. Blake flipped the card right way up and the pond disappeared making Severus gasp. Blake looked up at him in amusement.

"And you like to remind me that we are wizards," Blake smirked and gave him a wink. "I refused to play with Ron, even if he was getting old and forgetful by that point."

Blake's voice trailed off as he looked at the dragon on the table and Severus could almost feel the sadness in the man. Severus moved towards him and placed a hand on his shoulder in comfort as the dragon decided to take flight after the phoenix. Blake looked up as the two animals as they chased each other around the room before flipping the three cards on the table over and they disappeared.

Blake placed the cards back in the box and closed the lid, placing it back on the table next to the files.

"It takes both light and dark power to make a set," Blake said softly. "It's a very good teaching tool for students that haven't seen magical creatures before."

"Have you been a teacher before?" Severus asked and wondered why it had taken so long for him to ask that.

"At Hogwarts?" Blake asked, looking up at him. "No. I didn't have much to do with Hogwarts after I left. There was nothing here for me."

"What about one of the other magical schools?" Severus asked instead.

Blake looked up at him and gave him a grin.

"Are you asking for my resume, Mr Snape?" Blake asked with a smirk, deflecting the question.

Severus barked a laugh.

"I don't have time to read a book." He drawled.

xXx

Ry followed behind his father as he moved towards the gates of Hogwarts with some other seventh-year and a few sixth-year students behind him. He looked around at the students in confusion since there were a lot of the students that weren't normally in his father's classes and he was wondering why they were there.

"Where's he taking us?" Ron asked from beside him.

"No idea," Ry replied.

"Why are you here, Ron?" Hermione asked from his other side.

"The message went out to anyone that had applied to the Auror program or the Department," Ron replied.

Blake stopped at the front gates of the school and turned to the group.

"Okay everyone," Blake called out. "We'll be stepping over the wards for today's lesson because the last time I used dark magic the Headmaster yelled at me for a good twenty minutes."

A few of the students looked around unsure while Ry snorted and gave his father a grin.

"You all applied for either the Auror Program or the Department of Mysteries," Blake said softly. "I have gotten the Headmaster's permission to show you what dark magic feels like since it will be something you will come across in your work and I want you to be prepared."

A few students looked pale at the thought since they didn't know Blake as well as his students did. Blake grinned and stepped over the wards of the school.

"Shall we?" Blake asked with a wink and a challenge in his voice.

Ry and his friends stepped forward with all of the students that took classes with his father and the others followed with a little bit of hesitation. His father smiled and moved off towards an area that had been cleared and Ry could see a chalk line already laid out.

"Please remove your wands and any other weapons you may have before stepping into the circle," Blake called over his shoulder as he stepped over the line and turned to the students. "That's it, now spread out everyone. Give yourself space."

Ry grinned over at Ron while Hermione looked concerned as everyone spread out. Blake moved over and picked up a bag of chalk and limped around the line again. The students watched, a lot with large eyes, as he moved back to his starting point and a protection circle flared to life around them.

"Okay everyone," Blake called. "Close your eyes if you want."

Ry stood calmly and closed his eyes and waited as his mind drifted. He could feel something like a mist moving around him but when he opened his eyes there was nothing there. He frowned and looked over at his father but he was looking around at the students carefully.

He closed his eyes again and felt something brush against his arm and he shivered. It felt like someone was standing behind him and he turned to look over his shoulder but nothing was there. He turned back and closed his eyes again and could hear a whisper in his ear but when he looked nothing was there and he was standing alone.

"Most of the time," Blake said softly into the silence. "You will not be able to feel the dark magic but something in your gut will tell you there is something wrong. Dark magic can be used the same way normal or light magic is used. There are certain spells that it likes more than others and if you have dark magic at your core you will be drawn to them, which is the same way if you have light magic at your core."

Ry could see other students looking around just as confused as him. Yes, he could feel something in the air but it didn't feel much different than any other magic he had felt.

"I am using dark magic right now," Blake said softly. "Do you feel any different? Ms Granger?"

"It just feels like normal magic," The girl said in confusion. "Shouldn't it feel different?"

"You are young, so it's harder to tell the difference," Blake replied. "Close your eyes and I'll kick it up a notch."

Ry closed his eyes and could feel something at the back of his head, like a slight pressure but nothing else. Something whispered in his ear and he flicked his head around but nothing was there. It was unsettling.

Then he could see a dark mist gathering around him and he reached out a hand and it brushed over him. He felt angry and frustrated that he couldn't work out that spell he had been working on for the last week. He balled his fists and wondered why he couldn't get it right but Hermione had mastered it on her first try!

Then suddenly it felt like something had lifted from his thoughts and he looked over at Hermione with wide eyes. The girl looked as shaken as he did. He looked over to his father who stood calmly leaning on his cane as he looked over the class.

"Dark magic creeps into your mind," Blake said softly. "It can taint your thoughts, that was a taste of what a dark item would feel like. Unpleasant, yes?"

Murmurs went around the class in agreement.

"Now that you have felt it," Blake said calmly. "Take note of what it feels like and you will have a better defence against it next time. Now light magic."

Ry felt something touch him and he jolted to the side like he had been shocked and he looked around as a few other students yelped.

"It is not subtle," Blake said in amusement. "It is just there."

Ry felt power around him and he ran a hand around him feeling something slide around his fingers. A few students yelped as they got shocked and Ry looked over to see his father smiling in amusement before the feeling was gone.

"Do not be fooled," Blake said softly. "A witch or wizard can cast the killing spell with either dark or light power behind it."

The whole class stilled and went silent at his father's words, then Hermione's hand shot up in the air.

"Yes, Ms Granger?" Blake asked calmly.

"How can you use light magic for the killing curse?" The girl whispered.

"Because magic is still magic at its core, Ms Granger." Blake replied in amusement. "Remember my class with Mr Malfoy with the Doctor casting the killing curse to end his life of suffering?"

"Yes, sir." Hermione said, looking pale.

"It's all about intent," Blake said softly. "Backing a spell with either light or dark magic can boost the spell but you are still crafting it with magic. You will find that a lot of Doctors will have a core tangled with either magic to help them with healing."

A lot of students were looking around with wide eyes.

"You will also find in time that you could have a core with light or dark magic and may have already pulled on that magic without knowing," Blake said with bright green eyes that made even Ry shiver. "Keep that in mind when you move into the Auror Program or the Department. It may save your life one day."

Ry shivered at his father's words.

"Thank you, everyone." Blake called. "You can grab your gear and head back up to the school. If you have any concerns about today's lesson you can talk to your Head of House or me. Now off you go."

"Wow," Ron said coming over to Ry and Hermione. "Are your classes always like this?"

Ry snorted as Hermione smacked Ron's arm.

xXx

"Did you have fun tormenting your students?"

Harry looked up to see Dracka standing in the shade as he walked up the front steps of the castle

"Always," Harry replied with a grin.

"At least your lot look happier than after they've had a lesson with Severus," Dracka replied as Harry came to lean on the wall next to him and they looked out at the students milling around.

"That's because my students know I can't give them detentions or take points and that they can walk away anytime they want," Harry said. "While Severus's students are doomed."

Dracka barked a laugh and a couple of students looked over at the pair.

"And I've seen a few pale faces after they've had a class with you as well, Mr Dracka." Harry pointed out.

"I'm a vampire, I have an excuse," Dracka said, looking down his nose at the other man. "I'm a dark creature you know."

Harry chuckled in amusement.

"It's always good to know where they have drawn the line for that position," Harry remarked with a grin.

Harry stepped away from the wall and took a couple of steps away before turning back to the man with a smirk as he leaned on his cane.

"Can only improve from that! Or there is always a Care of Magical Creatures class!" Harry called out then twisted to the side with a laugh as Dracka sent a spell in his direction to the amusement of the students watching.


	35. Chapter 35

Harry sat at the back of the large room on the third floor with his feet up on a chair as he looked out over everyone. It was packed with Dracka's men, the Council, Order members, Ministry workers, Aurors, students, teachers and members of the Department. He couldn't say that he had ever seen so many people from different areas of the magical community in one room before.

Harry tapped the elder wand on his leg as he looked around at everyone and was very happy that he wasn't in control this time, the Headmaster was. However so far everyone had worked well together while they ran through plans and his eye strayed over to Dylan and the head of the Auror department, Ben Filter, as Dylan made one of his points, his voice carrying across the room. Harry saw Minerva's lips thin at the man's language and Harry was sure that the woman would be having words with Dylan and Harry would make sure he was as far away as possible when that happened.

His eyes caught on Dracka and Severus as Albus and a few others looked over the battle plans that he'd drawn up and he was sure that he would have to make a few changes as Albus wrote something down. He'd gone through the wards on the school early that morning and they had the defences in place for when Voldemort would attack but so far, they hadn't heard anything through Dracka or Albus's spy network. Not that Simpson had made any moves either and Harry tapped his wand in thought. It concerned him that both men had gone quiet, especially Voldemort with the end of the school year coming closer.

His eyes strayed to Severus and Dracka as Ry moved into the room and Severus looked over at him before moving away to speak to the boy and Harry felt his gut clench. Severus clapped a hand to Ry's shoulder and they moved towards Dracka and Albus together. The vampire flashed his fangs at Ry and the other man just looked at him mildly and Harry smirked. The boy was growing up as he stood next to Severus for a while before moving back to his friends at the side of the room.

They had slowly been bringing people into the school over the last few days for this meeting. The mass meeting didn't sit well with Harry, since it ran the chance that Voldemort could find out their plans but they'd had to do it and Harry had laid the charms around the room himself to make sure that anything discussed couldn't be spoken to anyone outside the room. At this stage they would just be planning and waiting which was another thing that didn't sit right for Harry.

Harry yelped suddenly when his wand shocked him and it went skittering across the floor of the classroom. He glared over it and glanced up to see Severus smirking at him as he flicked his fingers from the sting.

"Got away from you, Blake?"

Harry looked over at a smiling Remus Lupin as the werewolf picked up the wand.

"Temperamental thing," Harry muttered making the other man grin.

"No good wizard would let his wand leave his hand," Moody growled as he stepped towards him.

"Unless you have a back-up," Harry replied with a smirk.

"And let it be used against him!" Moody barked. "Bah, you are more of an idiot than I first thought!"

"Who says that Remus could use that wand against me?" Harry remarked. "Go ahead Remus, I'm open."

Harry held his hands out to his sides to Remus's amusement as Moody fixed both his eyes on Harry.

"Why are you even here, Dark Wizard?" Moody growled.

"I work here," Harry replied easily. "It's easier to corrupt the younger generation that way."

Harry smirked at the other man as Remus tried to keep the laughter in.

"This is no laughing matter, young man!" Moody snapped.

"Looks can be deceiving, old man." Harry countered mildly. "You should know that better than anyone."

"I know the damage your kind can do," Moody hissed, his real eye flashing. "The destruction your kind can leave in your wake. The death and stink of dark magic."

"Then feel free not to follow the battle plans I drew up in the Headmaster's hands then," Harry said as he slipped his feet off the chair and sat forward in his chair with his arms resting on his knees. "But it would just mean your death, but that is nothing compared to the blood already on my hands, Moody."

Harry spread his hands out in front of him, palms towards the other man as he glared down at him. The damage to the man's body clear to see from his time fighting against Dark Wizards that wielded the same power that Harry did. If anyone knew what dark magic was capable of, it was the two wizards as they eyed each other off.

"I'll be happy to add the Dark Lord's blood to my hands," Harry said softly. "But not yours or any of my allies."

Moody locked eyes with him for a couple of minutes before turning on his heels with a growl and stomping off. Harry looked up at Remus, the man was still holding his wand in his hand as Harry leaned back in his seat.

"You have a skill at creeping people out, Blake." Remus said quietly.

"That may have been mentioned before," Harry commented lightly to the werewolf.

"Here," Remus replied as he held his wand out, hilt first.

"Thanks," Harry said, taking it in his hand and placing it away.

"You know," Remus mused as he took a seat next to Harry. "Moody's right, most wizards wouldn't let their wands out of their sight, let alone flick it across the room."

"Good to know I'm not like everyone else then," Harry stated with a laugh.

"But that just makes me wonder why," Remus replied mildly.

"Don't tell me that paranoia is catching?" Harry asked with a grin. "My son is bad enough. Severus is convinced it's a Potter thing."

"James had his moments," Remus remarked. "But he was an Auror."

"I've read some of his files," Harry admitted. "How is Black still alive?"

"Black family luck," Sirius cried as he took a seat next to Remus. "We are built from tough stuff."

"And good timing," Remus remarked.

Harry snorted as he looked at the two men and hoped everything would work out for them this time around.

"I'm sure the luck came first," Harry muttered as he looked around. "We could use some at the moment. I don't like feeling like a duck sitting in water when it's hunting season."

"I don't know, Blake." Remus said quietly. "I've seen those plans of yours."

"I'm concerned about the parts I can't plan for," Harry said and looked at the two men beside him as he brought up a silencing charm. "There's a prophecy at play."

"What!" Sirius yelped.

"Why do you think the Dark Lord tried to get into the Department?" Harry remarked quietly. "And needed Ry there?"

"Harry," Remus whispered, his eyes wide.

"Yes," Harry confirmed. "Severus and Dracka have a plan."

"You don't know it?" Black demanded.

"No," Harry replied, which still grated on him. "But they know my plan. Whatever happens I need you to let them do what needs to be done. My son's life could depend on it."

"But-hey!" Sirius yelped as Remus elbowed him.

"If that's your plan," Remus said quietly. "We'll respect that."

Black glared at Remus before turning on Harry.

"If he dies," Black hissed. "It's on your head!"

Harry's eyes hardened as he looked at Sirius.

"You think I don't know that!" Harry snapped, his temper flaring. "You don't think that I want to go over there and grab the boy and leave here!"

Remus laid a hand on his arm.

"We both feel the same," Remus said softly.

Harry cupped his head in his hands before slowly running them over his head.

"I trust Severus," Harry said quietly. "…I have to trust him."

"And if you have placed Ry into the hands of a death eater," Sirius spat.

Harry looked up at Sirius Black standing before him, his grey eyes blazing as he glared down at him. Black seemed to deflate at the look in Harry's eyes and Harry wasn't sure he wanted to know what the man saw in him at that moment.

"I have already buried my children," Harry said softly. "I do not plan to bury another."

Remus paled and even Black looked shaken by the soft words.

"I have buried a wife and lovers," Harry said into the silence. "I do not take death lightly or place my trust blindly. I would not place my son's life into the hands of someone I do not trust completely, not only with my son's life but my own life as well."

All the fight went out of Black and he collapsed back in his chair as he stared at Harry.

"Who are you?" Sirius whispered.

Harry smiled sadly at the man in front of him.

"A man that has seen too much and lived too long," Harry replied softly and would say no more on the subject.

xXx

Harry tapped his pen against his table in his rooms as he looked over his plans once again, with any adjustments that Dracka or the Headmaster had written in to make sure they were still sound. Everyone had left after being briefed on the battle plans for the school. They had to be seen at their jobs and the Ministry so that the Dark Lord didn't pick up on the fact that they had a plan in place for when he would attack the castle or the Ministry.

Severus moved into the room and made his way over to Harry and looked over the maps as he placed his hands on Harry's shoulders and started to massage the tense muscles.

"Everyone should know where they have to be and what they have to do," Harry said softly. "Albus is keeping a close eye on the wards and is ready to send the signal when the Dark Lord attacks. It's just a waiting game now."

"We don't have long until the end of the term," Severus muttered as he looked at the map.

"Yes," Harry agreed. "If he's going to attack it will be soon."

"Come on, Blake." Severus whispered in the man's ear. "You need sleep."

Harry sighed as he looked over the table as he ran plans through his head, looking for loop holes. He looked up at Severus, his green eyes locking with Severus and the man gave him a soft smile. Severus stepped back as Harry got to his feet. The other man was right, since he would be no use to anyone without a good sleep as they moved towards the bedroom.

xXx

Miller moved into the café that Blake had asked to meet at and glanced around the busy shop. It took him a little while to spot the man, sprawled out in chair, near the glass windows and he gave a small smile. The man had a way of blending in and with the way he held his magic, he felt just like every other muggle moving around him as Miller stood in line to order.

He could feel a couple of eyes on him as he took stock of the shop and everyone in there and the exits but that was more due to his training than the chance of trouble. His eyes caught on Blake again as the man stared out into the street, looking like he wasn't paying attention to anyone but Miller knew better.

Miller took a seat at the table across from Blake and the man looked up with a smile and shook his offered hand.

"Hey, Miller." Blake greeted.

"Nice place," Miller commented.

"Close enough and yet far enough away from the Ministry," Blake replied as he leaned further back in his chair.

Miller had never met someone that took sitting in a wooden chair to the height of comfort as he looked the other man over. He may look relaxed but Miller could pick out the tension in the other man. He knew Blake very well as those green eyes looked him over.

"Dylan has us on standby," Miller said softly and he felt a silencing spell go up around them. "Am I taking my orders from you?"

"You'll be taking your orders from Severus and Dracka," Blake said softly.

Miller pulled back slightly and looked the man over. Now that he was looking at him closer, he could tell that something wasn't right.

"There is a prophecy between Harry Potter and Tom Riddle," Blake said softly as he sat up in his chair and laid his elbows on the table.

"Your son or you?" Miller asked.

"My son," Blake replied with a hard look in his eyes as he ran a hand over his head. "Severus and Dracka have a plan to combat this. I need you and your team to have their backs. Even if it means putting me down."

Miller sucked in a breath as he looked at the other man, he had not been expecting those words.

"Blake?" Miller whispered.

"I've asked Severus to meet me here in about twenty minutes," Blake replied as he glanced at his watch. "You two need to work out the plan. Severus has a brilliant mind and with Dracka backing him up with strategy I believe they have thought of everything…"

"But you want me to check it over," Miller finished.

"You will have to work out the right teams of Aurors to have in place as well," Blake pointed out. "I have an idea of what they are planning."

"Why are you not finding out this plan, Blake?" Miller asked in interest.

"I am too close," Blake replied with a sigh. "I believe that the killing curse will have to hit my son."

Miller sucked in a breath and could see the raw pain in the other man's eyes and knew that Blake wouldn't be able to let that happen. Would not be able to stand to the side if that was the case and Miller's gut clenched at the thought that the other man could be killed to save his son. Miller was well aware that they lived on a knife's edge in their line of work but that didn't ease his thoughts.

"You have looked at different ways around this?" Miller asked and yet knowing the answer.

"Yes," Blake said simply. "Harry Potter is a horcrux and the part of the Dark Lord's soul needs to be broken for the man to fall. Breaking through that connection needs to be done by either Ry or the Dark Lord, I can't do it."

Miller looked the man over and could tell this was tearing the other man up. Blake looked up at him and Miller held his gaze.

"I need to hold on to the hope that if I survived," Blake whispered. "He can survive, but he doesn't have the protection that I did. The ritual was different. This Dark Lord is different. So many things could go wrong."

Miller grabbed the other man's curled fist in his hand. He could see the frustration and rage in the man's body language. He tightened his grip on the man's hand and Blake's eyes locked with his.

"Do you trust Severus?" Miller whispered.

"Yes," Blake replied without hesitation.

"Then we'll do our best," Miller replied. "I'll have the right people around you when we need them."

"Thank you, Bob." Blake whispered and placed his other hand over his.

Both men looked up when Severus's magical signal touched on them and they watched as the man walked into the café, adjusting his jacket uncomfortably and Miller could feel the man across the table relaxing slightly. Severus's dark eyes landed on them as Miller released Blake's hands. His eyes darted between the two of them as he made his way over.

"You're early," Blake said softly as Severus moved through the silencing charm dropping it.

"Albus just got a new supply of lemon drops," Severus remarked as he took a seat next to Blake as his dark eyes looked Miller over as he gave him a nod.

"Ah," Blake said with a grimace. "I think I might check up on my office in the Department for the afternoon."

Blake got to his feet and Severus looked up at him with a raised eyebrow.

"You have plans to make with Miller," Blake said softly before leaning down and whispering something in the other man's ear.

Miller could pick out the slight widening of Severus's eyes, but if he hadn't been looking for it, he wouldn't have noticed. He knew Severus's history, since he'd pulled his file once Blake started to take an interest in the other man but reading something in a file was different to seeing him working in real life. It had always intrigued him why Blake had chosen this man but Blake had never played by the rules.

Blake gave Severus's shoulder a squeeze, once he straightened back up, and Miller could see the silent conversation pass between them before Blake gave him a small smile before turning to Miller.

"I'll talk to you later," Blake said with a grin. "I'm sure Dylan will find something for me to do, once he realises I'm in the Department."

Miller barked a laugh.

"He'll find you," Miller remarked. "He always finds you."

Blake gave him a lopsided grin before limping from the café, looking just like any other muggle out for lunch in London. Miller looked back to see Severus looking him over with dark unreadable eyes and he held back a shiver. The reminder of Severus's death eater past in that stare.

"Blake has explained some of what you have planned," Miller said into the silence. "I'll be taking orders from you or the vampire and I'll have the Auror teams I want at my back."

Severus's eyes narrowed slightly and Miller couldn't help but think that Blake and Severus were like two sides of a coin. Both were dangerous but in different ways.

"You will not stop what we have planned?" Severus stated more than questioned.

"Correct," Miller confirmed. "But I do need to know what you have planned."

"That sneaky bastard," Severus cursed.

Miller gave the man a grin.

"You get used to it," Miller commented with a slight grin.

Severus and Miller shared a look and Miller could see the moment that the other man came to a decision as he relaxed slightly and brought up a silencing charm around them.

xXx

Severus woke with a start when Blake's arm tightened around his waist before the man rolled out of bed. Severus looked over to him. He was standing next to the bed looking around with a frown on his brow. Severus took a moment to look the man over before those pale green eyes landed on him.

"Something isn't right," Blake muttered.

The words had Severus out of bed and dressing as the other man did the same.

"What is it?" Severus asked as he pulled on his clothes and slipped his wand into its holster.

"I don't know," Blake said softly and the silver sword of his appeared in his hand and he placed it through the loop on his belt. "Something is calling."

Blake turned and Severus grabbed his arm stopping him.

"Is it the Dark Lord?" Severus asked.

Blake patted his hand and smirked.

"You're still half asleep," Blake said with a smile. "I'll ignore that question."

"I mean," Severus drawled. "Does it have something to do with the Dark Lord?"

"I don't think so," Blake replied. "Come on."

Blake grabbed up his cane and they started walking. Severus followed close behind him through the silent hallways of Hogwarts. Blake led them out of the castle and stood for a moment on the front steps before turning to the right. Following something that Severus couldn't see or feel.

Blake stopped when he reached the greenhouses and looked down at his watch. Severus tensed when the other man cursed and his face paled slightly.

"It's the night of the last battle," Blake whispered. "I had forgotten."

Severus looked around at the silent castle and grounds.

"Another time difference?" Severus asked softly.

"Yes," Blake agreed shortly.

Blake pushed open the greenhouse door and Severus gasped. A glowing rip was the best he could describe it as, was in front of him. It stood as tall as him and he could see the other side of the greenhouse through it, like it was glass window with a glowing frame in an odd and changing shape.

"Time rip…well more of a dimensional rip since it's connected to the same time but different timelines…the magic of two times touching in the same place." Blake confirmed as he stepped forward. "A large one as well. This would have been the night…"

Blake trailed off and Severus gasped as he was looking at himself but not himself. The man on the other side of the rip was pale, paper white really, with dark bags under his eyes and with limp black hair and cruel black eyes as he glared at them. He looked years older than Severus but they both knew they were looking at Severus Snape. The man's mouth twisted up in an ugly sneer as his eyes locked onto Blake.

"Potter!" The other Severus Snape snapped. "You idiot!"

Blake stepped forward and Severus wondered how the man knew Blake was Harry Potter before he realised that his lover didn't try to hide the way he looked. Yes, he probably looked older and had shorter hair but probably still looked the same as the Harry Potter of his time. Even if he didn't look like the Harry Potter that Severus taught in this time.

"Snape," Blake replied softly.

"Disregarding orders again, Potter!" Snape snarled, baring his teeth. "Always believing orders are for other people! How many will die for you this time?"

Severus gasped at the venom dripping off the man as he glared at Blake as the man looked back at him calmly. Severus had to give Blake credit as he stood before the rip with his back straight as he looked straight at the man on the other side. Facing the other man head on and unflinchingly.

"Too many, Snape." Blake replied calmly.

Snape sneered as he stared at Blake. Cold hatred in those dark eyes that even Severus pulled back slightly from.

"We don't have long, Snape." Blake said, stepping closer. "Say your piece."

"You look older," Snape smirked, eyeing him.

Blake huffed a laugh. "I am old, Snape."

Snape moved closer to the rip but didn't touch it as he looked at Blake.

"You survived," Snape stated softly, dark eyes completely focused on Blake. "The Dark Lord?"

"Dies," Blake confirmed.

The time rip was starting to close very slowly.

Snape's face twisted up in an ugly mask, his black eyes glinting in glee and Severus couldn't stop himself moving forward and laying a hand on Blake's shoulder. Snape's eyes flicked up to him and he shivered at the look that the other man gave him as a sneer graced his lips. It was disjointing to see a face so much like his own twisted up as his eyes glinted in twisted glee.

"I should have known," Snape snarled. "Is he too much like Lily for you? It's the green eyes staring at you, isn't it? Hope he's a good fuck at least!"

Snape turned suddenly, at a noise they couldn't hear, and his eyes widened as he pulled his wand. Blake pulled Severus away as the time rip quickly got smaller as yelling and hissing started up on the other side. Severus followed him feeling pale and shaky. They closed the door to the greenhouse firmly, the man's dying screams ringing in their ears.

Blake leaned back against the door and held his head in his hands. Severus didn't know what to do as silence fell around them again, with only the night-time animals and men's memories to keep them company. Severus understood now what Blake had been talking about, when he would talk about the Severus Snape that he had known.

"Um," Severus started. "That was…"

"Yes."

"On the night of…"

"Yes."

"I was that much of an ass?"

"He was, yes."

"How…"

Blake looked up at Severus, pale green meeting his. Severus could tell that other man was seeing something else as he looked through him. The look always gave him a shiver down his spine, knowing that the man was somewhere else in his mind and he worried that there might be a day that he wouldn't be able to draw Blake back from his memories.

"Severus Snape killed Albus Dumbledore," Blake said softly.

Severus reeled back in horror.

"Albus was dying," Blake continued.

"The horcrux?"

Blake nodded.

"There was no Blake Sun to save him," Blake said softly. "He poisoned himself to get to a second horcrux. He would have died within the month. Draco Malfoy had been tasked to kill Albus by the Dark Lord."

"What!" Severus squeaked. "He's a child!"

"That did not matter to him," Blake said calmly. "The ritual that they used to bring him back in my timeline was different, he wasn't sane Severus."

"Why did I…he kill Albus?"

Blake ran a hand over his head.

"As far as I could work out." Blake replied slowly, looking off into the distance. "He took an Unbreakable Vow with Narcissa Malfoy to finish Draco's mission if the boy failed. Draco and myself sat down after the battle and before his trial and compared notes."

"Trial?" Severus asked, his head spinning with the information.

"Um yeah," Blake said. "He was marked as a death eater."

"Draco?" Severus gasped.

Blake gave him a small smile.

"The Dark Lord of my time marked many children, something that is very different in this timeline." Blake said softly. "This Dark Lord seems to be very careful with who he marks, even Charmling wasn't marked."

"What happened then?" Severus questioned.

"Severus Snape took over Hogwarts," Blake said softly. "Hermione, Ron and myself had to go on the run, from both the Ministry and the Dark Lord. We had been tasked with finding the horcruxes with no idea about where they could be. There was a bounty on my head."

"You were seventeen?" Severus asked softly.

"Yes, I was." Blake confirmed and wrapped his arms around himself, his eyes distant.

Severus looked down at the man and couldn't imagine the seventeen-year-old version of this man on the run from a powerful Dark Lord with just two other teenagers with him for support.

"Hermione was the one that saved us," Blake said suddenly into the still air. "She had been ready the whole time, while Ron and I had just been thick. If it weren't for her we would have died."

Severus made a mental note to be nicer to the girl from now on, he had a feeling he didn't give her enough credit.

"We managed to find all but the last two horcruxes," Blake continued. "And headed back to the school. We snuck in via one of the secret tunnels in time for the final battle that would have been tonight."

Severus looked around at the silent grounds and couldn't imagine what Blake seeing as he stood there silently. His arms wrapped around himself and his green eyes far away. Severus shivered at the haunted look in the man's eyes.

"This time is very different," Blake said quietly. "We still hold the Ministry of Magic and Hogwarts. The Dark Lord has not gathered the support he had before. We also have the support of the Council, which took a lot of people with creature blood away from the Dark Lord. He could not recruit in those circles due to the Council giving them protection. He will still attack this school."

"How do you know?" Severus asked.

Blake flashed him a grim smile, that sent a shiver down Severus's back.

"That man has a thing about this school and Harry Potter is here," Blake said darkly. "He will come."

"Why did you not tell us?" Severus asked softly.

Blake looked at him sharply and pushed away from the door and stepped closer to the man until they were almost touching. He reached out and grabbed Severus's hand as the man looked down at him.

"My memories," Blake said softly. "Are not this time's history. I have worked so hard to give my son a life as happy as I could make it. I have made deals and contracts with people that would never have seen eye to eye for many years. In my head, I hold hundreds of years of history, Severus."

Severus felt a chill at the look in the man's green eyes as he looked up at him.

"What happened back then," Blake said looking away. "It feels like a dream, like something that happened to someone else. I was just a child with no understanding of what I was doing. About what impact my actions would have. What I do now, Severus, is rewriting what happened then. Truth be told, I would rather just let go of those memories and focus on the now. In some ways I have. It's moments like this that brings them back up again. Just nightmares and ghosts."

Severus placed his hand on the other man's cheek and turned his head back towards him. He leant down and kissed the man softly, deepening the kiss when the man opened his mouth under his.

"I don't want those memories to divert my attention somewhere else," Blake said softly, when they pulled back. "I can't rely on those memories or someone could die. Or the Dark Lord won't fall. So much has changed and it's all because Blake Sun is alive in this time."

"Don't inflate your ego too much, love." Severus purred in the man's ear.

Blake stilled for a second before smacking his ass with a laugh.

"Ha!" Blake cried, with a smile. "Knew I could count on you, to bring me back to reality."

Severus grinned and stood up taller, taking the man's hand and pulling him away.

"Come on," Severus said with a smile. "I have classes in the morning."

Blake fell into step with him as they walked away from the place that would have been where he died but that was another time and place far away from them.

xXx

"Dracka!" Harry called.

The vampire turned with a grin as students moved around them. Harry held up the daylight pendent for the man. He'd wrapped the pendent in a soft cloth covering so that vampire wouldn't have to worry about burning himself, like he had last time.

"About bloody time!" Dracka snapped, moving forward.

Students sniggered at the use of language as Harry looped the cord around the vampire's neck.

"This one should last two weeks," Harry said. "You do know I have to use gold powder to make these things!"

"Do I have to start taking you out to dinner in repayment?" Dracka asked with a leer as a third-year girl giggled.

Harry laughed and clapped him on the shoulder.

"I've heard that line before," Harry said with a wink. "It can never end well, plus Severus wasn't impressed the last time we went out."

Harry walked passed the vampire and headed down the hallway.

"Blake!" Dracka called out.

Harry turned back as a few students looked over at them.

"But I was going to take you out somewhere special!" Dracka called out down the hallway, to the amusement of the students around them. "Might even ask Severus along."

"I'll like to see you ask him," Harry called back. "He was just saying the other day he could use some vampire blood in a potion he's been working on."

Giggles sounded around the hallway.

xXx

Harry adjusted his tie one last time as he looked in the mirror. He'd already spoken to Albus earlier that morning and everything was in place. Albus would see to his men and Harry would look after the castle with Dracka's men and the Ministry workers as support. He would be in place to back up the Headmaster once Voldemort made an appearance. He'd already gone through every way into the castle he knew and had used Ry's map as well as Sirius and Remus to make sure that they had covered every entrance.

Harry was sure that today would be the day as it was the Seventh-year graduation, so if Voldemort wanted to attack the castle to get to Ry. Today was it. He nervously untied his tie again as he ran the plans through his head. Simpson had gone to ground so if Voldemort attacked, which Harry was sure he was going to, this was their best chance to take the man out before Simpson got used to his power.

A lot hung on bringing Voldemort down and soon. He retied his tie as he looked at his reflection in the mirror. He had let Albus and the Order keep tabs on Voldemort as he had focused on Simpson and he was happy that his attention hadn't been split between the two men. Yes, the Dark Lord was powerful and held more power than Harry did, but he was more concerned with his son than facing Voldemort. Harry turned away from his reflection in the mirror and pulled on his long coat with a shrug to set it right, before picking up his cane and moving out of the room.

He stopped when he reached the front steps of the school and looked out at the grounds. A stage had already been placed on the grass with seats lined up before it as students milled around getting everything ready under Professor McGonagall's watchful eye and sharp tongue.

A soft scuff on the stones behind him had him turning to see Ginny Weasley standing there. Harry's eyes locked with the girl and Harry gave her a small smile.

"Ms Weasley," Harry said softly. "How are you? Looking forward to seeing your brother graduate? And to seeing your parents?"

Ginny smiled shyly and moved forward to stand next to Harry. The girl's red hair shone in the sun as they looked out over the grounds and she stood about the same height as Harry. She looked the same as Harry remembered but wasn't as hardened and still seemed as shy as the first time he'd met her. She was a girl that the war with Voldemort hadn't hardened, unlike how his wife had been at her age.

"Can I sit with Ry?" The girl asked softly.

Harry looked over at her and she tilted her chin up, a movement he knew very well.

"You are welcome to sit with your parents," Harry replied. "They should be arriving soon."

"Ry said he starts the Auror program in August," Ginny stated. "They wouldn't let me start early."

Harry stilled.

"That's right," Harry said carefully. "You still have one more year of schooling to go, Ms Weasley."

"But they let some of other sixth years in!" Ginny said in a rush. "But not me and I applied and everything. I want to start with Ry and Ron."

"What's one more year?" Harry said with a laugh as he clapped a hand to the girl's shoulder. "Just think of all the extra spells you could learn and use against the boys."

Ginny just gave him a look that Harry knew well and he smiled disarmingly at her, it was the same smile he would have given his wife when he'd done or said something stupid which had been often enough when he'd been married.

"Don't worry, Ms Weasley." Harry said softly. "You will be there kicking their butts in no time."

Harry gave the girl a wink and she blushed before nodding shyly before running off. He looked after her fondly, his wife would have thumped him one and used a few choice words if he'd said that to her.

"What did you do?"

Harry turned to see Severus standing behind him with an odd look in his eyes and his arms crossed over his chest. Harry turned to lean on the stone barrier behind him and raised an eyebrow in question.

"To Ms Weasley?" Severus clarified, as he smoothly moved closer.

"She wasn't happy about not starting the Auror Program with the boys," Harry replied mildly. "Since a couple of the sixth years have been accepted in."

Severus looked down his nose at Harry for a few minutes, his black eyes intense.

"What?" Harry asked as he fiddled with the handle of his cane.

"You didn't have anything to do with that?" Severus asked silkily.

"With what?" Harry asked with a frown. "Ginny or the sixth years?"

"Both."

"Ginny doesn't have the marks or skill to get into the Auror Program early," Harry said slowly. "And the sixth years that did, do have the marks and skill. Nothing to do with me."

"I find that hard to believe, Mr Sun." Severus drawled.

"What?" Harry drawled back. "Do you think I have time to change every little thing to the way I want it?"

"Well-"

"Do you think that I can know what will happen if I change something?" Harry cut in. "Or could really be bothered?"

Severus stood up a little taller as he looked down his nose at the shorter man.

"Ginny was never an Auror," Harry said softly with a sigh. "And yet I am very sure she will be this time."

Severus stepped closer until they were almost touching.

"Do you have everything in place?" Harry asked changing the conversation.

Severus's dark eyes settled on him, saying more than words ever could and Harry sighed and looked away.

"As much as we can Blake," Severus whispered.

Harry nodded and looked over at the stage and the rows of seats as McGonagall snapped at Ron and Ry as the seats they were moving suddenly smashed into each other with a loud crash.

"Good morning, boys." Albus said softly as he moved closer and brought up a silencing ward around them.

Harry looked away from his son to focus on Albus.

"Good morning, Albus."

"We are getting reports of Voldemort moving," Albus said as he looked around the grounds.

"Towards here?" Severus asked.

"Both here and the Ministry," Albus replied. "We are unsure, at this stage, which one he will attack."

"It will be here," Harry said, with conviction.

Albus nodded in agreement.

"Kingsley has the Aurors on alert," Albus continued. "And the parents should start arriving soon for the graduation."

Harry looked down at the stones at his feet.

"I'll have Dracka move some of his men towards the Ministry, just in case. I'll give Dylan the heads up, so he can have some teams in place. I need Miller and his team here." Harry replied. "We can't leave the school, Albus. We have to make a stand here."

"And if the Ministry falls?" Albus asked.

Harry tapped his hand against the stones behind him and glanced over at his son and his friends.

"That might be the price we pay," Harry said softly.

Harry's words hung between them.


	36. Chapter 36

Harry looked out over the students and parents from his seat next to Albus. Severus and Dracka sat next to him and Minerva and the other teachers on the other side of Albus. The Headmaster gave him a nod before getting to his feet. Harry focused back on the parents and looked out over them. He could feel the dark curse of the Dark Mark from Lucius Malfoy and the blonde gave him a smirk from the crowd.

Harry opened his mind slightly to the magic around him. A slight haze came to his sight as he looked over the people in front of him. He couldn't look too far with the amount of magic around them and the spells that the parents had around them. He picked up the wards of the castle while the Headmaster spoke. He sent a slight touch of magic along the links before pulling back.

A slight buzz in his pocket had him slipping one of Dracka's message stones out. He leaned forward in his chair to cover it as he looked down at the message on the surface of the stone.

 _'Sighted_ , _Blake._ ' Was written on the stone in a hand he knew. _'No word on Ministry_. _Your Squirts are giving them a little trouble._ '

 _'Pull back to the castle,_ ' Harry sent back.

Harry slipped the stone back into his pocket. Voldemort and his followers had been spotted moving towards the school. Harry turned back to the crowd before him as the Headmaster finished up his speech. He unrolled the scroll with the students' names on it when something caught Harry's attention and he tensed.

Harry was standing and slamming into the Headmaster as instincts honed from years of battle overtook him before the curse had even left the castor's wand. He stepped back as the killing curse flashed by him missing by an inch. He pulled up a protection ward between the students and their parents before he looked around for the person that had sent the spell. Lucius Malfoy's pale face gave him away in the crowd as parents and students panicked and scattered, giving the man cover.

Harry held a hand out to the Headmaster as Severus and Dracka moved in on them. He helped pull the old man to his feet as the other teachers weaved into the crowd.

"Holy fuck," Dracka swore, his eyes large.

"Thank you, my boy." Albus grinned, patting Harry's shoulder.

"Albus you stay here," Harry quickly ordered. "Severus and Dracka help round up the students-ugh!"

BOOM!

Harry dropped to his knees as the wards of the school took a heavy attack, sending a bolt of pain straight through his head. He fumbled with his wand and harshly sliced through his connection to the wards, making his head spin slightly.

"Blake!"

Harry pulled himself to his feet, his head pounded as he pushed Severus towards the students. Noticing the Headmaster had thrown up a protection ward when his had failed. He pulled two potions from his pocket and downed them both quickly as he assessed the situation.

"Get to the students!" Harry snapped at Severus and Dracka when they didn't move.

"Dad!"

Harry's head flicked around as his son ran towards him with his friends at his back.

"Get to the staging areas!" Harry ordered as they ran up to him.

His son looked unsure but then nodded and ran off with his friends and Draco falling in behind him. Severus and Dracka with the help of the other teachers moved towards the students and parents. Harry linked in with everyone that held a portkey and activated the warning in them to call everyone to the school.

The wards flared over their head and the ground rumbled under their feet but they held. Harry could do nothing more for them, without a connection to the wards. He looked up as colours ran over the normally invisible barrier and knew only one person could attack the wards like that.

"That's the Dark Lord," Harry told the Headmaster. "He's attacking them directly. If we hadn't reinforced and renewed them when we did Then that first attack would have brought them down!"

"Will they hold?" Albus asked.

"No," Harry said simply. "But the castle ones should. They are stronger since they linked in with the stones as well as the ground and don't have to cover as much area. The goblins should be able to link in with them and pool their power. The wards on the grounds are a different story."

Harry turned away from the Headmaster and pulled his dark wand. He whispered a spell under his breath as he focused his mind before releasing his dark magic in a rush and a huge dragon made of black mist appeared in front of them. It gave a roar, shaking the glass in the windows of the castle and making students and parents gasp, before it turned its head towards where the Dark Lord was attacking the wards. Harry poured the dark magic into the beast until its form become solid and dark magic dripped from its scales and burned the grass with each step it took. He gently placed an image in its head as he held the connection to the dragon in his mind. The wards rang out at the use of so much dark magic.

"I really wish you wouldn't do that," Albus muttered as he rubbed his temple.

"Oops, sorry." Harry said with a grin. "I should have warned you first, right?"

"I'm just happy that you're on our side, Blake." Albus replied, his blue eyes twinkling.

"Ha!" Harry barked as the last of the students were ushered into the castle.

His large dragon ambled towards the wards with a fleeing Lucius Malfoy running ahead of it as it spat black mist towards the Death Eater. He smirked at the sight. He could feel the first of his portkeys coming into the school and broke that link in his mind. The wards flared above their heads again and Harry could see cracks appearing in the dome.

"We haven't got long." Harry reported. "Albus you know what you're doing, keep your walkie close, just in case. I'll move back to the castle with the vampires and my men. Good luck, Headmaster. I'll be there to support you when the Dark Lord moves in."

The Headmaster nodded and stepped forward as his men fell in around him to move into place and set up defences. Harry could feel his link to the dragon and lightly brushed against Severus and Ry's connections. Ry was in place and Severus was moving back towards him with Miller and his team.

"Okay," Harry called, staying on the stage and calling out to the men and woman around him. "I want you back at the castle! The wards of the castle should hold, but if they fail, you are not to let anyone in unless they give the passcode! Do not curse the vampires, understand?"

"Will the wards on the grounds hold?" Someone from the crowd yelled.

"No," Harry answered as Severus came to stand beside him. "They will fall, be ready. Now move!"

Harry turned to Severus, the man looked pale but his black eyes shone, he was ready.

BOOM!

Flashes of lightening ran along the wards and the cracks started to widen. The Ministry workers and Aurors ran back towards the castle with Miller barking orders to get them into place, leaving Harry and Severus free for now. Harry looked everything over, so far everything was going to plan but Harry knew from experience how quickly plans could unravel.

"Come on," Harry whispered to Severus and grabbed his arm.

They hurried back towards the front of the castle. Harry could see his dragon pacing back and forth in front of where the Dark Lord and his supporters stood. The Order had set up camp nearby and the Headmaster had pulled up a ward in front of them like a wall, that could only be seen through from their side, as he moved people into place. The wall would give them the element of surprise but that would only last so long. The ward would stop most spells but not the killing curse as Albus had people building up physical barriers to stop them from being surrounded but still allowing them a way to retreat. Following the plan to the tee.

Harry looked everything over as people moved into place. Dracka and his men would be working on the other side of the castle to lock it down. Miller's voice washed over them as he barked orders and Harry caught his eyes and gave him a signal. Miller ordered groups with firearms forward to support Albus. The old man wouldn't like it, but if it saved lives Harry didn't much care if Albus didn't like his methods. Harry knew that Voldemort wouldn't enter the field until his lesser supporters had worn down their forces.

Dracka suddenly appeared next to them, grinning with his red eyes shining, as the pendent around his neck glowed softly. Harry shivered slightly at the look in the other man's eyes. He was sure that Dracka and the other vampires would be well fed by the end of the battle.

"All in place," Dracka reported. "I have my men spread throughout the school and on the back side, so that we can't be attacked from there. They know to move back towards the castle if they are pushed too hard. Nice dragon by the way."

"Thanks," Harry replied dryly.

"There's no word from the Ministry about an attack there," Dracka said as he looked around. "I still have men there with the Aurors, just in case. They'll send word if anything changes. The Squirts were causing trouble for the Dark Lord but they scattered after they started using the killing curse."

The dragon suddenly lifted its head up and roared, rattling the windows nearby and shaking the ground under their feet as it ripped its claws into the earth. Swinging its head towards the Dark Lord as he attacked the wards, blowing out dark mists before it. Harry gently picked up the link with the beast and sent a little magic along the line and it roared again.

"That's the thing with creatures made from dark magic," Harry muttered. "They tend to create a personality of their own."

"It won't turn on us will it?" An Auror whispered.

"Not unless you have a Dark Mark on your arm," Harry smirked.

"You linked it to the Dark Mark?" Dracka laughed.

"Well," Harry pointed out. "I couldn't link it to dark magic, now could I?"

Severus subconsciously rubbed his left arm, even if the Dark Mark had faded a long time ago. Harry bumped his shoulder against his with a grin as he held the link with the dragon and waited.

"Okay everyone!" Harry called out. "The wards are going to fall soon. You have your orders! Hold!"

BOOM, CRACK!

The wards fell.

Harry instantly felt an anti-apparation, portkey and anti-broom wards flare to life in a dome over the castle grounds as Bill and the goblins poured their magic into the wards. Forcing Voldemort and his followers to attack on foot. The wards wouldn't block them from entering, that wasn't the point, they were hoping that Voldemort wouldn't spend the time in pulling those wards down before attacking. Harry picked up the forms of the Death Eaters moving forward and smirked before he closed his eyes and linked in with his dragon, trusting Severus to have his back.

Harry braced himself as he cast his mind out. His dragon reared getting air under its wings as it took to the sky. Harry flying with it as Death Eaters flooded forward. The dragon turned, heading towards the men, seeing its targets as it let loose with its deadly black fire. People screamed as the fire landed on them, burning like acid, as spells struck its flanks.

The dragon screamed and pumped its wings to get higher as it turned its head. It looked around the field before its master called it further out towards something in the distance. There were large men with clubs standing at the back of the smaller people and its master turned him towards them. The dragon roared and pumped its wings before flying low and opening its mouth, black fire spilling out and the large men were screaming and swinging their clubs.

The dragon turned to the side as smaller people threw lights at him, stinging into his sides. He climbed higher, winging over the castle and dived for the large men again. He landed with a thud on all fours with his head forward as he spewed black fire at the large men. They fell to his fire and he reared onto his back legs with his wings spread wide as he roared. Spells hit his back and sides and he screamed as his form started to unravel. He threw the last of his fire at the men around him until he ran out of form and was soaked back into the earth with one last roar.

Harry stumbled forward as his dragon puffed into mist and Severus grabbed his shoulder. He let the connection and magic go.

"Thanks," Harry muttered.

"You were lost for a second," Severus pointed out

"They had giants," Harry smirked.

"Had?" Dracka asked beside them.

"Not anymore," Harry said darkly as the last of the dragon's roar rolled over them.

A few Aurors around them shifted nervously but Harry ignored them as he watched the battle closely. His trained eye picked out details that others could miss. The Order and the Aurors where holding against the Death Eaters as Dumbledore moved them into place. Following the plan so far.

"My men are being flanked on the South," Dracka reported as he looked down at the message stone. "They are taking heavy fire."

"Auror teams five through twelve!" Harry called to the men around him. "South side support. Help the vampires."

Under a half of the men around Harry set out at a run as Harry watched the Headmaster carefully making sure he wouldn't become overrun. The Dark Lord hadn't moved forward yet but Harry could feel the dark magic from the man and it was building. His battle trained eyes kept an eye on the Headmaster and his men. Voldemort was planning an attack from the back lines and from the amount of dark magic he was gathering it wasn't going to be pretty.

"Fuck," Harry swore suddenly and pulled his walkie talkie from his belt. "Retreat! Dracka hold."

Harry stepped forward until he stood right on the edge of the steps, leading down out of the castle. It put him in a bad position as he stood in the open but he needed the space to work.

"Everyone move back," Harry called behind him.

The Headmaster was ordering a retreat and the Order and Aurors were falling back as the Headmaster held the protection ward in place to give them cover.

"Headmaster," Harry said into the walkie. "When I say duck, hit the deck. Call the order."

Harry slipped out of his shoes and glanced over his shoulder at the men gathered behind him. Severus, Dracka and Miller at the front of the group and keeping a sharp eye out. He locked eyes with Severus briefly.

"Strike team three," Harry called. "Robbie, I want one of those rocket launchers ready to go in five. Watch my back."

"Yes, sir!"

Harry turned back to the battle as Death Eaters pushed forward and the Order moved back. The Headmaster held the wall as he stepped back slowly from the advancing force and Harry frowned when he noticed they were pushing the group to the left slightly. Since it was still towards the school and they hadn't blocked them off, he chalked it up to just the way they were moving. He had a bigger problem to deal with than how Albus's force was retreating.

Harry slipped his cherry wand out of his pocket and slowly built up his magic, sending it into the ground at his feet. The wand hummed in his hand as he pushed the magic through it and he hoped that it wouldn't shatter on him. He would be putting it to the test today.

He felt the stones under his feet and the people gathered behind him as he sent his magic running along the ground towards the Order and the Headmaster. When he reached the Headmaster's spell he stopped. He let his magic pool there as he felt the dark magic building further out towards the forest. The Dark Lord was getting ready to make a move.

Harry crouched down and placed the hand holding the cherry wand on the stones at the top of the stairs as he watched the field before him. He slowly added light magic to the mix and waited. The Dark Lord appeared near the tree line as Harry kept pouring his magic down into the ground. His head pounded slightly from the magic as he worked. His other hand holding the walkie tightly as he twisted the magic the way he wanted. He kept an eye on what Voldemort was doing as he whispered the spells he wanted under his breath.

"Headmaster, hold." Harry ordered softly.

The Dark Lord casually walked forward, his inner circle around him. He felt the dark magic building up as Harry pooled his magic slowly into the ground, keeping it deep enough not to be picked up and using the Headmaster's barrier spell as cover. This move all came down to the element of surprise against a man that had more power than Harry did.

"Drop the ward." Harry panted, his mind fully focused on the magic, Voldemort and Albus.

Harry took up the spell as the Headmaster dropped it, seamlessly transferring the magic to him. He gritted his teeth as he focused all his attention on the spell and the magic that he was working with. This was the most dangerous part for Harry, he would not be able to defend himself if he was attacked, wouldn't even know he was in danger. His trust was completely in the people behind him. Voldemort strolled forward with confidence and arrogance in every line of his body and Harry waited.

"Retreat slowly, your men are halfway back. I need you to move but don't run. Keep your wand up." Harry ordered.

The Dark Lord's chilling laughter rolled over the battle and Harry shivered as he held his magic in place and waited. He could feel the strain as his magic pooled before the wall that he held in place. Voldemort stopped before the barrier and laid a hand on it. Harry kept the barrier up as he kept an eye on where everyone was as he kept building the magic up in the ground, waiting. His wand was red hot in his hand now and hummed slightly but was holding as he held it trapped between his hand and the stones before him.

"You think this will hold me back!" The Dark Lord yelled.

The Headmaster was halfway back to the castle and Harry smirked. Just as the Dark Lord released his dark magic. Harry flared his, springing his trap.

"DUCK!"

BOOM!

The Headmaster dropped to the ground as the dark and light magic clashed and flared out. Making everyone but Harry turn away as the Dark Lord screamed. Harry's magic attacking in force as he released it. His magic flaring out and overcoming the spell Voldemort had used. Death Eaters were flung aside as that magic smashed into them, tossed aside like dolls as Voldemort tried to combat the magic Harry had released.

Harry smirked as Voldemort was pushed back as he pushed himself to his feet. The magic still flaring out with a whooshing sound as it flared out from the place that Harry had released it. Passing over the heads of the Headmaster and any of the Order or Aurors still close enough, while taking out anyone that had been standing. By the time it reached Harry it was just a soft breeze.

"Run! Robbie left side flank!" Harry ordered.

The rocket launcher set off with an eerie whine as it raced across the ground. It hit the ground on the left side of the Dark Lord, throwing up dirt into the air and making the man flinch back. Covering the Headmaster as he ran, suddenly the man stopped and knelt down.

"Run!" Harry yelled into the walkie.

"Protection circle," Albus replied. "A very strong one, someone has laid a gold wire."

Harry swore and swung around to Severus.

"We'll get you out!" Harry barked into the walkie before placing it back on his belt.

Understanding why Voldemort's men had been pushing the Order in that direction. It looked like Harry wasn't the only one that could set a trap and he cursed again for not checking for that kind of magic. He was sure that Malfoy would have set it up. He pulled the black cube form his pocket and threw it to Severus who caught it easily.

"Albus is stuck in a protection circle. Malfoy must have planted it." Harry explained. "You'll need to bring it down, I'll buy you time."

Severus paled as he noticed how the Headmaster was stuck out in the open. At least the protection charm gave him protection at the same time that it kept him trapped until it was brought down.

"I'm moving forward." Harry said, taking command. "Dracka, strike team three and Auror teams one through four cover me. Severus when you get the chance. Get to Albus. All other teams, hold here. Miller…" Harry looked at the man, their eyes locked before he added, "You have your orders."

Miller gave him a sharp nod in agreement, he would do what he had to. Harry walked forward with the teams as he held his cherry wand in his left and his sword in his right. He paced to the right of Albus, putting himself between the man and Voldemort. The Headmaster was about twenty meters from where Harry stood.

"Dracka," Harry snapped. "I want that snake dead! Teams take your commands from Severus or Dracka and fall back slightly. They are taking over command. Miller back them up."

Miller and Harry locked eyes briefly, they both knew the price they may have to pay. Miller and his team would back whatever Severus and Dracka had planned. Even if it went against what Harry wanted.

Harry could spy the Dark Lord's snake moving towards the Headmaster and he sent a light spell towards the beast. The snake reared as the spell hit the ground, swinging her head in Harry's direction.

" _Over here, you piece of shit!"_ Harry hissed loudly in Parseltongue. " _You think your Master will protect you!"_

Aurors shivered around him at the hissing as Nagini turned towards Harry. The Dark Lord paused and turned towards him as well. He had their attention and he smirked. Harry held his hand up to stop his teams and walked forward alone. He needed to distract the man for as long as he could to give Severus and Dracka time.

" _Another of the house of Slytherin!"_ The Dark Lord hissed in Parseltongue.

" _Did you think you were alone?"_ Harry questioned with a smirk. " _Did you think you are the only person to swing dark magic around and talk to snakes?"_

Harry moved closer to Voldemort and hopped that Severus was moving towards the Headmaster and Dracka was in place to take out the snake. Harry stopped moving as he left a good space between himself and the Dark Lord.

They stood alone and took a good look at each other.

" _Blake Sun_ ," Voldemort hissed, his red eyes flashing.

" _Dark Lord Voldemort, we meet again_." Harry smirked back.

Harry smirked wider as he noticed the rips and cuts in the Dark Lord's clothing and the large gash along the side of his head. He'd taken a good hit from Harry's spell.

"You are not welcome on this ground," Harry stated.

Harry planted both his feet on the ground firmly as he felt the grass through his toes and the castle woke up behind him at his words.

"I am the descendant of Salazar Slytherin!" Voldemort yelled and Harry knew he'd hit a sore spot. "I have a right!"

Harry smirked as he looked the other man over, the man's eyes flashing in rage. The angrier he could get him, the better for Harry, and the higher the chance he would make a mistake. Harry would need that as he felt the man's dark magic brush him.

"I am the descendant of Salazar Slytherin and Godric Gryffindor," Harry smirked. "Who has more of a right?"

Voldemort's eyes widened at those words before narrowing.

" _Avada Kadava!"_ Voldemort hissed, his wand raised.

The green spell headed straight for Harry and he grinned. He grabbed the spell, tangling his dark magic around the green beam, and with a smirk twirled on the spot, holding the spell as he turned it back towards the Dark Lord.

Voldemort yelped and ducked out of the way in shock. Everything went silent as people stood staring and Harry gave the man a wild grin. His magic crackled along his skin and he felt the dark magic around them pulsing like a heartbeat. Harry may not have the power levels that the man before him but he'd shown that he had skills that the Dark Lord didn't.

Voldemort straightened up slowly, his eyes focused on Harry and he wasn't smiling anymore. Harry stared back with his wand held loosely in his hand. He never liked going head to head with a Dark Lord and yet he seemed to always find himself in that position.

"Dracka, snake!" Harry ordered as he threw out his light magic at the Dark Lord, making the first move.

Harry ignored everything around him but the Dark Lord as he jumped back from the fire spell the man sent towards him. He turned the flames away as he channelled dark magic into the form of a lion that lunged towards the other man. Dark magic spun around them as they exchanged spells, getting a feel for the other. Harry dropped to the ground as a bolt of dark magic past over his head.

He grinned as the Hallows burned in his blood and he coated his skin with magic, adding strength to his muscles. He rolled to his feet then jumped forward with his sword. He was pushed back with a wave of dark magic as he brought a shield up before him and rolled to the side. His lion roared as the Dark Lord threw a green spell at the beast.

Harry got his feet under him again and they both glanced over. When dark magic puffed into the air as Miller drove his silver sword deeply into the head of the Dark Lord's snake. He held a shield of pure power before him to protect him from the backlash from the horcrux. Harry frowned, where were Dracka and Severus?

Voldemort yelled out in rage and Harry quickly lunged to the side but that moment of inattention cost him. The blasting spell hit him in the side and he was flung back a few meters. He tried to roll as he hit and was only half successful as he hit the ground hard.

He gasped as the air was knocked out of his lungs as he tried to get to his feet. His head still spinning well after he'd stopped moving. If it weren't for the dark magic around him and his dragon hide vest under his shirt. He was sure that hit would have taken him out of the fighting. He staggered as he tried to get his balance and he was sure that he had broken some ribs as the Dark Lord's chilling laughter rolled over him. He shook his head slightly as his vision blurred and he was sure he'd hit his head in the fall.

"Dad!"

Harry's heart froze as Ry ran towards him and the Dark Lord's face twisted up in a smirk. He suddenly flared a barrier between Harry and Ry. Harry quickly brought his wand up but knew he wouldn't be able to break through the barrier quick enough.

"Potter, now!" Severus yelled from somewhere behind him.

Ry slid to a stop and everything stilled as the Dark Lord raised his wand. The Headmaster was still trapped in the protection circle as Harry pulled his magic together and he managed to plant his feet firmly on the ground. He quickly sent a bolt of pure power towards the barrier in front of him. The spell smashed into it and it flared before falling, but it was too little, too late. Harry gathered his magic again as his head spun and he tried to focus.

Ry just stood there staring at the Dark Lord not even raising his wand. Harry's heart dropped as coldness swept through his body. What was the boy doing! He had skills, why was he standing there!

" _Avada Kadava!"_

"No!"

Harry yelled out as the sickly green light blazed across the grounds of Hogwarts and smashed into the form of Harry Potter. The boy was bathed in green light briefly before dropping limp where he stood as the Dark Lord's laughter chilled Harry to the bone.

Harry's spell unravelled around him, his eyes went wide in shock as his vision snapped into focus on the still body of his son.

"No." Harry whispered, feeling numb as his magic lashed out around him.

His wand and sword falling from numb fingers as he stared in horror at his son's limp body on the ground in a crumpled heap. With a roar of rage Harry went to rush forward but Severus grabbed his arm and tried to pull him back. Harry lashed out and Severus grunted as Harry's fist connected with his side. His grip slipped enough for Harry to get one step forward, before arms like steel wrapped around him. Dracka was there, red eyes blazing. The vampire hauled him back as Harry struggled.

"Ry!" Harry sobbed, fighting against the vampire without success as his dark magic swirled around him.

"Severus!" Dracka hissed.

"Do it," Severus gasped as he held his ribs.

Dracka darted his head forward and plunged his fangs into Harry's neck. Making the shorter man cry out in pain as the vampire sucked in his dark magic and blood. Harry fought against the man but only succeeded in ripping the wound wider as the dark magic drained off him but Harry didn't care. His eyes were locked on the form of his son as the cold laughter of Voldemort rolled over them.

Dracka suddenly pulled back with a gasp and let Harry slip limply to his knees on the ground. Severus rushed in with a bandage and potion in hand, clapping it over the wound to stop the bleeding. Harry felt drained of dark magic and a white mist swirled around his sight. Severus and Dracka the only things keeping him from falling completely to the ground as his body tried to recover from the shock.

"Ry," Harry sobbed again.

"Sh, Blake." Severus whispered in his ear. "This is not over yet."

Harry just stared at his son, everything else around him coming second. He'd failed and now the boy was dead. He didn't have the protection of the Hallows that Harry had had in his time.

Suddenly Dracka shook him hard and he felt the man behind him pulling him back against his legs, hands on either side of his neck. Using one hand to keep the bandage in place. Harry looked up, green eyes too wide and into the dark eyes of the vampire. Where was Severus?

Harry tried to struggle to his feet as his eyes darted around wildly, looking for his lover. Dracka clamped down harder on his shoulders, keeping him on the ground.

"Severus!" Dracka hissed.

Suddenly Severus was before them and Harry settled as he looked up at his lover. Severus knelt down in front of Harry and grabbed his face in his hands, making him look into his eyes.

"Make a connection with Potter!" Severus hissed at him.

"He's dead!" Harry whispered.

Severus shook him hard.

"Focus, Blake!" Severus snapped, harshly. "Connect with Ry!"

Harry looked up at him and their eyes locked and Severus ripped into his mind. The connection between the two men made it easier for the other man to pass through his barriers.

' _We have been working with Potter to contain the part of his mind that is the Horcrux,_ ' Severus whispered into his mind. _'He's not dead, make the connection that you two have and use it against the Dark Lord! Trust us.'_

Harry looked up at Severus and whimpered making Dracka tighten his hold on his shoulders.

"Come now, my snake!" A chilling voice floated over the battle around them.

' _Do it now!_ ' Severus hissed in his mind before breaking the connection with him.

Harry would have sagged forward if it weren't for Dracka's grip. Severus looked down at him his eyes intense before he stood.

"Keep him focused and safe," Severus said to Dracka. "If you don't, I'll hunt you down."

"Good luck," Dracka muttered at him.

"Come now, come join me! Take your rightful place!"

Harry shivered and looked up as Voldemort stepped towards them and moaned as Severus walked forward. Dracka knelt behind him with one of his knees between Harry's legs and a hand on the side of his throat. Holding the bandage in place while the other wrapped around his arms and chest. Making it seem like he was being held prisoner by the vampire.

"He's giving you time," Dracka whispered into his ear. "Focus on your son and make the connection. It's the only thing that will save him."

Harry shivered and tried to grab his magic but it wasn't there. Dracka had drained the magic off earlier. Harry panicked slightly until Dracka shook him hard, which made him focus with a wince at the pain. He reached into his core and found his light magic and then it dawned on him what Severus and Dracka had done.

Harry came back to himself with a start when he heard Severus cry out. The man was on his knees under the Crucio curse. Harry whipped out with his light magic and shattered the spell.

"Focus, you idiot!" Dracka snapped.

Harry snarled and flared out with his light magic. Dracka hissed and fell back from Harry leaving him kneeling alone. Harry dived into his core and picked up his connection to his son, his younger self, so much still a part of him. He grabbed a hold of it, his skin burning with a silver light, then suddenly everything stopped.

Time froze.

Harry stood without a problem, his body that of a young man. He looked down at his hands in wonder. Not one scar covered his arms except for the one in the crook of his elbow that Wormtail had given him to bring Voldemort back to life. He was back in the body that he'd had when he was seventeen. The body he'd had when he'd killed the Dark Lord.

Something slipped down his nose and reached up and touched on a pair of glasses. He stared at the thick black rimmed glasses in shock as he looked around with slightly blurry vision. He slipped the glasses onto his nose and pushed them up. He glanced down at his ripped jeans and the dirt on his clothes. Everything was the same as when he'd first stepped into this place. It was like a bubble of contained time, one moment captured like a video clip, and now that he was looking around he could see the strands of time magic twisting through the mists and he shivered. They could get lost in this place.

He took in everything around him with new eyes as the memories rolled over him, like they had happened yesterday. He had stood on this platform waiting for a train as he spoke to the spirit of Albus Dumbledore as a part of Voldemort's soul cowered away under a bench seat. The connection between them had been ripped away, as well as his life, by the killing curse. He would have been lost to this place if it hadn't been for Albus Dumbledore. The memory of the man kept alive in Harry's mind. He stood up straighter, he knew what he had to do now.

"Ry," Harry whispered, his voice loud in this silent place.

He turned and walked down the platform. This was the place in between, his son just had to be here! He held onto that thought as an image of his son came to his mind. He held the memories of his son at the front of his mind. He allowed his feet to take him to where he needed to go.

xXx

Ry was lost.

He remembered the battle, his father screaming, the green light, and then he was here. He wasn't sure where 'here' was, it looked like a train station but there were just rolling mists around him. No one else here except for a dark creature that was huddled under a bench seat a couple of metres further down the platform. He didn't look too hard at the thing, he thought it had arms and legs but he wasn't sure if was just a mass of darkness and he just imagined it having a form.

Ry took a seat on one of the benches and pulled his knees up. He let his chin rest on them as the mists swirled around him. He thought he could hear voices and shouting but he wasn't sure and as soon as he focused on them. They would blow away leaving him surrounded in silence again.

He was so lost.

"Harry?"

Ry looked up at the soft voice to see a boy walking towards him down the platform. He was short with shaggy black hair and big glasses that took up most of his face. He walked with confidence as he came closer, his stride graceful and full of purpose. The boy looked to be around Ry's age but was very skinny, just skin and bones really. His green eyes focused on him as he came closer and Ry could see the lightning bolt scar on the boy's forehead. He gasped at the sight as his eyes widened.

"Ry?" The boy asked and stood calmly before him with an easy smile on his face.

Ry stood and looked the boy over with a frown. Ry was a good head and a half taller than the other boy and he probably weighted a lot more as well. His clothes where dirty and slightly torn as if he'd been in a fight and Ry frowned. If this image was supposed to be Ry it was a poor copy. Then it clicked in his head as their green eyes locked and the boy gave him a wink.

"Dad?" Ry gasped.

"That's me." The boy replied, his face lighting up and then Ry could see his father in the green eyes and the easy smile.

Ry fell into his father's arms and felt thin arms wrap around him, so unlike his father's normally strong embrace. The feeling was jarring but he was just so relieved as he held his father tightly.

"Where are we?" Ry asked, pulling back.

"The time in between," his father said, looking around the station. "You were hit by the killing curse, Ry."

"Then that thing must be the part of Voldemort's soul," Ry said pointing back down the station to the dark creature. "The Horcrux."

"Yes," his father said softly. "We need to go back."

"How do we do that?" Ry questioned.

His father glanced around the station, it was strange to see him the way he was now. He may look like a teenager, but he had power in his eyes. A power that Ry was sure that the Harry Potter, that his father had been, had always had. Something that Ry himself found lacking as he watched the other man.

"Is this the way you looked when you killed Voldemort?" Ry blurted out.

"Ha!" His father laughed and ruffled Ry's hair. "Yes, I was a skinny little thing."

Ry grinned looking the other man over in amazement. He couldn't imagine the boy before him standing up to Voldemort and yet he could feel his father's magic as he stood there. It was disconcerting to say the least as he looked at his father and could pick out the differences between them more easily. He frowned, they looked to be the same age and yet different. They were the same person and yet not, as his father's eyes locked with his. Old eyes in a young face.

"You don't look like me?" Ry blurted out.

"No," his father replied with a familiar smile. "I had a very different life to yours, Ry."

Ry looked down at his feet. His father reached out and grabbed his shoulder in a tight grip.

"I'm happy with the way you have turned out, Harry." His father told him. "I wouldn't have wished my life on anyone. We are two different people but are connected the same."

"Through Voldemort?"

"Through our birth," his father corrected gently. "We were born the same person, we are both the son of Lily and James Potter. We just took different paths after that. Dark Lord Voldemort came later to bind us together."

"You said his name?" Ry gasped.

His father laughed and opened his arms.

"He can't hurt us here."

"What about that part of his soul?" Ry asked.

"Vile thing," his father said, glaring at the creature. "It was never meant to taint us."

"Us?"

"Yes, Ry. Us," his father remarked, his eyes burning green. "Remember that when we go back. You need to kill Voldemort, we need to finish this."

"I don't know how?"

"I will guild you," his father reassured him. "I will give you as much power and knowledge as I can, but you need to finish this. You are skilled enough for this, Ry. Trust yourself."

Ry nodded, a hardness in his eyes as he reached out a hand to his father. Both Potters locked eyes and his father gave him a soft smile.

"Come on, Harry."

Blake Sun grabbed his son's hand and pulled.


	37. Chapter 37

Severus was panicking but he was keeping it well hidden, deep down inside. He had to get that cube of Blake's to the Headmaster so he could bring down the protection charm around the man, but one thing stood in his way.

"I knew you would always come back, my snake!" Voldemort laughed.

"Of course, my lord," Severus said softly as he knelt on one knee before the man.

He turned sightly to see Blake still kneeling on the ground. He had gone silent and still after breaking through the pain curse. Dracka stood close by keeping anyone from attacking him and Severus just prayed that Blake was getting through to Potter. Everything hinged on that as he bowed his head in front of the Dark Lord and held back a shiver.

The Aurors with Miller and his team kept the death eaters busy and away from them, as they had been ordered to do, but were keeping an eye on what Severus and Voldemort were doing. He had no doubt, in his mind, that they were thinking that he'd changed sides, but they would follow the orders Blake had given them since he'd passed over command to Dracka and Severus. Miller would make sure of it and Severus couldn't be more thankful for Blake setting that up.

"You have even betrayed your lover!" Voldemort cried. "Look at him!"

"I got what I needed from him, my lord" Severus replied, the words leaving a bad taste in his mouth.

"You even brought the vampire to my side!"

"Severus!" The Headmaster yelled, horror in his eyes.

Voldemort turned to the old man and laughed. That was the opening that Severus needed and he took it. He jumped to his feet as he threw the cube at the Headmaster using a little magic to keep it straight and true.

"What is this?" Voldemort hissed.

"Pay back," Severus hissed and ducked back towards Dracka and Blake.

The cube soared into the air and as it hit the barrier around the Headmaster.

It shattered into a million pieces.

The Dark Lord's high-pitched laughter rang out over the sounds of fighting.

"That was your pay back!?" The man yelled with a chilling laugh.

"Yes." A soft voice called out.

The Dark lord twisted around and gasped as Ry stepped forward, white light blazing around him.

"No!" Voldemort yelled. "I killed you!"

The boy's face twisted up and the smile he gave the Dark Lord had Severus shivering as he ran back towards Blake.

"And he isn't alone," The Headmaster stated as he stepped out of his prison, the black cube held in his hand.

"What! No!" Voldemort yelled, looking between Albus and Potter.

Ry stepped forward to stand next to the Headmaster and a silver sword appeared in his hand, Blake's silver sword, as the glow dimmed down and faded away from his skin.

"Severus!"

Severus's head snapped around to Dracka. Blake was limp in his arms and Severus's heart dropped to his feet.

"Oh god," Severus gasped. "Blake!"

Flashes of spells passing over his head as he ducked and ran. He fell to his knees next to his lover, his hand shaking when he grabbed the man's shoulder. Blake was limp, his green eyes half closed and he felt cold to the touch.

"Is this meant to be happening?" Dracka hissed. "He can't die! He holds the hallows!"

Severus quickly looked over his shoulder at Ry fighting the Dark Lord with the silver sword flicking out at Voldemort, wielding it like he'd been born with it in his hand, while the Headmaster distracted the other man with spell after spell.

"He's channelling his magic into Potter," Severus gasped. "The boy doesn't have that much skill."

"But I drained off his dark magic," Dracka said and horror started to settle between the two men. "The hallows…did I take too much?"

If they hadn't drawn off the dark magic in Blake, then he wouldn't have been able to connect to Potter, and yet it was the dark magic that fed the hallows. They both realised at the same time the possibility that Blake Sun could die today and they felt a chill run through them.

"No," Severus gasped. "Can you push the magic back?"

Dracka shook his head. "Doesn't work that way!"

"Then he has to pull back from Potter!"

Both men looked up as the ground shook, Ry was holding his hand out to the side as the ground ripped in two separating the Headmaster, Voldemort and Ry from any help. They both realised that without Blake's power and skill they could fail and everything would be for nothing.

Blake moaned suddenly, startling the two men, the man was sweating and shaking his head slightly.

"Blake!" Severus cried. "Can you pull back your magic?"

"No," Blake gasped painfully. "Holding connection. Can't leave him."

Ry turned the silver blade and hit the Dark Lord deeply in the leg as the Headmaster shot a spell out. The man stumbled but brought his wand to bear and Ry ducked back as a part of the earth at his feet pulled up to block the spell Voldemort had cast. He could feel his father guiding him as power flooded into his body as he moved. Everything his father had taught him over the years coming back to him as flicked his wand towards Voldemort. Working as a team with his father as they used what they had between them to push Voldemort back.

"He's pulling too much," Blake gasped, his hands digging into the earth. "Doesn't understand."

"Blake," Severus hissed. "Pull back!"

Severus shook Blake's shoulder hard but he knew the man couldn't hear him as he mumbled under his breath. Too tangle up in the magic to realise what it was doing to him. Severus locked eyes with Dracka as Miller and the Aurors kept anyone that would interfere back.

Ry twisted out of the way of the Dark Lord's spell and cast a spell his father supplied back at him as they moved as a team. Working together seamlessly as the lessons his father had taught him over the years came to the front of his mind. The Dark Lord howled as his spell cut straight into him, cutting him to the bone. He could feel his father's voice whispering in the back of his mind, the connection between them strong as they moved as one.

Harry moaned as pain ripped through him, his son was drawing on his magic but didn't know how to do it correctly. It had been the one thing that he hadn't been able to teach him, the right way to draw on light magic. Ry was pulling too much, too fast, setting his skin on fire. He tried to slow it down but Ry kept pulling and he couldn't break the connection without severing the power and skill. He couldn't leave his son vulnerable.

Albus cast a quick spell at Voldemort as Ry's spell sliced into the man. He had never seen the boy move like he was now. It was like he was looking at a different person, one that was battle worn and knew how to use the skills he had but the boy was putting too much magic into the spells and he knew something had to give as he increased his attacks on Voldemort. They had to end this and quickly.

Voldemort yelled as the boy inflicted another score with that blade of his, the silver biting deeply, not only into his skin, but into his magic as well. He couldn't let the Potter brat win. He is Dark Lord Voldemort! He did not bow to children!

Dracka could do nothing but hold Blake and watch with large black eyes at the fight between three powerful wizards while Severus tried to keep Blake focused. He knew the man in his hands was suppling the skill and power to help his son but watching the boy he was struck speechless.

The Headmaster sent a lash of fire at the Dark Lord and Voldemort skipped out of the way but he was a touch too slow and the Potter brat's sword sliced right into his chest. The silver cutting through his magic, skin and heart.

Everything stopped.

Voldemort looked down at the sword in his chest then slowly looked up at the blazing green eyes of the child in front of him in shock. How could a child beat him!

"You could never beat us!" The child snarled. " _Avada Kedavra_."

It was at that moment that Voldemort realised that he hadn't just been fighting a child as the green light consumed him, taking what little magic he had for his life had already fled.

xXx

Harry broke the connection quickly with his son and moaned in pain. He felt hands on him and a hard body at his back. His neck was on fire and his bones felt like they had been turned to ash by the magic burning through him. What he'd done was not supposed to happen. He felt every cut, scrape and bruise on his body and, oh boy, did he feel his age. Suddenly his stomach rolled and he was rolling to the side and throwing up as that strong arm held him around his chest.

"Sh," Severus said softly, rubbing his back. "It's okay."

Harry wasn't so sure as the nausea rolled through him and he kept throwing up until all that came up was blood and bile. Something was very wrong.

"Is there anything we can do, Severus?" He heard Dracka ask.

Harry knew it was his strong arm around him as he went limp, all his energy spent.

Once Dracka was sure that he was done throwing up, he pulled him into a kneeling position, very much like the one he'd held him in not that long ago. The man's head hung limply. Severus reached forward with gentle fingers and tilted his head up. Slitted green eyes peered at them and Severus shivered. The man was so cold to his touch and his eyes were unfocused.

He glanced around and noticed that the fighting had mostly stopped since the Dark Lord had fallen and that the Headmaster was helping Ry over to them. Miller was working with the Aurors as they took down the last of the death eaters and held the ground around them. He caught Miller's eyes briefly before he looked away and back down at Blake.

"Severus?" Dracka asked again.

"I don't know," Severus replied. "Blake?"

Blake's eyes blinked and a bit of life slowly came back into them. He had no strength as Severus held his face.

"He pulled too hard," Blake whispered. "Too much."

"Sh," Severus tried to calm the other man down. "It's over."

"Not sure," Blake slurred.

Freezing the blood in Severus's veins.

"Blake?" Severus asked.

"Can't feel…" Blake trailed off and Dracka tightened his hold and shook the man slightly.

Blake jolted at the movement, gasping.

"Dad!"

Severus and Dracka looked up as Ry ran over, the silver sword in his hand and the Headmaster at his back. The boy landed next to the three men and reached out for his father, grabbing his hand as he dropped the sword beside him.

"Oh god," Albus whispered when he looked Blake over from the bloody bandage on his throat to being held up by Dracka.

"Dad?" Ry whispered and Blake tried to turn his head to look at his son but couldn't manage it.

"Potter," Severus turned to Ry. "Blake made a connection with you, can you make one back?"

"I don't know," Ry said in a small voice. "I could feel him whispering in my head and the power but not how the connection was made."

"That's where you got the skill and power from," Albus muttered. "I thought as much when the sword appeared."

"Here, sit here and take his face in your hands," Severus said to Ry. "Look into his eyes and try to make a connection."

Dracka shook Blake gently to try and get his attention while the boy knelt in front of his father, Dracka could feel the other man's heartbeat and how it was slowing. Something wasn't right, he could feel it, he had a feeling that the blood and magic that he'd taken from Blake was trying to tell him something, he just didn't know what it was as he held the man tightly.

Harry was drifting. He could hear voices and pain. Every now and again a voice would get through then he would drift again. Then there were hands on his face and a familiar magic was touching against him. He shielded away, he had nothing more to offer.

"Dad, please."

He crept back at the voice as an arm like steel held him. The magic brushed against him again and he gasped.

"Have nothing," Harry slurred. "No."

"Dad," Ry cried as he looked into his father's glassy eyes as tears blurred his own. "I don't know how to make the connection."

Harry reached out instinctively at his son's plea. His son was crying out, he had to help him. No! He had to protect what magic he had left but it was his son. He hesitantly reached out further and brushed against that familiar magic.

Ry gasped as something brushed against him and he shivered, he looked deeper into his father's green eyes, so much like his own and yet not.

"Come on, Dad." Ry whispered. "We won. We were a team you and I. It was us against Voldemort."

Harry reached out again at the words, remembering the feeling of his magic and spirit tangling with Ry's as he danced with his silver sword the way he used to when he was young.

Ry shivered again as something brushed against him and he instinctively reached out with his magic and grabbed it. The connection was made and he felt his father faintly.

He was dying. Ry gasped in shock.

"Oh god," Ry said softly.

"Did you make the connection?" Severus asked beside him.

Ry felt his father stir at Severus's voice but he was just so tired. Ry could feel it, could feel it in his bones and his heart, how tired the man was. His father had lived so long and Ry shivered at the pain he had suffered and how in some way he wanted it to end but couldn't let go. He'd had no idea how his father had felt as he held the connection and could feel the slow beating of his heart. Only a slight burn at his core where he knew his father's magic should be and could understand why his father had always said that the Deathly Hallows was a curse. He was a fixed point while everything changed around him.

"He's dying," Ry whispered.

Dracka tightened his hold on the body in his arms while Severus sat back on his heels in shock. His heart clenched as he looked at the man he loves and could lose as his mind stuttered to a stop.

"Can you do anything Ry?" The Headmaster asked softly, laying a hand on the boy's shoulder.

"I don't know," Ry answered.

The connection with his father was faint but he could feel him holding on. Ry smiled slightly, even now with the pain he felt and the chance to let go, his father was still holding on to the connection. Still fighting and in that moment, Ry saw his father in a different light. He was a warrior to the core, a man that would go down fighting. Slowly Ry channelled the magic within him and fed the connection.

Harry jolted as a familiar magic took hold of him. He started to shake and his heartbeat picked up speed. The hands on his face stayed steady and Harry opened his eyes wide staring into his son's eyes.

"Stop," Harry slurred.

The magic burned within him, like a wildfire burning him from the inside out. The flow of magic stopped but the connection remained. Harry panted, staring at his son and Ry gave him a soft smile.

"Sorry," Ry whispered.

Harry took a hold of the magic that Ry had fed him and shaped it, strengthening the connection and smoothing it out. The arm around his chest grounding him to the now as he felt someone take his hand. He reached out to the connection and touched on Ry's power. Harry took a look then understood what had gone wrong, Ry had taken too much of his power into himself. Gently Harry touched the ball of magic and slowly separated it out.

Ry gasped as his father did something, he wasn't sure what it was but it felt right. He stepped back in his mind and let his father have his full trust. Harry slowly untangled the mess he had made while he'd been connected with Ry and took the magic that was just his back into his core. His magic slightly different to Ry's as he worked through the mess.

He gave one last pull on a strand of his magic until only Ry's pure magic remained. He frowned as one last strand of dark magic held onto Ry's core before uncurling and coming to Harry and the dark magic at his own core. His magic settled before he looked back at Ry's magic to make sure he got everything that was his then he felt a chill settle on him.

Only light magic was left behind. He had always believed that He'd been born with some dark magic but looking at Ry's core now, he had been incorrect. It looked like his dark magic had always come from Voldemort or the hallows and he had never been born with any. He shivered at the realisation. He slipped back to his core and looked over the small amount of magic and he recognised it as only his. That chill intensified and he started to wonder in what other ways the hallows and the part of him that had been a horcrux had changed him, tainted him.

He was too tired to think on that now as the fatigue pulled at him and he softly broke the connection between him and his son as he fell into the darkness at the edges of his mind.

"No," Ry yelped as the connection broke.

"What?" Severus whispered.

"He broke the connection," Ry said.

Blake was completely limp. His head heavy in Ry's hands but his skin was warm and his breathing even.

"We should get him up to the school," Albus said softly.

They turned back to look up at the school. The wards had held on the castle. The death eaters had not been able to get passed the walls of Hogwarts. Thanks in part to Blake and the teachers, and the fact they had strengthened the wards years ago.

Dracka carefully picked up Blake holding him in his strong arms as Severus looked down at his lover. They had made it through this war, but what was the cost, he thought as the small group turned towards the castle. Blake's body limp and pale in Dracka's arms.

xXx

Harry woke with a jolt, a warm body pressed up against his back and a soft snore in his ear. He turned slightly to see Severus wrapped around him, his arm over his chest and his legs tangled with his own. The man was so deeply asleep that he didn't wake as Harry untangled himself and wiggled to the edge of the bed.

Harry sat there, feeling tired and his throat burning but otherwise not too bad. He could feel his magic slowly healing him, both dark and light magic working together and he sighed. He turned on the bed to look at Severus. He gently brushed the man's hair back from his face and cupped his cheek. Harry smiled at him before slowly pulling himself to his feet, pausing just long enough to pull on a pair of jeans before limping out of his bedroom.

Dracka was sprawled out across the lounge in the living room, his long frame a foot too long for the couch, so that his feet hung to the side awkwardly. Harry limped passed him to the bathroom to take care of a little business before grabbing up a bottle of water from the kitchen. He moved back to the armchair across from the sleeping vampire.

Once Harry was settled in his chair, he kicked the lounge with his left leg. Dracka started then his eyes fell on Harry and he shot to his feet.

"Sit," Harry ordered roughly.

The man sat without thought then glared at Harry.

"We have things to talk about," Harry said softly, his throat raw.

"Should you be up?" Dracka asked, looking over to the clock in the room.

It had only been a few hours since the battle.

"I am now," Harry whispered. "You and Severus had a plan?"

"Ah, yes." Dracka said softly.

"You kept that plan from me." Harry stated in a whisper.

"Yes," Dracka said. "It didn't go as much to plan as it should have but the results were the same."

Harry nodded then winched as it pulled at the wound on his neck.

"You planned to drain the dark magic from me," Harry continued quietly. "But you forgot that the hallows, the thing keeping me alive, was a part of the dark magic. Something that Miller didn't know and couldn't help you plan for."

"Yes," Dracka replied, looking away.

"You got lucky," Harry said dryly. "Ry pulled almost all of the magic from me."

Dracka paled at the words.

"But he couldn't control it," Harry said, leaning forward in his seat. "While I had the connection to him he pulled on the power without realising what he was doing."

"He could have killed you," Dracka whispered in horror.

"Yes," Harry confirmed. "And if I had broken the connection too soon then Dark Lord Voldemort would have lived."

"And damned us all," Severus whispered from the doorway.

Harry looked over at the other man. He was just wearing slacks as he stood very still and looking more pale than normal with a nice bruise along his ribs. Harry was sure he was responsible for that but he would focus on that later.

"Yes," Harry confirmed. "You were lucky because Ry couldn't use the dark magic. He couldn't tap into the part that was the hallows."

"You were able to pull it back into yourself." Severus said softly, moving over to Dracka and kicking him to move over on the lounge. The vampire flashed his fangs at the man but moved enough for Severus to sit down.

Harry nodded slightly.

"What was your plan?" Harry asked, sitting forward in his seat.

"I noticed that there was no dark magic around Ry's core," Dracka said. "The curse scar was dark but his magic was completely light."

Harry bowed his head at that, another thing he had missed and a confirmation of what he already knew but still didn't want to acknowledge.

"We realised with your connection to both the Dark Lord and Ry that you could make a connection with him." Severus said softly. "Since you are both the same person and both marked by the Dark Lord. You could follow him where no one else could."

"It was the dark magic that was the problem," Dracka finished. "It would have held you back, you needed light magic to connect to his light magic."

"So, you two idiots thought if you drained off my dark magic, then I would be forced to use only light?" Harry said softly.

"That idiot came up with it first," Severus said, pointing at Dracka. "When you said you died so that the horcrux could be destroyed."

"We realised that Harry Potter would have to die again," Dracka said softly.

"And you knew that I couldn't let that happen," Harry whispered. "I couldn't let my son die. I wouldn't be able to hold myself back."

"Yes," Severus agreed.

"But you wouldn't be able to combat the Horcrux while the dark magic was still in your blood." Dracka commented.

Harry hung his head cupping his hands on the top of his head as he looked down at the rug under his feet. He didn't want to admit it, but the two men were right. They had worked out a plan that he wouldn't have considered. Hands fell on his thighs and Harry looked up at Severus crouched before him.

"If we had known…" Severus trailed off.

"You would have come to me with this plan first," Harry finished hoarsely.

"Something like that," Dracka commented.

"Your plan was sound," Harry said softly. "You just forgot one small detail."

Harry reached forward and took Severus's face in his hands.

"Ah," Dracka said. "I should probably be going. I have men to work out and reports to collect. Bradon was looking after everything but he'll want to head back to the Coven to handle things from that end."

"If you leave the castle, vampire." Harry said sweetly. "I'll hunt you down."

"Message received," Dracka agreed and disappeared out the door.

Harry took Severus in a soft kiss which the other man deepened before Severus stood and held out a hand out for Harry to take. Severus pulled the shorter man to his feet and guided him back to the bedroom.

xXx

Harry hadn't slept long before the nightmares woke him and he pulled himself from the bed with a slight groan. Severus woke and looked over at him and Harry ran a hand down his side, over the bruising on his ribs and stomach that he'd caused.

"Go back to sleep," Harry said softly. "I need to know."

"Blake?" Severus asked with a frown.

"Stay here," Harry said gently as he got to his feet.

Severus watched him with dark eyes as he dressed slowly, his ribs protesting. He didn't say anything as Severus moved from the bed and dressed as well. Once he was ready, he palmed his cane and moved out of his rooms. He had to know who had fallen, he wouldn't be able to sleep until he knew.

Harry walked with Severus limping slightly himself as he followed behind him, like a silent shadow as they moved out onto the castle's front steps as the first rays of sunlight reached out across the grounds. Birds calling softly to each other as they looked out over the mess. Harry slowly made his way down to the grass and took in the sight, his eyes catching on the paw print that his dragon had made.

"Blake?"

Harry turned to see Kingsley standing there with hollow eyes as he overlooked the Aurors working through the battle field that should have been the front lawn of a school.

"Should you be up?" Kingsley asked in concern.

"No," Severus replied for him.

Harry's lips twitched before he gave a nod and moved out onto the lawn as Severus watched him from beside Kingsley. Harry moved through the fallen and the Aurors as they worked. A few would stop and talk to him as Harry moved around the grounds. Looking at each person on the ground regardless of what side they had been on. Pausing when he came across someone he knew.

He could still feel the magic on the air as his own magic, not bothering to hold it back as he moved back to Severus and Kingsley. Both men had taken a seat on one of the stone benches as they waited for him. Harry moved towards them and collapsed on the seat next to Severus. He was physically and mentally exhausted.

His eyes caught on a few veela as they helped move some of the captured death eaters and he smirked as the death eaters followed after the light creatures like puppies without leads while the Aurors watched them in interest.

"They worked well to contain some of the death eaters on the east side," Kingsley remarked in amusement. "I thought I was going to lose one of my teams to them getting tea and biscuits for the veela, instead of holding back the death eaters."

Harry snorted as he looked around. Seeing the dark and light magic around them from the people with creature blood and the residue of power, like mist on the air. He was too tired to pulls his magic sight back as he looked out over the grounds.

"I bet the veela would have liked that," Harry replied as he leaned his head back on the stones behind him. "Do you need me for anything before I head over to see the mess on the south side?"

"You-know-who's body?" Kingsley asked. "Is it safe to move it?"

"Yes," Harry replied with his eyes closed. "I'll check it over, but should be safe. My sword would have cut through any magic, if he'd had any, on his body."

Both men fell silent at his words and Harry was grateful to them as they sat there for a while. He opened his eyes and slowly moved to his feet.

"I'll be back soon," Harry whispered as he looked at the two men before moving away.

He knew where the body would be as he limped along, heavily using his cane as he walked. He stopped when he came across the body of the Dark Lord and slowly kneeled down with a winch. He looked down at the man lying on his side where he had fallen, before reaching out to grab his shoulder and pulled.

The body rolled limply as Voldemort's red-brown eyes stared up sightlessly. They had been lucky that their combined magic and Harry's sword had cut through the Dark Lord's magic as it had cut through his heart. They didn't have to deal with the backlash from killing a Dark Lord. They had made sure to have a barrier charm ready to go but it hadn't been needed.

Harry reached out and closed the man's eyes as he looked over the very human face and mop of brown hair. The man had caused so much death and destruction in his wake and he could understand the fear people had of Dark Lords and Dark Wizards. His hand clenched around his cane and he wasn't sure how long he knelt there for until a voice broke into his thoughts.

"Right there, Blake?"

Harry slowly looked up to see Remus Lupin looking down at him in concern. He knew how far out of it he was, for the fact he hadn't felt the man's dark curse as he'd approached. Harry gave a sharp nod in answer.

"Sirius?" Harry asked softly.

"Flat out on his back in the hospital wing," Remus replied, he had a nasty gash down his arm and was standing a little to one side but otherwise didn't look too bad. "Took a blasting curse to the side which laid him out but his Black family luck held."

"Tonks?"

"Not a scratch," Remus said with a small smile as he shifted his weight. "We were lucky, those Auror teams took the brunt of it. Not to mention the Department, I'm sure that we would have taken heavier hits if it wasn't for them. I wasn't aware of how skilled they are."

"They have their moments," Harry said as he slowly pushed himself to his feet and braced his feet as his head spun slightly.

Remus grabbed his shoulder to keep him standing and Harry closed his eyes until it passed.

"Should you be up?" Remus asked softly.

"Probably not," Harry replied.

"Ry has a bed next to Sirius," Remus said as his tan eyes looked him over. "I'm sure they could find one for you."

Harry glared at the man and Remus's lips twitched up before he looked down at Voldemort.

"How's Ry doing?" Harry asked softly.

"He's fine," Remus replied as the two men moved away from the body and back towards the castle, both moving slowly. "I think Poppy is holding him for the fact that Sirius is there and his magic levels are low."

Harry paused and his eyes caught on the white sheets over the bodies as memories of other battlefields overlapped each other in his mind. Remus's hand landing on his shoulder jolted him and he glanced over to Remus. He'd seen too much of this in his long life.

"You are more than just James's cousin," Remus stated. "You have knowledge beyond what we know."

Harry nodded and said nothing.

"What you can do with magic. Is something that would take longer than how old you look, Blake." Remus said softly, making sure that no one could over hear them. "The way you understand dark and light magic and can twist it to the way you want. We are still understanding that magic and you are a master of it."

Harry looked down at the churned up earth at his feet for a while before focusing on the werewolf. Remus just stood there, not pushing for answers just putting it out there, in case he wanted to talk. He knew better than anyone what the price of a secret was worth.

"I am from the future," Harry said softly, feeling hollow inside as he looked around. "I hold the Deathly Hallows."

Remus sucked in a breath as his eyes widened. Harry glanced at the other man and reached out and touched on the man's curse, just above his skin. Feeling the strands of dark and light mixed together seamlessly.

"I am cursed," Harry whispered and moved off.

Remus didn't follow him but Harry could feel his eyes on his back. Severus moved to his feet when Harry approached.

"You can take his body away," Harry said to Kingsley. "Do with it what you want, cremation would be my suggestion."

"Thank you," Kingsley said softly and moved away, leaving the lovers alone.

Harry looked Severus over and the man gave him a raised eyebrow in question.

"Can I help you, Mr Sun?" Severus drawled.

Harry looked away as he leaned into his cane and looked over the grounds.

"Blake?" Severus whispered as he moved closer. "Are you alright?"

Harry didn't answer and didn't react when Severus took his hand.

"I'm going to see the vampires," Harry said softly. "Alone."

Severus's hand tightened around his and Harry looked up at him. Severus's eyes were dark and unreadable as they looked down at him.

"And who to going to catch you when you pass out?" Severus hissed.

"The floor," Harry replied. "That's what normally catches me when my stupidity catches up with me."

Severus's lips twitched at those words.

"Spoken from experience?" Severus drawled.

Harry gave him a small smile as Severus let his hand go. Harry gave him a nod and walked away.

xXx

Dracka glanced up as he caught Blake's scent and his demon took notice as the man slowly moved towards them. He noticed a few other vampires looking over at the man. Dracka moved to his feet when he noticed how unsteady Blake looked and he frowned when he didn't notice Severus with him.

The Aurors were helping his men with moving the vampires that had been killed out of the rising sun for his men to take them back to his Coven. They had taken a big hit of not only his men but people fighting for the Council of both light and dark creatures and Dracka's eyes caught on some veela and he flashed his fangs at them as they bared their teeth at him. Some habits were hard to change.

"I don't want to have to break you lot up," Blake said softly as he stopped close to Dracka.

"They have been good so far," Dracka reported as he looked the other man over.

His eyes catching on the bandage on his neck and his hand itched to heal the wound but it was too late now. Severus had been too quick to place the potion on the wound as Blake's hollow eyes looked over the scene.

"The goblins came through with some direct portkeys from here, through the French Portkey Platform to my Coven and back," Dracka said softly as his eyes roamed over the other man. "Without charge."

"That was generous of them," Blake said softly.

Both men fell quiet as Dracka turned back to his men, his friends and family that had fallen and felt his demon whine softly in his mind. He moved closer to the other man and let the man's scent touch him. He could only faintly feel the man's magic and knew that Blake wasn't holding it back, it was just that faint. Like a cool breeze brushing his skin.

"Should you be up?" Dracka asked as he turned to the man.

"From the amount of people asking me that," Blake said as he turned to Dracka. "I'm starting to believe that I shouldn't be."

Dracka's lips twisted up in a smile.

"Blake. Dracka."

Both men turned to see Miller moving towards them with his arm in a sling and only wearing his dragon hide vest and pants. The man looked rough and he needed a shower as he moved towards them as his sharp blue eyes looked around before focusing on them.

"I owe your men, Dracka." Miller said and clapped a hand to the vampire's shoulder. "We would be burying team ten without the support of your men."

"They were happy to help," Dracka replied. "I'm sure they were feeling peckish."

Miller gave him a twisted smile that looked even worse with the dirt and blood on his face before his eyes looked Blake over.

"Right there?" Miller asked.

"Still standing," Blake replied.

"Probably not for long," Dracka muttered.

Miller and Dracka looked over at Blake when he didn't say anything and Dracka frowned. The man really didn't look good and he reached out and grabbed his arm. Blake flinched slightly at the move and Dracka's frown deepened as he released him.

"I should find somewhere softer than the floor to collapse on," Blake said softly before turning and walking away.

Dracka and Miller shared a look as they watched the other man limp away.

"Should we help him?" Miller asked softly.

"Dracka!"

Dracka looked over to see Dalcon, another Coven leader, calling over to him and he turned to Miller.

"I have to go," Dracka whispered and looked over at Blake. "See that he gets back to his rooms, without hitting the floor."

"I can try but it is Blake." Miller replied with a smirk and moved after the other man.

Dracka's demon growled slightly as Miller caught up with Blake before his attention was drawn back to the other Coven leader and the job ahead of him, the scent of the man clinging to him.

xXx

Ry looked over to the main doors of the hospital wing when the noise dimmed slightly to see his father standing in the doorway with Sergeant Miller by his side. He was surprised to see his father up so soon, not to mention the three flights of stairs to the hospital wing, and by the way that Miller was keeping a close eye on him and was staying close to his shoulder the other man was surprised they were there as well.

Ry gave a slight smile as his father's eyes locked with him and he felt relieved to see him. Ry moved to the side of his bed and sat there as Blake entered the room. Ry reached over and picked up a box of chocolate frogs and waited for his father to arrive.

He could still remember the way his father had looked at the station and how he'd felt when he picked up the connection. His father stopped beside him and glanced over at Sirius in the other bed before taking a seat next to him and Ry handed over the box of chocolate frogs.

"Merlin, don't give him chocolate," Miller moaned and Ry gave him a smile as the man took a seat on the other side of him.

"He's not that bad on a chocolate high," Ry said in amusement before looking his father over. "You look like you need it."

Blake snorted and gave him a smirk but it didn't reach his eyes.

"How did you even get up here?" Ry asked.

"The normal way, Ry." Blake replied in amusement. "Two legs, a cane and Nurse Miller making sure I didn't land on my ass."

Miller barked a laugh then ducked his head as Madam Promfrey glared over at them. His father laid his hand on his leg and gave it a squeeze as they shared a look.

"How's the savour of the wizarding world feeling?" Blake asked with a smirk.

Ry groaned as his father unwrapped the first chocolate frog and he was already regretting giving them to him. Ry glanced up at Miller and could see his thoughts reflected there as the man eyed the box of frogs. Both men knew what his father was like on a sugar high.

"And how did you deal with it, Blake?" Miller asked and Ry froze.

"I would say gracefully," Blake replied. "But I would be lying."

Ry snorted loudly and quickly glanced at Poppy to see her lips thinning as she kept an eye on them. They were just lucky that Ry's bed was at the back of the room, where the windows are and they only had Sirius passed out in the bed next to them.

"Kingsley was good," Blake said softly. "Had me enrolled in the Auror program, even if I didn't have the schooling to get in. Helped me write a statement to the press and everything."

Ry could see the faraway look in his father's eyes as he glanced at Miller on the other side of him and looked the rough man over. He'd known the man since he was a young child.

"Looks like we've lost him," Miller muttered and picked up another box of chocolate frogs and Ry gave him a smile. "He might need that chocolate to get him back down to the dungeons."

His father looked over at them and Ry shivered at the look in his father's eyes.

"Did you know?" Ry asked softly.

"Did I know what?" Blake asked.

"I'll check on my men and come back," Miller said with a nod and moved off. "Then Nurse Miller will make sure you get back to the care of Nurse Snape and he is worse than me."

Ry snickered as Miller gave them a wink and moved off. Ry looked at his father and raised an eyebrow.

"If you want this private," His father said. "You will have to cast a silencing spell."

Those words told Ry how his father felt as he pulled his wand and whispered the spell and felt it go up around them. His father looked tired and Ry was surprised that he wasn't passed out somewhere, from the look in Blake's eyes he was surprised as well.

"Did you know when you took over my guardianship that I would have to die?" Ry whispered and his father looked down at his hands.

Ry reached out and wrapped an arm around his shoulders in comfort but he had to know.

"No," Blake said softly. "The connection was there but it wasn't strong. It was when you had that vision of Arthur Weasley, when Dark Lord Voldemort's emotions started to leak over the link that I knew the horcrux was alive in you enough to stop him from dying."

"You had to die," Ry pointed out.

"Dark Lord Voldemort used my blood to come back, Ry." Blake said softly. "He renewed and strengthened that connection as he fed the horcrux, binding us close together in the ritual that he used. He did not do that with you, I thought at the time that we could try something different to break the link."

Ry pulled back from his father and looked him over, his father wouldn't meet his eyes as he looked out over the busy hospital wing. Something was wrong with him as he sat there and Ry frowned. Picking up on his body language.

"Dad," Ry whispered and the man turned to him. "Why did Snape and Dracka want to keep what we were doing a secret?"

Blake sighed and buried his face in his hands and Ry felt his heart clench for his father, he knew now the pain the man had had to face over his very long life.

"Because I couldn't do it, Ry." His father whispered.

Ry frowned as he tightened his hold on his father.

"I knew what needed to be done," Blake said softly. "I already looked at everything I could, Ry. Every bit of magic that I could think of and I knew what needed to be done but I couldn't do it. They had worked it out and they planned what I couldn't face."

"Sh," Ry said softly with his arm around his father. "Severus and Dracka knew what to do."

Blake nodded and when his father looked up, his eyes looked hollow and every line of his body showed how he felt. Ry could understand his father more now than he ever had before. He'd had a connection to his father and felt his emotions and thoughts as they had fought against Voldemort. That feeling of knowing that he would survive when other wouldn't and also the wish to let go.

"They did," His father whispered.

Ry just wrapped his arm around his father's shoulder, giving what comfort he could.

xXx

Harry swung his legs slightly as he looked out over the grounds of Hogwarts from his seat up on the wall of the school. He could see the large footsteps that his dragon had made and the mess of the grounds. White sheets to his right marked out where Voldemort's followers had been moved to while the Ministry worked out what they were going to do with them.

They had faired okay and Harry was happy to report that the losses to their side weren't as high as they could have been. Dracka's men had faired the worse and he'd had to call in some more of his Coven to take the dead away. They had been ambushed on the southside but the Aurors that Harry had sent had stopped them being overrun.

A scuff on the stones had Harry turning his head to see Alastor Moody limping towards him.

"Going to push me off the edge?" Harry asked as he brought his left leg up onto the stones so he could turn to see the other man better, his other leg still dangling over the side of the wall.

Moody's fake eye rolled as he limped closer, the man had taken a bad cutting curse to the side but he was a tough bear of a man and was up again quickly.

"Any man that can stare a Dark Lord in the eye and cast a spell at him." Moody growled as he moved closer. "Has my respect."

Harry gave him a small grin before his eyes caught on the grounds again and the ones that had fallen and his grin faded.

"It could have been worse," Moody remarked as he moved to stand next to Harry. "I've seen battles lines fall quickly once dark magic starts flying around. Your vampires fought well."

"And many of them died too," Harry said softly.

"But they fought with us, Sun!" The man barked.

"Well yes," Harry said in confusion, looking over at the man. "They are one of our allies. Part of the Council."

"You don't get it, Sun!" Moody rumbled as he looked out onto the grounds.

Harry waited the other man out.

"You brought dark and light creatures here," Moody said after a few minutes. "And they fought with us against a Dark Lord."

"Yes," Harry agreed. Drawing out the word, not seeing the man's point.

"You managed something that had not been done before," The man growled and Harry froze. "I'm an old man, Sun, and I don't like change but you are making changes. There is a vampire teaching at this school-"

"The Minister of Magic put him in that position," Harry cut in.

"And where did he get that idea?" Moody barked. "I thought he was mad! A dark creature like a vampire surrounded by children! What was the man thinking! A Dark Wizard teaching children was bad enough, now a vampire."

Harry swung his leg as he waited for Moody to get to the point.

"It worked," Moody said as he fixed both of his eyes on Harry. "We are getting nothing but good reports out of this school about Mr Dracka."

"Please don't tell him that," Harry pleaded. "He doesn't need a boost to his ego, it's large enough as it is."

"And you Sun!" Moody continued. "A man that doesn't hide his dark magic, who is clearly a Dark Wizard and yet fought against a Dark Lord. From what Albus has told us the castle would have fallen without you."

Harry stilled at man's words.

"I think the Headmaster gives me too much credit," Harry said softly.

"Bah!" The man cried. "You think I can't see your magic on this school! On the wards! On the stones of this school?"

Harry rubbed a hand over his head before focusing on the man beside him.

"Yes," Harry said softly as Moody's magical eye focused on him. "I imagine that eye of yours lets you see a lot more than others can."

Moody gave him a twisted smile, which sent a shiver down Harry's spine.

"I may not like change, Sun." Moody growled. "But I can see when change is a good thing and may be needed."

The man turned on his heel and limped away slowly as Harry watched him. Harry's eyes were drawn back to where Voldemort's followers had been lined up as memories from his own time overlapped as he looked out over the grounds. They would move forward, like they always did but Moody's words gave him pause.

Severus moved up beside him and stood silently next to him as the sun made its way higher into the sky. Harry slipped his hand into the other man's as he sat on the wall. Whatever may come they would face it together.

"What are the Weasley twins doing?" Severus said suddenly.

Harry looked out to see the two red heads crouched down, looking at one of the footsteps his dragon had made.

"Taking notes?" Harry suggested.

Severus paled.

"They don't think that they can call up a dark dragon?" Severus whispered.

Harry gave a chuckle.

"They can't call up a dark dragon," Harry said softly and Severus relaxed next to him. "A light dragon however, would be a different story."

"Oh, god."

End of Part Four.

One more part to go.


	38. Chapter 38

One Dark Lord may have fallen and yet another is just starting to make waves as Harry Potter enters the Auror program. Blake is forced to cross over into dangerous territories alone as more of his past is revealed and they face the revelation that the Dark Lord has a more personal connection than they first believed as Blake battles with his own demons while trying to stop the man from tearing down everything he has built.

Part Five.

xXx

Harry leaned back against the wall behind him at the back of the large room as Minister Rufus Scrimgeour voice rolled over the people gathered at the press conference. This was the third meeting that Harry had been to this week and Severus had just given him a look as he'd left him at the front gates of the school. The vampire had gone back to his Coven for a while and Harry was planning on heading that way soon but he still had to be seen.

"Hey Blake," Kingsley greeted softly as he moved to stand beside him.

"Hey," Harry replied as he looked around. "Any problems here?"

"Lots of anger," Kingsley said softly. "And relief. People are still not sure if that is the end or not. They are scared and unsure, Blake. They were here before when the you-know-who fell the first time."

Harry sighed and looked down at his hands.

"Dark Lord Voldemort is dead," Harry said with conviction. "You have his body, he is not coming back."

Kingsley looked at him as the Minister's voice rolled over them.

"But is it over?" Kingsley asked quietly.

Harry looked up at the man next to him.

"It's never over, Kingsley." Harry said softly. "There's always seems to be someone that wants to take what isn't theirs."

Kingsley smirked at Harry with a glint in his dark eyes.

"And there are always people that want to stop them," Kinsley remarked with just as much conviction. "How is Mr Potter?"

"He's doing well," Harry said as he thought about his son. "The Minister has already contacted us a few times about an interview, which Severus has taken great delight in stirring the boy up with."

Kingsley huffed a laugh.

"I knew Snape when he was arrested during the first war." Kingsley said suddenly. "Was part of the team that arrested him, in fact. He knew we were coming and just stood out the front of his house, waiting for us."

"What?" Harry said in surprise as he looked at the other man and brought up a silencing charm around them.

"You know his history?" Kingsley questioned.

"Some of it," Harry admitted. "I had his file pulled years ago but haven't look at it. He has told me some as well."

"I was very surprised the day that Albus Dumbledore spoke for him at his trial," Kingsley told him. "I thought for sure he would hang with the other death eaters."

Harry's eyes hardened as he looked at Kingsley.

"Not now," Kingsley said quickly. "He may have a dark history but he is a good man."

"He is," Harry agreed. "But even I wouldn't cross him."

Kingsley huffed a laugh

"Doesn't help he has the vampire on his side," Harry grumbled.

Kingsley barked a laugh, glad for the silencing charm around them, as the press conference broke up. More than a few glances were thrown their way as the reporters and others started to leave the room. Harry had already made it clear that he was not going to be making another statement but it never stopped them from annoying him.

"How are things going in Germany?" Kingsley asked.

"Quiet so far," Harry replied. "I'll keep you updated. I'm off to France for a couple of weeks…or until I'm told to leave."

"Thanks, Blake." Kingsley said with a smile as he clapped him on the shoulder before moving off.

Harry watched the man move through the crowd before he sighed and made his way out of the room. Ignoring any calls from the press.

xXx

Harry held the bundle of flowers close as he apparated and looked up at the burnt-out building before him. The charred beams still exposed and the stones burnt and crumbling in some sections. Small patches of grass and weeds had started to grow between the shell of the house and he looked at them in interest. It had been over fifteen years since he stood on this spot and he could feel the memories pushing to the forefront of his mind as he looked at the building.

He should have done something with the house, as he looked over the wreckage, but he just couldn't bring himself to do it. It wasn't his to touch. He stepped forward and walked along the path until the debris stopped him from going any further and he laid a single flower, from the bundle he held, on the front step then stood back.

So much had happened since the day that he'd stepped through the time gap to see the dark mark lighting up the sky, bathing the house and street in green light. He'd been just been one of many people that night that had stood there as Hagrid ran into the house as he stood frozen to the spot. His mind unable to process what was happening around him as he'd stepped from one hell to another.

He turned around but there was no goblin standing there, holding papers out. He shook those memories from his mind and stepped back onto the street and away from the house. He still had no idea what had compelled him to come here, of all places, it just felt right. He moved down the silent street, no one out at this time of night, as he moved into the small grave yard.

He knew where to go as his feet lead him to the two graves and he stopped. He crouched down and halved the flowers and placed one pile on James Potter's gravestone and the other half on the grave of Lily Potter.

"Well," Harry said softly as he looked at the two graves. "Dark Lord Voldemort is dead. Your son is still alive…"

Harry choked on his words as his knees touched the ground and he held his cane before him in a vice like grip.

"He's a smart boy," Harry said softly. "Full of life and laughter…turned out better than I ever could."

Harry fell silent as a bird called out somewhere in the night.

"He's following in your footsteps James," Harry said as he looked at the man's grave. "And he has your compassion, Lily. Severus still looks out for him, like you would have always wanted. Much to Severus's reluctance, but I know he cares for the boy. We both do."

Harry looked down at the earth below him as he clenched the cane in both his hands.

"Remus has a little boy," Harry whispered, as the tears started to fall silently. "Sirius…well he will probably never grow up. They are all doing well. They are all alive. Remus and Tonks will see their son grow up. Little Teddy, such a whirlwind of a child."

Harry looked up at the graves as the moonlight broke through the clouds, shinning down on him as he read the words before him.

"You would be proud of the man your son has grown into, I am." Harry said softly. "I followed your wishes in your will. Harry finished his schooling at Hogwarts and was in Gryffindor. I know you would have wanted that James."

Harry wiped his tears away from his face as he tilted his head back and looked up at the almost full moon above him.

"He did it," Harry said softly. "He stood up to Dark Lord Voldemort and looked him right in the eye. He showed courage that you would have been proud of."

Harry laid his cane next to him and ran his hands through his hair and grabbed his head as he bowed it.

"I think I would have been a letdown for you," Harry said softly. "Too much dark magic and blood on my hands. The Potters have always been a light family and soon it will be again."

Harry looked down at the grass under him for a few long minutes before he slowly got to his feet with the help of his cane and looked down at the graves at his feet. The names and dates clear to see as the moonlight shone down, the day they had died had been the day he had stepped into his time and he looked away. With that in his mind he turned and walked away from the graveyard without a backwards glance.

xXx

Harry looked down at the closed file in front of him, as he sat at his dining table, sipping on his coffee. He had his bag ready to go beside him as he waited for Severus. They were still at the school but Harry had already given Severus the key to his house in Leeds while he was heading to Dracka's Coven alone.

Severus wasn't happy with being left behind but Harry had to do this himself and Severus didn't know how to deal with Vampires the way Harry did, not that he thought that Dracka's Coven would give the man trouble, he just needed some time. He tapped his pen against the table, his eyes were drawn back to the file. Severus may have a dark history when he was young and yet Harry had his own. A history seeped in blood and dark magic. Harry sighed and grabbed his head as he thought on that.

"You just can't talk to that man when he's had too many Lemon drops!" Severus exclaimed as he banged into the room. "He just told me that Lucius Malfoy would not be charged!"

"Not enough evidence," Harry replied as he sat back in his seat.

"You knew!" Severus snapped, not in a good mood.

"They told me when I got to the Ministry today," Harry replied.

Severus smirked and sat down at the table, Harry slid the file across the table and Severus picked it up and flipped it open then paled. His eyes flew up to Harry in surprise before looking back down at the file in his hand.

"I haven't read it," Harry said softly. "I had it pulled years ago with a few other files and forgot about it. Kingsley mentioned your arrest today which reminded me."

Severus placed the file back on the table and pushed it until it lay halfway between them.

"Hey, Dad!"

Ry banged into the room with his bag over one shoulder.

"How come I have to go to the Burrow while you are in France?" Ry asked as he threw himself into a chair at the table, his bag thumping to the floor as he let it drop.

"It's either that or staying with Severus in Leeds," Harry replied, focusing on his son.

"But I'm an adult now!" Ry whined in a tone that grated on Harry's nerves. "Can't I stay at one of the Potter houses?"

"Fine," Harry snapped, with more heat than he meant to.

Ry reeled back with wide eyes and Harry sighed and pinched his nose.

"Sorry, Ry." Harry said. "Let me get the list of properties under your name, you can stay in one of them if you want."

Harry got up from his seat and moved to the bedroom as Ry turned to Severus.

"Is he okay?" Ry asked softly.

Harry shut the door before he could hear Severus's reply and went to his cupboard and picked up the small wooden box with Ry's Gringotts keys and the papers of his properties and other stuff from the Potter in side of it. He looked down at the box in his hand and ran his thumb over the Potter crest on the top of the box. He was still a Potter by blood but now Ry was the head of the family and he felt a little sad that he would be giving that up to the boy, but he had done it before. He had already lived his life as Harry Potter and he hadn't much liked it the first time.

Harry should have given Ry the box and passed the title to him when he turned seventeen but he had wanted to wait until the boy had finished school or at least the mess with Voldemort was sorted.

He stepped out of the room and placed the box on the table and slid it over towards the boy. Severus sucked in a breath and placed his hand on the top of the box before Ry could grab it. Ry's eyes flicked between them as Harry's eyes locked with Severus.

"Blake," Severus hissed, his dark eyes intense.

"Let him have it," Harry said softly, resigned.

"Dad?" Ry questioned, when the silence stretched.

Severus pulled his hand back with a huff and Ry picked the box up and looked at the crest on it in interest, before opening it up.

"These are now yours, Harry Potter." Harry said softly, completing his part of the ritual.

Harry could see Ry shiver as the magic settled around them and Ry looked at him with large eyes.

"The papers have each of the properties that you own and what is in the Potter vaults." Harry said softly. "When I came here the goblins divided the vaults between us. I moved my half to the Sun vaults and left all the properties, except for one, in your name. Anything to do with the Potters or Lily Evans I left for you."

"But," Ry said softly. "They are your parents as well."

"As you have said before," Harry said softly, side stepping what the boy said. "You are an adult and that is the Potter family vault under your name. I should have given that to you when you turned seventeen, since that's when you became an adult in the wizarding world, but I wanted to wait until after you finished school."

"Thank you," Ry said as he looked over the papers and placed them on the table.

Severus reached over and picked up one of the papers and looked it over as Ry emptied the box on to the table. Harry's eyes caught on the Potter crest of the paperwork and the gold keys.

"I'll leave you with it," Harry announced and left his rooms.

Harry closed the door behind him before striding off down the hallway, he wasn't sure where he was going, he just had to move.

"Blake!"

Harry paused as Severus grabbed his arm and Harry turned.

"You do realise that you have left your file on the table with Ry," Harry remarked and the other man cursed and looked torn. "Go on."

"Stay here," Severus snapped and disappeared back into the room.

Harry leaned up against the wall and waited. Severus reappeared with a file in his hand.

"Can't leave anything around that boy!" Severus snapped.

"Just put the gory file on the top of the pile," Harry said with a smirk. "He won't look at the ones under that."

Severus held the file out to Harry but he didn't take it.

"That is yours," Harry told him. "If you want to share anything in it with me, that is up to you, Severus. We both have times in our lives that we are not proud of or want to share."

Severus crossed his arms and looked down at Harry.

"You passed the Potter name to Ry," Severus said softly.

"He is Harry Potter," Harry said with a smirk.

"So are you," Severus stated calmly, his eyes shining.

"I am Blake Sun," Harry said. "I haven't been Harry Potter for a very long time. The Potter name was always going to go to Ry, for that is who he is."

"Blake-"

"No," Harry snapped and turned away. "I am not that person anymore. I've walked away from that name once before."

"Dad?"

Harry tensed and looked back at his son.

"Are you okay?" Ry asked softly as he moved towards them.

"Sure, all good." Harry replied.

"Are you sure?" Ry asked as he stopped in front of him.

Harry frowned at the boy as Severus watched them carefully.

"I'm just tired, Ry." Harry said softly and ran a hand over head. "I leave tomorrow for France, if you don't want to go to the Burrow just owl Mrs Weasley to tell her you are not going, otherwise you have a room at my house in Leeds. I need some time alone."

Harry turned and walked away feeling Severus and Ry's eyes on his back.

xXx

Severus watched Blake walk off down the hallway with a frown.

"He's not okay, is he?" Ry said softly, as he turned to Severus.

"No," Severus agreed.

"What did the box really mean?" Ry asked.

"That you are the Head of the Potter family now," Severus replied. "He has recognised you as Harry Potter which means that he will need your permission to enter any of the Potter vaults or properties."

"But he's still a Potter?" Ry asked softly.

"Yes," Severus confirmed. "Did he not explain the way blood and names work in the wizarding world?"

"Not really," Ry answered. "But I'm not sure he really knows. Ron has told me more about it than Dad has. He likes to evade those questions."

"Perhaps, another thing to slip his mind," Severus muttered, more to himself than the boy. "He knew what he was doing when he gave you that box, Ry."

"He never gave me a straight answer about why, when he took over my guardianship, that my name stayed as Potter," Ry said softly. "He didn't change it to Sun."

Severus looked the boy over as those green eyes locked on him.

"The name Harry Potter holds more power in the wizarding world," Severus said softly. "The Potters are a very old family and the Sun name is an unknown family, Blake Sun even more so."

"Dad mentioned that they were pure bloods," Ry remarked and Severus looked him over as he filed that away.

"Blake Sun is a name he took Ry," Severus said softly. "He is Harry Potter by birth the same as you. That is who he is regardless of what name he took after and no matter what he says, he is a Potter. That blood was strong enough for him to be the Head of the family until he passed that to you, that is also why no one could challenge him for your guardianship and I am sure there would have been people considering it…You are his son Ry, regardless of your last name."

Severus and Ry shared a look as he gave the boy a small smile and clapped a hand on his shoulder. Severus's lips twisted up in a smirk and a glint came to his eyes.

"Now, you have to act like an adult." Severus sneered. "Do you think you can manage that?"

Ry drew himself up and glared at the other man with a stubborn tilt to his head.

"Sure," Ry snapped. "I've already defeated a Dark Lord-"

"-With Blake's help," Severus cut in.

"And I start Auror training soon," Ry continued.

Severus smirked and tapped Ry on the head with the file in his hand and the boy ducked.

"God help the person that will be teaching you potions," Severus muttered.

Ry grinned up at him and Severus looked down at the boy fondly.

"Maybe I should read more of that file for tips," Ry said with a smirk. "You know, to prepare myself for what I'm up against."

"How about some first-hand experience instead," Severus growled and pulled his wand.

Ry yelped and dashed off down the hallway with a laugh as Severus looked after him with a smirk of amusement on his lips.

xXx

Harry eyed off the Hellhounds at the front gates of Dracka's mansion as they snarled at him with their red eyes flashing in the darkness as they paced up and down the fence line.

"Blake," Dracka greeted with a grin as he came closer. "No Severus?"

"No," Harry said shortly as a beast snarled at him.

"Back, back." Dracka called as he opened his gate for Harry to enter. "Come in."

Harry stepped through the gate as the beasts milled around. The animals had never liked him and he had no idea why as he followed Dracka up to the mansion. The hellhounds following behind them, putting Harry on edge even more.

"So," Dracka said, moving towards the front door. "Severus called me."

Harry groaned and rubbed a hand over his head and swore as Dracka leered.

"I'm regretting giving you both phones," Harry grumbled as they walked into the mansion. "And connecting the bloody things."

Dracka huffed a laugh and clapped a hand to Harry's shoulder briefly.

"He's concerned about you," Dracka said.

"I'm fine," Harry insisted.

"I can see that," Dracka replied and gave him a look over.

Harry tensed under the man's glaze but knew he couldn't do anything while in his Coven. Dracka ruled him and he knew where he stood in that pecking order, after the battle with Voldemort.

"Dracka," Harry growled and lowered his eyes slightly.

Dracka stepped back with a frown as his dark eyes watched him.

"The arrangements are tomorrow," Dracka said carefully. "Thank you for coming, I know you have been busy at the Ministry and the school."

"No problems," Harry replied and briefly tilted his head before stepping away from Dracka. "Do you have a room I can stay in or am I out the back in the kennels with the hellhounds because I get the feeling they don't want to share."

Dracka barked a laugh and fell into step with Harry as they walked into the main hall. The long tables had been pushed to the side of the room with a few vampires scattered around, they looked up when Harry and Dracka entered. Harry carefully stepped back slightly to let Dracka move one step in front of him and the vampires turned away.

"Anna will show you your room," Dracka said as he stopped and turned to the wizard. "You know my second Bradon?"

"Yes," Harry replied and shook the hand that the short vampire held out. "We have spoken a few times on the phone."

"We finally meet," Bradon said softly, he was about Harry's height with dark brown hair and brown eyes.

The woman next to him was a head taller with long straight brown hair and eyes and she gave Harry a smile, showing her fangs slightly. Harry would guess that they were related in some way as he gave her a nod as she stepped forward.

"Anna," She introduced.

"Blake Sun," Harry replied with a grin before kissing the back of her hand. "Nice to meet you."

"I'll show you up to your room," Anna said with a nod to Dracka.

"I'll see you later, Dracka." Harry said casually but made sure to take one step back before nodding and turning to the woman beside him. "Lead on, my dear."

xXx

Dracka watched Blake leave the room with a frown on his face. Something wasn't right with the man but he couldn't put his finger on it.

"Is everything ready for tomorrow?" Dracka asked his second.

Bradon was looking after Blake with a frown as well.

"He's a wizard, right?" The man asked.

"Yes," Dracka replied with a grin. "Don't let the dark magic fool you."

"Then why is he acting like a low ranking vampire?" Bradon asked and Dracka stilled.

That's what he'd been missing he had been around vampires so much that he hadn't noticed. From the moment Blake had stepped over the wards he had been giving the same slight messages that a low ranking vampire would have given and he hadn't even noticed. Blake had never given those signals before, he had always stood with him as an equal. Something had changed to make the man think he was below him in standing, then Dracka frowned, Blake was not a vampire. He shouldn't be thinking in ranking or where he stood in a Coven that he was not a part of.

"I'm not sure," Dracka replied. "I didn't notice."

Bradon grinned showing fangs slightly and the two men moved onto the arrangements for tomorrow but Dracka's mind kept coming back to Blake's odd behaviour and his phone call with Severus. The wizard had sounded concerned about the other man, which also concerned the vampire. Not to mention the fact that Blake had come alone which threw up more red flags. He'd been expecting Severus to come with him.

Yes, the man had killed his brother, who had been the Coven leader at the time, but it had been a clean kill. No one in his Coven could dispute that and the fact that they had a treaty with Blake put him on the same standing as Dracka and yet his body language was putting him below that. He knew Blake well and he was aware of what he was doing but he had never shown these signs before.

Blake had come back to the Coven over the years after he killed Dracka's brother to reinforce the wards to keep them and the village safe and Dracka did wonder at the time why. He had always watched the man from a far and Blake had never crossed onto the Coven's grounds without permission and had spoken with some of his Coven over the years. The fluid way that he'd worked with the other vampires had always intrigued him.

It was a good two hours later when Dracka could pull himself away from the arrangements and made his way up to Blake's room on the second floor. He had placed the man's room away from most of the other vampires to give him space.

He knocked gently on the door but didn't get an answer and with a frown he pushed the door open to see Blake under the covers and curled up away from him asleep. From what Severus had told him the man had been working long hours since the final battle and it was late in the night but he had expected the man to still be awake at this time.

He moved over to the bed and looked down at him. He placed his hand on the man's shoulder and could faintly feel the other man's magic. He could feel that the man was still recovering as his demon started to take notice. He wasn't sure if he should wake him or wait until the next day. He could still see the slight mark his fangs had made on the man's throat and his frown deepened. He was missing something here.

"What do you want, Dracka?" Blake asked softly and opened his eyes.

Dracka snatched his hand back as if he'd been burnt.

"Everything is organised for tomorrow," Dracka said as he took a seat on the bed next to Blake. "We'll lay the bodies out tonight and the cremation will be just after sunset tomorrow. The Aurors cast a status charm for us so that we had time to put everything into place and had the families claim the bodies."

"Okay," Blake replied as he rubbed his face, the blanket slipping off his shoulder and Dracka's eyes were drawn to the scars there. "Are there going to be other Covens here?"

"No," Dracka replied as he pushed his demon down. "Just mine. The other Covens have organised their own."

"Alright," Blake replied. "Do I stand with you or the others?"

"With me," Dracka said calmly as he placed a hand on Blake's bare shoulder.

Blake started and looked up at him, their eyes locked briefly before Blake turned his head away.

"Blake?" Dracka questioned lightly. "Are you okay?"

"Why does everyone keep asking me that?" Blake asked as he looked back at Dracka but wouldn't meet his eye.

"Because you scared the shit out of us," Dracka replied with a smirk, that got a reaction and Blake met his eyes. "You almost died, Blake."

"So, this is about the treaty?" Blake questioned. "Holding up my end of the deal?"

Dracka reeled back like he'd been hit as his demon pushed forward roughly. Blake flinched back and looked away, which was unlike him and Dracka's stomach clenched. Something had happened for the man to react like that and he had a feeling he had something to do with it.

"This is about you," Dracka snapped. "You idiot."

Dracka grew concerned when the other man wouldn't look at him as he kept his eyes away and his neck slightly exposed. It made the demon in Dracka angry and he had to push down on the feeling and his instincts

"Would you look at me?" Dracka asked quietly.

Blake turned his eyes to look at Dracka but wouldn't make eye contact, which just angered him even more. Blake stood the same as him, he should be able to meet his eyes. He flashed with fangs at him without thinking and Blake tilted his head to the side. The demon in him surged forward and before he could think it through he bit down on Blake's neck.

The man didn't make a noise just tilted his head to the side and went limp under him. Dracka pulled himself back so quickly he fell on his ass on the floor as he looked up at the other man in shock. He swore when he saw and smelt the blood on the air and quickly jumped forward and clapped a hand over the wound.

"Fuck," Dracka swore as blood dribbled around his fingers. "Blake I'm sorry. I didn't. Fuck…"

Blake just kept his head tilted to the side and his eyes on the floor without moving. Then it clicked in Dracka's head, he had fed off the man. Had taken his magic and his blood and had not followed it through. In that one act he had placed Blake at the lowest ranking for a vampire and he hadn't even realised. At the time, he hadn't been thinking of Blake as a vampire but a wizard and yet the man had shown time and again that he knew the rules. His demon had known that and had acted instinctively without Dracka's consent.

Dracka looked down at the blood on his hand and did what he would have done if he were dealing with another vampire of the same standing as him. He pulled Blake up and bit down on the same spot and let the blood fill his month. Blake dug his nails into his shoulder with a gasp. Dracka pulled back after a few seconds and licked the wound, seeing two sets of marks as well as the old mark and Blake stilled. What happened next would prove where Blake stood with him and his Coven.

Dracka covered the mark with his hand and reached into his magic, dark power coming to him easily and Blake started as he healed the bite marks which he would have done for a vampire of the same rank as him. He pulled back and looked into Blake's wide green eyes.

"This is why you didn't bring Severus?" Dracka asked softly.

Dracka could tell the man wanted to look away as his eyes become more guarded and closed off.

"Yes," Blake confirmed softly.

Dracka sighed and turned away, exposing his own neck to the other man. If Blake had been a vampire he would have done the same that Dracka had done to him but he didn't and Dracka ran a hand over his head, as he looked down at the blood on his slightly shaking hand.

Dracka started when Blake placed his hand on his neck and Dracka looked back at him. Blake just let his hand rest there while Dracka could feel the man's blood in his stomach, there was none of the man's magic there and the demon was a bit chaffed at that.

"You didn't finish it," Blake said softly.

Dracka laughed hollowly.

"I came bloody close," Dracka muttered. "That dark magic of yours in intoxicating."

Blake gave him a small smile and moved his hand down to Dracka's shoulder and gave it a squeeze. Just like that the tension eased from both of them, a tension that Dracka wasn't even aware was there.

"Maybe when I said you are just as much one of us. I was too right," Dracka said with a lopsided grin. "You didn't have the prove it to me though."

Blake barked a laugh, his green eyes shining for the first time since before the battle. Dracka felt a little lighter at the sight of that smile, the man still didn't seem himself and he could see the shadows in the man's eyes but the smile proved he was on the right track and he hoped that Severus could help Blake the rest of the way.

"Jesus," Dracka swore. "Severus would have killed me if he'd been here."

Blake pushed his shoulder.

"I don't know," Blake replied with a grin. "You have been conspiring with Severus behind my back."

"That's called paranoia, Blake." Dracka pointed out with a laugh.

Blake flashed him a grin and the tightness in Dracka's stomach eased at the sight. He rested a hand over where the bite mark would have been, the blood still on his hand, and Blake met his eye easily. They stood on the same standing now, two leaders in what may come.

"I'll leave you to your sleep, old man." Dracka said with a grin. "Don't want you to be cranky in the morning."

Blake laughter eased the rest of the tension in him and he gave him a grin before he made his way out of the man's room.

xXx

Harry stood calmly next to Dracka as fire licked up the pyre consuming the wood and bodies and turning them to dust. Vampires and other people stood all around him and he ignored the few looks thrown in his direction. He stood equal to Dracka as the fire grew higher and the heat rolled over them. Dracka's men had fought well and they had died so that Voldemort could be killed and he would honour them the same as he would anyone else that had lost their lives.

Dracka clapped a hand to his shoulder and gave it a squeeze as the fire crackled and sparks flew as he recognised Harry to the rest of the vampires around. This may not have been what the man had planned when he'd invited Harry along but they both felt better for it. They would stand together for whatever may come and Harry was sure he was going to need him.

xXx

Harry's eyes watched Bradon as the man slipped out of his shirt and stood in just his long pants as Dracka passed a mug of coffee to him. Harry gave the man a grin in thanks as he sat back in his seat and watched Bradon warm up. The man was of a similar build to him but was all power as he picked up his steel sword and moved into the middle of the room.

"We're in for a show," Dracka muttered in his ear.

Harry couldn't agree more as a woman stepped forward with her own sword in her hand and with a wide grin on her face.

"Lee Colden," Dracka said softly. "Turned vampire."

Harry nodded he could see the faintness of the vampire curse around the woman, she had been a muggle before being turned but the curse had had time to soak into her skin over the years. She wouldn't have magic but the dark curse was there.

"Over a hundred," Harry muttered back and Dracka started next to him.

Harry grinned back at him before focusing back on the two as they circled each other. They sized each other up before Bradon lunged forward making Lee dance to the side and they stepped back again to the yells and cheers around them.

Harry could see the control as the two vampires danced around each other looking for a weakness. Bradon was very good but Lee had better skills and was lighter on her feet. The swords rang out in the room as the two clashed. Lee flicked her sword forward and Bradon jumped back as the woman pushed forward her advantage. Bradon flashed his fangs and smashed his sword into the woman's in a two handed grip.

Lee rolled with it and Bradon stumbled slightly off balance and she pushed forward and Bradon was rolling as he dropped his sword. Lee kept pushing forward as Bradon tried to get to his feet but Lee was on him quickly and had her sword pointed at his throat. Bradon tapped the ground and Lee stepped back with a grin and held her hand out to the other vampire.

"Does it make you want to join in?" Dracka whispered in amusement.

Harry gave him a grin.

"Every time," Harry replied a little wishfully. "I just get reminded every time, that I'm not young anymore and it's normally when I'm getting smashed to the ground."

Dracka barked a laugh as the next two vampires stepped up for a bout.

"Severus tells me that you have been working with that sword of yours," Dracka remarked quietly.

Harry looked away from the vampires to look at Dracka and the man raised an eyebrow in question.

"I'm sure a fledgling would be happy to take you on," Dracka said with a smirk.

"Normally, I would take that challenge." Harry said softly. "But I'm not up to it at the moment, Dracka."

Harry looked away from the vampire, he knew what the other man was trying to do but he was still recovering and he wasn't up to his normal standard. Dracka laid a hand on his arm and let it slide. They had all the time in the world and there was always another day.

xXx

Harry was starting to feel more like himself as he dissapparated outside his house in Leeds. Being around Dracka and the vampires had really helped, their dark power brushing against him as he walked through the hallways of the mansion or sat with them for meals had helped ease the tension he'd been feeling. Dracka had kept a close eye on him for the first couple of days but Harry was quick to mix in with the vampires. He understood them and the dark power from the hallows had calmed and settled after the whole mess with Ry.

"Are you coming in?"

Harry looked up to see Severus standing on his front porch with a beer in his hand as he leaned on the porch railing. Harry soaked up the image of his lover, feeling his heart beat that little faster as he took in the sight. He gave the man a grin as he stepped closer, happy to back home.

"Do you have one of those for me?" Harry asked as his wards brushed over his skin and he stopped at the railing and looked up at Severus.

Severus held the beer out to Harry with a smile, his dark eyes looking him over. Harry took it in his hand and took a sip as he moved up the steps to stand in front of the other man.

"How is Dracka and the vampires?" Severus asked.

Harry leaned his forearms on the porch railing and looked out at the quiet street, watching as the odd car pass by on the road.

"They are hurting," Harry said softly. "They know that it isn't over and the few Aurors coming and going are also putting them on edge."

"From our Ministry?" Severus asked as he leaned next to him.

He palmed the beer Harry held out and took a sip before passing it back.

"Yes," Harry replied. "They have been helping them with moving the bodies back. It could have been worse though. They didn't attack the Ministry. There's a lot anger at the Ministry."

"Against the vampires?" Severus asked in surprise.

"What?" Harry said, turning to the other man. "No, more for Dark Lord Voldemort's followers. Dracka has done a lot to put people's minds at ease since he has been working at the school."

Harry looked down at the beer in his hand as he leaned on the porch railing. Harry passed the beer to Severus as he rubbed his face, thinking about the mess that Voldemort had made. It was a different mess than before. The death toll may not have been as high but the Ministry was still scrambling to weed out Death Eaters.

Gentle hands wrapped around his wrists and pulled his hands away and Harry looked up into Severus's dark eyes. Severus pulled his hands until he stood in front of him and he placed Harry's hands on his hips as he fell into Severus's embrace. Taking in the comfort that the man was offering as Severus ran his hands up and down his back.

Harry started slightly when he felt Severus's magic run down his back and Severus huffed a laugh in his ear. Harry reached out gently with his magic and grabbed a hold of the magic, feeling the man close to him. He could feel the connection between them as Severus ran a hand down his back.

Harry moved his hands under the man's shirt feeling his soft skin. He had missed the man while he'd been away and he reached across the connection and strengthened it, making Severus gasp.

"What are you doing?" Severus whispered in his ear.

Harry shivered at the sound of the man's voice and pulled back slightly to look up at him.

"Just strengthened the connection," Harry said softly.

"The ring?" Severus asked with a frown.

"Our connection, Severus." Harry said with a smirk. "The ring just makes it easier, since your magic is on it."

Harry stepped back and slipped the ring off his finger and felt the connection fade slightly, he held the ring up for Severus to see. He then flared the connection between them, he did have to concentrate more to do it, but it was still there.

Severus's eye darkened and he grabbed him tightly as he kissed him. Harry lost his grip on the connection as he deepened the kiss. He slipped the ring back onto his finger when they pulled back. Severus grabbed his hand and pulled him towards the front door of the house. Harry grinned as he followed the man into the house and Severus pushed him down onto the lounge. Severus looked down at him with dark eyes before slipping out of his robes and letting them fall to the floor.

Severus kneeled down between Harry's legs and slipped his hands under his shirt and pulled his shirt up and over his head. Severus's hands moved up his sides as Harry settled back on the lounge and watched him.

Severus ran his fingers along the faint scars on his chest and stomach and Harry shivered at the feeling.

"I would hate to know how many I would have if it weren't for magic," Harry said softly. "Doesn't help for cuts that have already healed or silver."

"Like the ones on your back?" Severus said softly.

"Yes," Harry agreed. "The ones that were still fresh, when they found me, could be healed but the rest…"

Severus moved until he knelt between his legs and kissed one of the faint scars and Harry let his head fall back against the lounge as Severus placed his hands on his thighs. He'd missed this as well as the feel of the man before him, that slight brush of his magic on his skin as his hands touched him.

"Do you remember each one?" Severus asked as he kissed another one.

Harry chuckled and looked down at him.

"Maybe one or two," Harry said in amusement. "The more recent ones. I think a few of them are from Charmling."

Harry held out his right arm and looked at the faint scar in the crook of his elbow. Severus took his arm in his and looked up at Harry in question.

"When Dark Lord Voldemort came to power in my time," Harry said softly as he remembered green light and staring eyes. "Such a long time ago, one memory is still very clear to me."

"When you defeated him?" Severus asked.

"Ah no," Harry said. "Everything from that time just kind of moulded together. I had to sit down and try to work through those memories as you know."

Severus rubbed his thumb across the scar on Harry's wrist.

"Dark Lord Voldemort used my blood in his ritual to gain his body," Harry said softly and Severus's thumb paused.

"Why?" Severus whispered.

"Ah, that's a complex answer." Harry said staring at the scar in the crook of his arm. "I know better now, how blood works in spells and rituals, than I did then. I'm still not sure what he was hoping to archive beyond the ritual but it tied us closer together."

"He didn't use Ry's blood," Severus said softly.

Harry's eyes hardened.

"No," Harry said sharply. "The ritual he used was different. It made him weaker and yet stronger in other ways. His link with Ry was weaker than the connection that I had with him."

Severus paled at his words.

"That was weaker?" Severus whispered.

"Yes," Harry confirmed. "I was lucky, I suppose, since he didn't just kill me in the ritual. That would have boosted his power and cancelled out the prophecy."

Severus's hand clenched around his thigh as he paled even more.

"For a man that had lived as long as he had," Harry said softly. "He didn't know how blood and sacrifice worked…Simpson is a different story."

"You know," Severus said slowly. "I had something different in mind for tonight."

Harry snorted as he leaned forward and cupped his hands around the other man's face and pulled him forward. He gave him a grin before closing the gap in a kiss. Harry looped his legs around Severus and pulled him close as Severus's hands slipped around his back and under his belt.

xXx

Missing Scene.

xXx


	39. Chapter 39

"Harry Potter."

Harry sat back in his seat next to Severus and smirked as his son stepped onto the stage to the whispering of the crowd around them. He boy looked around nervously before stepping up to Kingsley Shacklebolt.

"Does this bring back memories," Severus asked softly into his ear.

"Only vaguely," Harry replied with a smirk then frowned. "Actually…I think they had already sent me off somewhere by this point."

Severus snorted as Ry took the sword Kingsley gave him with a grin and went to sit with the other Aurors in training and started whispering to Ron beside him. Harry still wasn't sure how the boy had gotten into the program but he had a feeling that Arthur had pulled some strings and the boy did excel at Defence.

"God," Harry moaned. "I hope he doesn't cut himself with the bloody thing."

"You didn't give him any lessons?" Severus asked in surprise.

"I tried but it didn't go well," Harry replied with a groan. "Let's just say that I was limping a lot harder after that. I'm just glad I'm not going to be training him with it."

"I wouldn't be so quick to say that," Severus said with a smirk.

"He's in the program now, Severus." Harry said calmly. "They can deal with his exploding cauldrons and sword mishaps."

"Thank god for that," Severus remarked. "Do you want me to give you the bill now?"

Harry huffed a laugh and clapped when the last name was read out and the Auror class stood up before they broke up to see their families and friends.

"Dad!"

Harry stood up as he son ran towards him with the sword in his hand. Harry quickly grabbed the boy's wrist as he went to throw his arms around him and removed the weapon.

"Oops," Ry said with a grin.

Harry rolled his eyes and held the sword calmly in his left hand, glad for the sheath along its length. He could see a couple of other parents taking the swords from their children in amusement. Harry handed the sword to Severus as he pulled the leather bag linked to his Gringotts account out of his pocket.

"I have something for you," Harry said with a smile. "Try not to kill yourself on it."

Severus snorted as Harry pulled a pure silver sword from the bag with a black sheath.

"Wow," Ry said as he took the sword and looked it over.

"I'll have to teach you to link it to yourself," Harry said softly.

"The same way yours is?" Ry asked in excitement and even Severus's interest was piqued.

"Sure," Harry said with a grin. "It's easy magic."

Harry gave his son a wink and pulled out a silver knife with a black sheath to match the sword and handed it hilt first to Ry before placing the leather bag away in his pocket.

"Thanks dad!" Ry cried and took the knife his green eyes shining.

"Now," Harry said as he leaned back on his cane. "The pointy end, faces your enemies-"

"Oi!" Ry cried, as Harry smirked at him. "I know that!"

"Until you know how to use them," Harry said softly. "Don't."

"Yes, Dad." Ry said, as he looked the weapon over.

"I don't want to get a phone call saying that you have been involved in a stabbing," Harry said sternly. "Do not pull any weapon that you don't know how to use. Understand?"

"Yes, Dad."

Harry took the sword from his son's hand and adjusted the belt and clipped it around Ry's slim waist and adjusted it a couple more times until it sat right on the boy's hips. He clipped the knife to the belt just behind the sword and stood back to look at his son. Ry grinned at him and placed his hand on the hilt of the silver sword. Harry felt his gut clench at the sight, he would have to start thinking of the boy as an adult now, even if he looked so young to Harry.

"Auror in training," Harry said softly. "Good luck, Harry Potter."

"More like good luck to the Auror School," Severus muttered and clapped a hand to Ry's shoulder.

"Oi!" Ry yelped. "Hogwarts is still standing!"

Harry smirked.

"Yes," Severus drawled. "I think Blake is working on that one."

"Hey!" Harry yelped as Ry snickered.

"This year might be his year!" Ry cried then dashed away before his father could grab him.

"This is the thanks I get," Harry muttered, and then sniggered as his son tripped on his sword and had to grab a chair before he fell over.

"Oh, god." Severus moaned as the boy righted himself with a grin over his shoulder.

"Makes you lose faith in the next generation," Harry muttered.

"He'll be fine," Severus said softly. "You made it through."

"With most of my sanity intact as well," Harry said with a grin and held out the sword that Ry had been given. "And look, Severus. You have a free sword to practise with now."

xXx

The night was clear with a slight breeze as they made their way back up to the school. The students were due back next week and Severus and Harry were looking forward to settling back in with classes. Harry could still see the burnt patches of grass from his dark dragon on the grounds but everything else had been cleaned up for the students.

"How long until the grass will grow there?" Severus asked as they passed one of the burnt patches.

"Maybe a couple more weeks," Harry replied as he looked down at the paw print in interest. "Probably long enough for Albus to complain. Looks neat though."

Severus huffed a laugh as he looked down at the print in interest.

"Can anyone with dark magic call one of them up?" Severus asked in interest.

"Um," Harry said as he thought about the question. "It's complex magic. It has a mind of its own so you have the learn how to convince it to do what you want. That's the problem with more potent magic; it seems to develop a personality. It would be easier to just conjure up a dragon, then make one of dark magic."

Harry pulled his dark wand and with a whispered spell a large dragon appeared on the grounds. Its red scales shining as it swung its head around and look down at them with large black eyes. It huffed a breath before rearing back on its legs and pumping its wings before settling in front of the wizards.

Harry turned to Severus to see the man staring at the dragon with large eyes.

"Is the Headmaster going to yell at you for that?" Severus asked.

Harry snorted as the dragon beat its wings a couple of times before taking off with a jump.

"Nah," Harry said as he watched the dragon circle around without a sound. "It's just a regular conjured dragon, no dark or light power there. It will just do what you want it to, it can't think or adapt. Kind of boring really."

"Only you would say that," Severus said with a snort as the dragon puffed away.

"They don't seem to hold any life without the dark or light magic feeding them," Harry remarked as he looked up at the stars. "When you want to use one in battle it needs to be flexible, to understand that it can be harmed and what people to attack and which not to attack. Dark magic works even better in those situations because it wants to attack, while light magic is happy to just walk off."

Severus slipped his hand around the one holding the elder wand and Harry passed it over to him.

"Does this wand make it easier to channel dark magic?" Severus asked in interest.

"Sometimes," Harry replied and moved back towards the castle not taking his wand back. "Try a few spells."

Severus stopped and Harry turned to him with an amused smile.

"Are you serious?" Severus asked.

"Sure," Harry said. "Anyone can use that wand, it bites though, so watch out for that and don't put too much power into the spell."

Harry pulled his cherry wand as he gave Severus a challenging grin and a wink.

" _Ignis_ ," Harry whispered the spell as he flicked his cherry wand.

A burst of green light shot up into the sky and burst into a hundred colours that slowly rained down like glitter.

"Go on," Harry said with a grin.

Severus looked unsure as he looked down at the wand in his hand, feeling the unfamiliar weight in his hand. The wand had a slight pull about it, like it wanted you to use it.

" _Ignis_ ," Severus whispered with a little bit of magic.

The wand hummed under his hand and he carefully channelled a small amount of power down it. A white light flew from the end of the wand and into the sky with a hiss and Severus gasped as it burst into colours of red and gold. Harry huffed a laughed and added his own firework spell into the mix. Severus gave him a grin and it was on.

The sky was filled with colours as the two men tried to outdo each other. Harry had a ball of light rolling around with sparks flying from it as Severus held a stream of coloured lights as it twisted through the sky chasing the ball. The wand in his hand just soaking up anything he wanted as it hummed slightly. He had never used another person's wand so easily and it felt similar to his own as he channelled his magic through it.

Severus grinned and flicked the wand and it bucked slightly and a green light burst forward and exploded with a huge bang, a shower of blues and greens lighting up the sky and bathing them in light and Severus gasped as Harry laughed beside him.

"Got away from you there, Snape?" Harry huffed at the stunned look on Severus's face. "It has a mind of its own that wand, you have to have a clear idea in your head of what you want it to do. Not much room for error in complex magic."

"Getting in an early lesson, my boys?" Albus said softly in amusement.

Harry looked over to Albus standing at the top of the steps leading into the castle in amusement. Albus's eyes flicked to the wand in Severus's hand.

"Might need to make it a class," Harry said in amusement as they moved towards the Headmaster. "Firework night, I'm sure the kids would enjoy it."

Severus passed his wand back and Harry took it in his hand and held it out to the Headmaster when he got close.

"Want to try?" Harry said with an easy smile and a challenge in his eyes.

Albus's eyes widened as he took the wand in his hand, so similar to his own and yet not. He pulled out his own wand and Severus looked them over in interest, the similarities were there for at one time the Headmaster had held one part of the Hallows, before Harry had arrived in this time. Harry looked at the two wands as the thought that Albus may have held the three parts of the hallows but had never been their master. He shared a look with the Headmaster before giving him a slight grin.

"How about a light dragon, Headmaster?" Harry challenged him with a smirk. "You know how much to channel through it?"

Albus looked down at the wand in his hand before holding it out and slowly channelling his magic into the wand as he formed the spell in his mind, crafting it carefully to how he wanted. Harry leaned back on the stones behind him and crossed his arms over his chest as the Headmaster whispered the spell under his breath. Harry could feel the spell as it formed in the wand and the way that the elder wand responded to the light magic running through it, it wasn't happy, but it would take it.

Slowly a white mist started to form in front of them, reflecting the light of the moon like glass as it grew in size. The wand in the Headmaster's hand hummed as the magic passed through it and the mist's form sharpened until a large dragon with sleepy rainbow eyes was curled up on the ground. It ruffled its white wings and had a slight blue tinge to its body as it curled itself up.

Harry grinned and conjured up the red dragon from before. The light dragon lifted its head and looked over at the red dragon as the beast lowered its head and stretched its wings and hissed silently at the other dragon. The light dragon just yawned widely showing off sharp teeth as the red dragon took to the sky. Harry poured a little more magic into his dragon and it dived towards them.

The light dragon shook its wings as it got to its feet and looked up at the red dragon and with a causal flick of its wings it took to the sky after it.

Severus just gasped as the two dragons twisted in the sky and looked over at his lover and the Headmaster as two powerful wizards grinned as their dragons played around. Harry had to focus carefully as his dragon twisted, it couldn't think for itself so Harry had to direct it in its every move as the light dragon calmly moved around it with the grace of an animal with its own mind, until Harry lost his concentration and his dragon puffed away.

"Ha!" Harry laughed as the light dragon winged away and skimmed its claws along the surface of the lake. "Are you still holding it Headmaster or has it slipped away?"

Albus laughed and held the elder wand out to Harry with a smile.

"Slipped away?" Severus asked, going pale. "You aren't controlling it?"

"You can only hold them for so long," Harry said with a grin, watching the light dragon's shimmering form. "The magic will fade and soak back into the earth once it runs out. You can pick up the connection and end the spell or try to direct it but it's better to just let it go."

The light dragon pulled up and twisted in the night air as it glided around the castle.

"Nice dragon, by the way." Harry said to the Headmaster. "I can never make them so white."

"I'm not surprised," Albus replied and clapped a hand to Harry's shoulder.

"You can make a light dragon?" Severus asked, slightly surprised.

Harry grinned over to him and pulled his cherry wand and formed the spell in his mind as he whispered the charm under his breath. Slowly the magic lined up and a small dragon appeared before them and darted its head around. Its black eyes and light grey coat shinning. It was only about the size of a large dog and it quickly got to its feet and flicked its wings as it looked around with its long neck. Harry fed it a little more light magic and it flicked its head in his direction.

"Off you go," Harry whispered and waved his hand.

The beast trotted towards them with its tongue hanging out the side of its mouth and a bounce in its step as the Headmaster's light dragon winged around above them. The little dragon jumped and landed on the steps in front of the men and Harry held out a hand to it with a grin.

"If it bites you…" The Headmaster muttered with a grin.

Harry laughed as the dragon danced around them before with a run and a jump, it launched itself into the sky. It shot off. Its smaller size cutting easily through the air as it gained on the bigger dragon. Harry grinned as his dragon cannonballed into the side of the Headmaster's dragon.

"Really?" Severus drawled dryly.

Harry and Albus laughed.

"I'm not controlling it," Harry said as the smaller dragon just bumped off the bigger one's side as the other beast looked over at it in disdain.

"It has your personality," Albus said softly.

"Suicidal?" Harry asked with a grin. "Or little dragon syndrome?"

Severus huffed a laugh and moved over to his lover as they watched the dragons until the magic ran out and they puffed away into the night air.

xXx

Severus frowned when he didn't see Blake at lunch the next day, the man had left early that morning but hadn't mentioned that he was leaving the castle so Severus knew he was somewhere as he looked around the hall. Most of the teachers were back by now getting ready for classes to start the next day and they had started to take meals in the hall again.

Severus focused on the ring and picked up that Blake was just outside the wards and he frowned. He finished his meal quickly and moved towards the castle doors. Things had been getting back to normal but Severus could still tell that something was bothering Blake and the man hadn't been sleeping well which wasn't surprising. Severus himself had trouble sleeping some nights as well as the final battle played on his mind.

Severus followed the signal for Blake which lead him passed the gates of the school and along a faint path into the edge of the forbidden forest. He paused when he came across a small clearing. Blake sat with his legs crossed in just his jeans and shirt and a protection circle around him. Severus moved closer to see that he had his eyes closed and didn't have a wand in his hand and he frowned.

He couldn't feel any magic as the man sat there and wasn't sure if he could interrupt him or not. He moved to a fallen log and took a seat as he looked the man over. He sat completely still and Severus could tell that he wasn't doing any spell due to the fact that his hands weren't moving and he wasn't whispering under his breath like he normally did when he worked.

"Blake?" Severus whispered.

Blake started and looked over at him, his eyes slightly glowing before they faded into the normal pale green. Blake looked around before he looked at his watch and groaned and Severus smirked.

"Lose track of time?" Severus asked.

"Just a little," Blake replied as he stretched his legs out. "I was looking at something and didn't realise so much time had past."

Blake then gave him an odd look and Severus raised his eyebrow in question.

"I need your help," Blake said and Severus raised his eyebrow a little higher. "Can you come and sit in front of me?"

Severus moved to his feet and stepped over the line on the ground, carefully, before settling on the ground in front of Blake and the man gave him a slight smile that didn't reach his eyes.

"I just need to look at your core," Blake said softly. "I'll need you to lower your barriers."

"Just my core?" Severus asked in interest.

"Yes," Blake replied. "It's easier to see it through your mind to your core than to look into your magic."

"I will have to take your word for that," Severus drawled and Blake gave him a true grin this time.

"You can watch if you want," Blake said as he picked up his hands and closed his eyes. "Think of it as a lesson."

Severus snorted as he closed his own eyes as he felt a slight nudge against his occlumency shield and he lowered his barriers and felt Blake's presence, similar to when they had sex but less tangled as he focused on his own core of magic, following Blake. It wasn't as clear as it was the first time that he'd looked at his core but his mind knew the way.

He frowned as he felt Blake looking for something and the frustration from the man as he held the connection with him and wondered what the man was trying to find. Blake's presence felt slightly different as well, he had come to know what the man felt like and their tangled magic and this felt different but he didn't know in which way.

 _'What are you looking for?'_ Severus asked into his mind.

 _'I'm looking at your dark magic,'_ Blake replied.

 _'Why?'_ Severus thought.

 _'Just give me a minute.'_

Severus watched in interest as it felt like Blake moved closer to him but physically, he hadn't moved. Then he felt something different as the connection with the man strengthened like he'd never felt before and he could almost read the man's surface thoughts.

 _'Don't grab that,'_ Blake said softly when Severus went to do just that.

Severus could feel the man was concerned and slightly afraid of something and that concerned him as he felt an echo of what Blake felt. He could feel Blake touching on his magic slightly and an echo of a pain in his heart and knew it wasn't his pain. He wanted to push the man back but he didn't as Blake looked at something that he didn't understand as he picked up whispers of the man's thoughts.

Blake was looking for something but couldn't find it and was relieved and worried by that fact. He could feel the echo of pain getting worse but Blake still didn't let go as he spread his presence out and Severus watched in interest. He was sure that he was watching something that most people would never see or experience in their lives.

Then Blake let go of the connection he'd made and his presence faded back to normal.

 _'There is nothing there,'_ Blake whispered and Severus felt him pull back completely.

Severus opened his eyes and looked Blake over, his presence was gone from his mind and Severus placed his shields back up around his mind. Blake still had his hands in his and he could feel the roughness of the callouses under his hands as he looked the man over.

He closed his eyes again and reached out to the man over the link and Blake lowered his own barriers, they felt different to his. Flexible in a way that occlumency wasn't, like mists that he knew he could get lost in as a gap was made and he pushed forward. He wasn't looking into the man's mind, just waiting on the edge. He could have easily pushed further forward but didn't

Blake wrapped his presence around him and he was led to Blake's core. He could see the man was still recovering from the final battle by the way his core didn't feel as strong as normal then he frowned. He stepped forward and Blake let him as he took a closer look. Something felt wrong but he couldn't put his finger on it.

 _'Can you see it?'_ Blake asked softly.

Severus sent the feeling of agreement as he stepped forward as he looked over the mists lazily twisting around Blake's wizard core.

 _'Is this what has been bothering you?'_ Severus asked as he watched those mists.

Something was wrong but as he watched he didn't know why he thought that. Both the man's light and dark magic were on a similar level and his wizard core looked the same. There was just a 'wrongness' that pushed on him.

 _'In part,'_ Blake replied. _'Ry only has light magic at his core.'_

Severus looked at the man's core and slowly nodded.

 _'The Deathly Hallows?'_ Severus whispered softly. _'But something feels wrong.'_

 _'Something feels wrong,'_ Blake agreed and Severus felt that frustration again.

 _'Can you use it?'_ Severus asked.

 _'Yes,'_ Blake replied.

Severus watched in interest as Blake picked up some of the dark, light and wizard magic and he felt the spell being formed. He couldn't 'see' Blake but could feel him working the magic as he did a simple charm to cast a light. The magic channelling out as he watched, all three strands moving together smoothly and he still couldn't put his finger on why something felt wrong, it just did.

He pulled back completely from Blake and opened his eyes to see the flame in mid-air between them not giving off heat but the spell had the feel of magic around it as he looked it over.

"I wanted to check to see if the wrongness had come across or from the link," Blake said softly as he looked at the spell and Severus could tell he was looking at the magic.

"How long have you noticed?" Severus asked.

"Last couple of days," Blake replied. "But I have a feeling that it has been there since Ry and I joined magic and it's only since my magic levels have been coming back up that I noticed."

"So, it's getting stronger?"

Blake sighed and untangled one of his hands to run it back over his head and Severus could tell the man was tired.

"I don't know," Blake said. "Maybe I just noticed it. I can use the magic and it doesn't seem to be doing any damage, it's just there. I'll look into it and see what I can find out."

"Have you seen something like this before?" Severus asked.

Blake stilled with his hand on his head.

"I'm not sure," Blake said softly. "It's my magic, it feels like my magic and I can work with it without a problem, but…"

Blake trailed off as he looked at the small, heatless flame and Severus looked at it as well, knowing that three types of magic had gone into making it. It frustrated him sometimes that he couldn't see the magic and could only faintly feel the magic in the spell.

"Something else is bothering you," Severus stated.

Blake slowly nodded his head as he looked at the flame, his pale green eyes moved to him and he sighed.

"Yes," Blake admitted. "But it's not important."

Severus tightened his grip on Blake's hand, he could tell the man didn't want to share his thoughts. Whatever was bothering him, he would share it when he wanted to.

"Poppy has given me her demands," Severus said with a smile. "Feel up to being an apprentice?"

Blake barked a laugh and gave him a lopsided grin.

"I can deal with that."

xXx

Harry stood calmly outside the wards of the castle as the sun started to set for the third afternoon in a row. He'd already placed a dead rabbit on the ground and had a gathering of crows in the trees around him, waiting. Harry leaned back on his cane and waited as well. He had questions that needed answering.

Caw!

Harry looked up at the small crow that had landed in the tree before him in interest. The animal looked him over with beady eyes and Harry cocked his head slightly. He wasn't sure if this was the crow he'd been waiting for. The bird moved down the branch before hopping to the ground near the rabbit.

"What do you want?"

Harry turned at the voice and looked over at a young woman with an air of dark magic and something else around her as she stood there naked. Her skin was dark and she stood about the same height as him and was so slim that she just looked like skin and bones and yet there was a strength to her body. The woman took a step forward as the other crows moved in on the rabbit and her black eyes focused on him.

"One of your kin gave a student here a silver snake," Harry said softly. "They saw something in the boy?"

The woman cocked her head to the side, like she was listening to something that Harry couldn't hear, before tilting it the other way.

"The dark boy?" The woman asked, her voice rough.

"Dark magic?" Harry asked and held out his hand and called a small ball of dark magic.

The woman bobbed her head in a nod, her dark eyes locked on the ball of magic.

"One of us," The woman said and grabbed the ball of dark magic and Harry let it go.

She held the ball close to her chest, between her small breasts, as it started to unravel into mists, before focusing back on Harry. It was hard to get a straight answer from the crows, their minds were too animalistic and they spent too much time between worlds. You had to read between the lines. Much like a prophecy, that only made sense after the fact, and he was only dealing with a very young crow here.

"Your boy," The woman said with a wild grin.

"My boy?" Harry asked with a frown.

"Yes, yes!" The woman cried and the crows started up in agreement.

Caw! Caw!

Harry looked around him in confusion.

"Your boy," The woman repeated as she stepped forward and cocked her head as she looked him over.

"That's why you gave him the silver snake?" Harry asked softly. "To draw my attention to him."

The woman bobbed her head, but if it was in answer to Harry's question or not, he wasn't sure.

"One of us!" The woman cried. "Same as you, your boy."

"Cursed?" Harry asked in confusion. "Cursed with dark magic."

Harry didn't see a curse around Callum Genger, just dark magic and a lot of it.

"You train him," The woman said. "Save him."

Harry ran a hand through his hair, he wasn't sure if he was getting answers or just more questions.

"He is yours," The woman whispered as she stepped very close to Harry.

Her black eyes glinted as Harry leaned into his cane and didn't step back as the woman looked him over. Her dark eyes holding both intelligence and madness.

"He will be yours," The woman said with a smile that had Harry shivering.

Being so close to the spirit world; past, present and future would blend. They could get glimpses of all three without understanding or caring one way or the other what they were seeing since they were still animals in the end. They were just moving the spirits they had picked up to the other side. However, they had seen something.

"Yours!" The woman cried with a grin and danced back.

Caw! Caw!

"Mine," Harry muttered and looked around at the crows.

He had no idea how the boy could be his, since there was no possible way that they shared any blood but as he watched the woman pranced around on her feet, he did wonder in what way the crows believed that he was his. The woman danced closer with those beady eyes and tilted head, her dark skin moulding with the darkening sky as Harry focused on her. A slight sheen of sweat on her flawless skin contrasting with the way that it stretched over the bones in her body.

"He calls to us," The woman said softly as she came to stand in front of him, stilling. "On the winds, calling out."

Harry shivered at the words as the woman cocked her head.

"You can answer his call," The woman whispered as she brushed her naked body against him. "You can save him."

"Save him from what?" Harry asked softly.

"Himself," The woman whispered. "His pain."

The woman leaned up and kissed his cheek briefly before skipping away behind him and by the time Harry turned, she'd gone and he was left alone with what was left of the dead rabbit and the crows enjoying the meal.

"Well," Harry muttered to the birds. "That answered my questions perfectly."

One of the birds turned its beady eyes on him and cawed loudly.

xXx

"So," Harry said as he came through Severus's office door with a grin. "Ry has a weekend pass and I need to teach him how to link his sword to himself."

Severus looked up at the other man as he held the quill in his hand as he was marking assignments.

"Yes," Severus drawled as he made another mark on the student's paper before him.

"I was thinking-"

"Oh, god," Severus moaned. "Not again."

Harry gave him a grin as he threw himself into the chair across from him and sprawled out in it. Severus raised an eyebrow at him.

"Continue, Mr Sun." Severus purred.

"Well," Harry said as he hooked one leg over on the arm of the chair. "Did you also want to learn to link a sword or knife?"

Severus paused as he looked at the other man with dark eyes and Harry gave him a wink.

"It has to be silver to work," Harry said. "Really not sure why. But it can be anything. I've found goblin silver works best, like my sword."

"Do you only have your sword linked to you?" Severus asked in interest.

"Yes," Harry answered and stretched out.

"Alright," Severus said softly. "How can you be comfortable in that chair?"

"What why?" Harry asked.

"That chair," Severus said slowly. "How are you comfortable in it. That was the most uncomfortable chair that I could find in this school."

"I'm a military man, Severus." Harry said, with a smirk. "I can be comfortable anywhere."

Severus snorted.

"This chair's not so bad," Harry remarked and wiggled slightly.

Harry looked over when someone knocked on Severus's door.

"Come in," Harry called and Severus glared at him.

Ginny Weasley poked her head around the door then froze when she saw Harry.

"Um," The girl said and blushed. "I'm here for my detention."

"Oh," Harry said and grinned over at Severus. "I could use someone to cut up some potion ingredients."

Severus waved his hand and he looked back at Ginny.

"Well, Ms Weasley." Harry said as he righted himself. "You're in luck."

Ginny blushed even deeper shade of red and Harry winked over at Severus.

"No torture session with Snape tonight," Harry remarked as Severus's glare kicked up a notch. "Night, Severus."

"Have you had chocolate?" Severus drawled and Harry gave him a wink in answer.

Ginny giggled as Harry pushed the girl out of the office then ducked his head back into the room and blew the man a kiss, then ducked out before the spell could hit him. Ginny started as the spell hit the door and looked up at Harry with wide eyes.

"Just a lover's tiff, Ms Weasley." Harry said with a laugh. "Nothing to concern yourself with."

"Thank you, sir." Ginny said in a small voice.

"For what?" Harry asked as he opened the door to his office.

They stepped in and he opened up the potion's cabinet, taking a few items out and passing them to the girl.

"For getting me out a detention with Professor Snape," Ginny said in a small voice.

"So, is cutting up ingredients with me a better idea?" Harry asked as he locked the cabinet and picked up his notebook and flipped through it until he came to the page he wanted.

"Well," Ginny said, looking around the office in interest.

Harry looked over at the girl as he used a finger to mark the page he was on.

"Yes?" Harry asked, drawing out the word.

Ginny blushed and looked away and Harry chuckled as they moved out of the office and to his classroom with the notebook and ingredients he needed. He left the door of his classroom open as he moved over to the bench at the back of his room.

"Just dump them there," Harry said as he grabbed up a cauldron from under the table and placed it on the table.

"You make potions?" Ginny asked.

"Yep," Harry replied as he ran his finger down the list in his notebook, double checking that he had everything. "Ry didn't mention it?"

"Um, no."

Harry looked over to see the girl watching him.

"He'll be here this weekend," Harry said as he leaned his hip against the table. "He has a pass from Auror training."

"Your eyes are the same colour as his," Ginny blunted out then ducked her head in embarrassment.

Harry gave a laugh as he pulled out a silver knife and a chopping board.

"How are you at potions?" Harry asked. "I know you are in Severus's class?"

"Passing so far," Ginny said in a small voice.

"Good enough for me then," Harry said. "If you could chop those Poppy flowers, roughly will do."

xXx

Severus leaned in the doorway watching his lover and the Weasley girl as they worked. They were roughly the same height with the girl less than an inch taller. Blake gave a grin to her and she blushed, making Severus smirk. Dracka appeared on the other side of the doorway and peeked into the room, then raised an eyebrow at Severus in question.

"Oi!" Blake snapped and Severus and Dracka looked over at him. "Bugger off."

Dracka winked at Severus before stalking into the room as Blake turned to the two of them. Ginny flinched away from Dracka and Severus was sure that his eyes were shining red.

"Did we interrupt something?" Dracka drawled as he lifted his nose in the air and took a sniff.

"Out, Dracka." Blake growled.

Dracka paused and he cocked his head to the side as Blake gave him a glare. Severus watched in interest, as a silent conversation seemed to pass between the two men.

"Will you make it up to me later?" Dracka said with a leer and Ginny blushed a deep shade of red.

Blake stepped forward until he stood toe to toe with the vampire and gave him a push. Dracka just rocked back on his heels with a grin.

"I'm sure Severus could help you out with that," Blake said with a smirk. "I am busy, now out."

Dracka rocked back on his feet again as Severus smirked from the doorway and Weasley looked like she would like to be anywhere but where she was.

"You hear that, Severus." Dracka said, turning to him with a leer. "You're all mine."

"Lucky me," Severus drawled.

Dracka barked a laugh and stalked from the room, patting Severus on the shoulder as he passed. Blake gave him a wink before turning back to the potion as Ginny looked between the two men.

"Still liking your detention, Ms Weasley?" Severus asked sweetly. "I'm sure I can arrange some cauldrons that need cleaning."

Ginny looked at him with wide eyes and looking pale.

"Oi!" Blake snapped as he looked over at Severus.

Severus smirked and moved away from the door in amusement, Dracka waited for him and fell into step with him as Severus moved back to his office.

"You're lucky he didn't curse you," Severus said softly.

"Ha!" Dracka barked. "I think he is getting used to it."

"One day," Severus drawled.

"Probably."

xXx

"Did you two have fun?" Blake asked as he stepped into their bedroom that night after his shower.

Severus smirked in answer as he lay in bed with a book in his hands.

Blake sprawled out on the bed and Severus placed his book to the side and laid a hand on his shoulder as the man looked up at him.

"Yes," Severus drawled.

Blake grinned up at him as he turned over and crawled up his body until he was saddling his waist.

"Did you have fun playing potions?" Severus purred.

"Yes," Blake replied, his eyes darkening as he pushed the blanket down uncovering the man. "My normal partner was busy playing Professor with a vampire."

Severus huffed a laugh and looked up at Blake above him.

"Poor Ginny," Blake laughed. "I'm not sure she's going to recover from the shock."

xXx

missing scene.

xXx

Severus rolled onto his back and panted slightly, he looked over when Blake chuckled.

"What?" Severus asked.

"Professors and vampires," Blake muttered as he turned on his side. "Potions and Professors."

Severus looked at him puzzled.

"Been a while since we had sex in a classroom," Blake said with a glint in his eyes.

"Don't you get in enough trouble with the Headmaster?" Severus purred.

"Ha!" Blake laughed. "Not lately and it's only the start of the school year."

Severus groaned and let his head rest back against the bed.

xXx

Harry summoned his silver blade and placed it on his knees as he sat on the floor of his classroom.

"Okay," Harry said softly and looked at his son. "The first thing you need to do is think of a place that you want the sword to be. I keep mine in my Gringott's vault."

"Wait," Severus said as he watched Harry and Ry.

Harry held up a hand before Severus could say anything else.

"I'll explain," Harry said. "You are making a link between your magic and the silver item. The item still needs a physical place to reside and if the link gets broken you know where it is."

Harry dismissed his sword.

"When you don't want it," Harry said softly. "You dismiss it and it will go back to where you took it from. You link it to your magic so that it recognises when you are calling it."

"But," Ry said softly. "You have called it from people's hands."

"Yes," Harry confirmed. "The longer you are linked with it the easier it is to call it to you from anywhere. It is still easier to call it from the place you store it."

Harry called the sword back to his hand.

"Can you only link one item?" Ry asked.

"I wouldn't recommend any more than just one item," Harry said softly. "It would just confuse them and you."

"You talk about them like they are alive," Severus said softly.

"Magic has a way of making a life for itself," Harry said softly. "Look at this castle for example. Would you call her alive?"

Ry looked around at the walls of the castle and nodded his head and even Severus had to agree.

"This school has stood for over a thousand years," Harry said softly. "All the magic that has been cast here and soaked into the stones. I don't think there is a witch or wizard that wouldn't say she is alive."

Severus moved to sit next to the other two on the floor.

"Now, Ry." Harry said. "Which one do you want linked? I would recommend the knife, but it's up to you."

"Why the knife?" Severus asked.

"Knife in the dark," Harry replied with a lopsided grin. "A knife is easier to deal with than a sword and will get you out of a tight situation. Most wizards are not expecting it."

Ry picked up his knife in his right hand.

"Right," Harry said. "The first thing you need to do is to reach into your light magic, Ry."

"How do I do that?" Ry asked.

"Ah," Harry muttered and rubbed his head. "Maybe we should start with you, Severus."

"Light magic, Mr Sun?" Severus drawled.

"Well with you it would be dark magic," Harry said. "Same, same but different."

Ry huffed a laugh as Severus glared at Harry.

"I've already told the Headmaster," Harry said. "And it's not too much power, more a marker than anything else."

"You call this easy magic," Ry grumbled.

"Well it is," Harry defended.

"For some," Ry muttered.

"Just let me explain it and you will find that it is easy," Harry said sternly. "Okay Severus. What are you going to link?"

Severus pulled a silver knife from his robes and held it out. Ry looked at it with large eyes and Harry looked it over.

"That will do," Harry said. "Now-"

"Is that?" Ry cut across him.

"Yes," Severus answered.

Harry looked between the two of them, puzzled.

"Am I missing something?" Harry asked.

Severus and Ry glanced at each other and he looked at the knife but he'd never seen it before.

"Is that yours?" Harry questioned.

"Yes."

"No."

Severus and Ry glared at each other again and Harry held his hand out for the knife. Severus passed it over but he could feel nothing wrong with it and it was just a plain hardened silver knife and he handed it back.

"Care to explain?" Harry asked.

"That was Charmling's knife," Ry said softly.

"Ah," Harry said. "Well, it won't make a difference."

Ry and Severus just stared at him.

"So," Harry said, continuing with the lesson. "You need to draw on your dark magic and coat the item in it."

"Dad?" Ry asked softly.

"Yes?" Harry asked his son. "What?"

"It doesn't bother you that that knife was Charmling's?" Ry asked softly.

"No," Harry said, with a frown. "Why should it?"

"He stabbed you with it." Ry stated.

"Yes?" Harry said, drawing the word out. "And now Severus has it. Unless he's planning on stabbing me with it and I haven't stolen any of his potions lately, so I should be okay."

Ry just looked over to Severus but the man just smirked at him.

"Back to the lesson then?" Harry asked in amusement. "It's best if you close your eyes Severus and hold the knife in both your hands."

Harry watched as the man did as instructed.

"Now," Harry said and closed his own eyes as he opened his mind to the magic so that he could 'see' what Severus was doing. "You need to pull on your dark magic and coat the item and let the magic soak in. This only works if you have a core of light or dark magic. Wizard power will not stick to the silver."

Harry watched as Severus pulled on his dark magic, it wasn't as smooth as it could be but it would still work.

"Just a little bit," Harry said. "Just a slight coating. Enough to cover the blade and mark it."

Harry gently reached forward with his own magic to guild the man and the blade was soon covered in the man's magic, giving it a marker.

"Okay," Harry muttered, as he made sure the whole blade from hilt to tip had been covered. "Now let it soak in. That's it, it takes time. Don't add anymore dark magic, you have used enough."

Harry watched the slight dark mists around the weapon as it soaked into the silver, he could see the slight connection between Severus and the weapon as well as his own connection to him. He reached forward and smoothed over the edges of the mark on the blade so that it curved around it seamlessly as it soaked into the metal.

"I'm just going to strengthen the connection," Harry muttered. "Just give the blade a little more magic."

Harry caught the dark magic that Severus fed it and twisted it around and strengthened the connection and heard Ry gasp but he was too busy to see what it was about.

"Okay," Harry said. "I want you to picture the place you want the blade to go when you are not using it? Make a very clear picture in your mind, down to the last detail."

Harry waited as he held the connection between the blade and Severus until another line snaked out and Harry grabbed that one and tied it into the other one he had so that the blade, Severus and the location were all tied together.

"Okay," Harry said softly. "I want you to envision the blade in the location that you have picked out."

Harry waited as he held the connections. This was up to Severus now, this called on the man having a good imagination and a well-trained mind, which he knew the man had. He knew the second that the blade disappeared for Ry gasped and he felt the connection flare.

"Perfect," Harry said and he smoothed over the connection. "Okay think of it in your hand."

The connection flared and Harry let it go and opened his eyes to see Severus staring at the weapon in his hands.

"All done," Harry said with a grin and sat back on his hands. "See easy. The longer you hold the connection the more life it seems to get. Since it has your magic on it and is connected to you, it will come to you when you call it. It can be a little hit and miss for the first couple of months, so just keep calling and dismissing it. Until it comes every time you want."

Harry watched with a smile as Severus dismissed the blade then called it back before he looked up at Harry with wide eyes.

"That's easy?" Severus drawled.

"That's easy," Harry repeated with a smirk. "Your turn, Ry."

The boy groaned.

xXx

Harry felt a pull on the connection with Severus and he frowned. What was the man doing? He looked back to the fifth year Hufflepuff, Jake Filler, that he was working with and watched as the boy cast the spell to carve the stone in front of them. They were in an unused room on the first floor since this kind of spell work made a big mess.

"That's it," Harry said, as the boy carefully sliced into the stone.

Harry was more supervising, than anything else as the boy worked. The boy had talent as he carved the stone and Harry sat in one of the chairs along the wall. He watched the boy work a little longer before he was distracted once again and he frowned. Severus was doing something but Harry couldn't find out what, while he was supervising Mr Filler.

When he was distracted for the third time, he had to take the ring off his finger to lessen the connection as he watched the boy work. The connection faded as he played with the ring.

"You are getting very good at this," Harry said softly, when the boy stepped back. "Are you thinking of taking this up as a job?"

"Um," The boy replied with wide eyes. "I hadn't thought of that, sir."

"You have skills, Mr Filler." Harry said with a smile. "If you want, I can look into having some of your pieces placed in a gallery for sale?"

"Really?" Jake said as he looked between Harry and the statue he'd carved. "Do you think it's that good?"

Harry smiled as he got to his feet and slipped the ring into his pocket.

"Yes," Harry said with a smile. "Now that should do for the night."

"Thanks, sir." Jake said with a smile before leaving the room.

Harry looked over the statue, the boy had really captured the image of a mermaid in the stone to such a degree that the eyes looked like they were staring at him.

Suddenly the connection between Severus and himself flared and Harry grabbed his chest in pain as he fumbled with his phone as his legs gave out on him and he crashed to the floor as pain flared in his head.

"What the hell are you doing?" Harry snapped into the phone when Severus picked up.

"Where are you?" Severus said at the same time.

"Let go of the connection," Harry snapped as his head pounded.

The connection faded and Harry slipped the ring back onto his finger as he took a seat on one of the chairs and held his head. He looked up as Severus banged into the room in full Professor mode until he saw him.

"What were you doing?" Harry asked as he rubbed his chest.

"Are you okay?" Severus said at the same time.

Harry held his head as the pain faded in his chest.

"Blake?" Severus asked softly.

"You were pulling on the connection," Harry said. "I had a student here, I had to take the ring off, Severus. It was distracting. Now what were you doing?"

Severus grabbed another chair and placed it in front of Harry and sat down with his legs touching his.

"Practicing with the knife," Severus said softly. "Are you okay?"

Harry rubbed his head.

"All good," Harry replied. "You have two connections, Severus. One to the blade and the other to me. Just be careful about which one you pull."

Harry looked up to see Severus looking at him, looking pale.

"You pulled on the wrong one," Harry said softly, his head still pounding.

Severus held out a pain potion to him and Harry took it in his hand.

"Thanks," Harry said with a small smile. "I might have to weaken our connection while you work on the one with a knife. So, you don't grab that one by mistake."

Harry took the pain potion before handing back the empty vial as the headache eased off.

"Blake?"

Harry looked up at Severus as the man laid his hands on his knees.

"It doesn't hurt me when you grab the connection," Severus said softly. "But it hurts you?"

Harry sighed and ran a hand over his face. He didn't know how to explain this to the other man.

"I know how to grab it and work with it, Severus." Harry said softly, only half explaining it. "You do not have those skills, yet."

Severus flinched back and Harry knew he hadn't explained it right.

"Sorry, wrong words." Harry said with a sigh. "At this point, just leave it alone and just use the spell in the ring."

Harry rubbed his temples.

"I wonder if this is what the Headmaster feels when I pull on dark magic," Harry said with a lopsided grin to Severus and the tension between them eased.

Harry picked up the man's hands and closed his eyes as he felt out the connection between then and eased off on it until it was only a thin thread between the ring and Severus. It hurt that he had to do that, but it would save both of them the trouble and Harry the headache.

xXx

A/N: If you are interested I have another Snarry AU called Demon Lives on AO3 (Archive of our own) which won't be posted here. Link to my account on AO3 can be found on my profile page.


	40. Chapter 40

Harry sat with his legs crossed in the small bare room with his eyes closed and just dressed in his shirt and jeans. He could feel the coldness of the stones soaking into his legs as he sat there as he slowed his breathing down and focused on the magic in the room next to him. If he'd had his eyes open he would have seen the other room before him through the one-way glass but he didn't need to for this.

He'd been there for a good two hours already as the Aurors ran through the students and he supplied the dark magic for the students to work against. He could feel the other three magical signals in the other room and the instructor. He could easily pick them out by the magic they held but due to the fact he had his eyes closed he didn't know much more than that.

He focused in on one of the students and let his dark magic slightly push on them, to rise the doubts in the person's mind as he started to condense his magic together in a form to the side of the room. He pushed on the mind of the students he'd picked out as the form of the shadow warrior started to appear and he could hear the shouting in the next room and the instructor yelling out orders and he pushed on the mind he's picked and kicked up the person's doubts.

He gave simply orders to his shadow warrior and flinched slightly as a silver weapon hit the warrior and he pulled back slightly. He felt slight light magic and pushed his warrior towards that signal as he opened his eyes and looked into the room and grinned slightly. He thought that he recognised Ron Weasley's magical signal as the watched the boy move forward and cast a spell towards the shadow warrior as another student dashed forward with a silver sword.

The student he'd been pushing on was standing back and Harry pulled back on the dark magic and the shadow warrior lost a little of its form as one student sliced through it. Harry winched again and pulled his mind back completely and the shadow warrior jumped forward with a dark sword and Harry watched in interest as the student that he'd been pushing against seemed to snap out it and pulled a sword and dashed into the fray.

The instructor barked out orders until Harry's shadow warrior lost its form and puffed away to mist and Harry leaned back on his hands.

"How's it going?"

Harry tilted his head back to look at Kingsley as the man came into the room and held out a coffee to him. The students in the other room wouldn't be able to hear or see them but just see a stone wall.

"I hate doing this," Harry admitted and Kingsley frowned.

"Why did you agree then?" Kingsley asked as he conjured a chair and sat down next to him and looked into the room.

"Because they need to learn this before their life is on the line," Harry replied as he took a sip of coffee. "Is Ry next?"

Kingsley gave him a grin.

"Ah," Harry said. "That's why you are here."

"Could you push on his mind?" Kingsley asked carefully and Harry looked over sharply. "The instructors have noticed something that I want you to check out."

"Explain," Harry demanded, steel in his voice.

Kingsley waved his hand as the group in the room was led out.

"I'll explain later, if I need to." Kingsley replied. "But I don't think I will have to."

Harry looked over at the other man sharply but the big, dark man was just looking into the other room as he sat on his chair with his leg crossed over his knee.

"You better have a good reason," Harry said icily. "I am already hating this and will no doubt have a headache by the end of the last group."

"Do you need a break?" Kingsley asked looking Harry over in concern. "Do I need someone to watch you? I don't want to have to call Severus to tell him you have passed out again."

Harry groaned and sat forward as he ran his hands over his head.

"This is not ward work," Harry pointed out.

"You didn't answer my question," Kingsley snapped back.

"It's fine," Harry replied.

"You still didn't answer my question."

"Shut it," Harry replied. "That is answering your question."

Kingsley looked him over, his sharp eyes picking up the tension in his body and the tiredness.

"We'll make this group the last one," Kingsley said softly. "We can always finish off the rest of the groups another time."

Harry groaned but didn't argue as the two men lapsed back into silence. A few minutes later Harry picked up the magical signals of the next group and he centred himself as he waited for them to enter the room. He pulled his dark wand and placed it between his fingers as Kingsley glanced over at him. So far, he'd just been working with his cherry wand but if he was going to push on Ry's mind he would need the stronger and darker wand.

Three students entered the room with their wands drawn and Harry looked them over. His eyes focused on Ry first as the boy ran his eyes around the large room with two girls with him and the instructor.

"We are looking for a Dark Wizard," The instructor said quietly, the man's name was Alan Faultner. "He could have left a trap."

One of the girls with blonde hair looked around nervously, she was slim and would have been a few years older than Ry. The other girl had light brown hair and striking blue eyes and was closer in age with Ry. Both girls hadn't been at Hogwarts and may have been home schooled or went to one of the smaller magical schools in Britain.

Ry kept his two team members in his sights as he whispered to them to keep together as they moved around the room. Harry slowly channelled his magic into the stones and opened his mind to the magic a little as he slipped his eyes closed to better see the magic and block out everything else.

He built it up slowly as he kept an 'eye' on the three students as Alan stood back. He let his warrior condense in the darkened corner of the room as he moved his magic to push against Ry and hated himself as he did it. Dark magic should never be used against friends or family as he pushed against the man's mind and it left a bad taste in his mouth.

He sent a little extra magic to his warrior and knew the moment that it was spotted as one of the girl's cried out and Harry let it jump forward towards them. Then suddenly Ry pulled his silver sword and sliced through the warrior and Harry flinched slightly as he cancelled the spell and pulled the dark magic to the side and reformed the shadow warrior.

He pushed a little harder on Ry's mind then pulled back completely as Ry flared his light magic and jumped forward towards the warrior and slashed towards it with his sword and light magic and Harry grabbed his head as the boy cut through his shadow and the spell collapsed.

"Blake?" Kingsley asked softly. "Right there?"

Harry tried to focus as he slitted his eyes open to see Ry flicking his head around looking for danger. Harry touched on his light magic and pulled slightly as he formed a shadow warrior of light magic this time. The shadow started to appear and Ry's head flicked around but he had a frown on his face this time as he held out his sword, hesitating slightly.

Harry pushed a little dark magic into the form as it become more solid and Ry's frown deepened. He knew who was behind the magic. His eyes darted around before Harry let the warrior jump forward with its sword and Ry quickly brought his up. The boy had been training but he was no match for Harry's shadow warrior as he channelled his own skill into it and it pushed Ry back.

Ry then ducked to the side as one of the girls lashed out with her sword catching the warrior on the side as Ry sent a spell at its back. Harry had kept the connection thin this time as he directed the shadow warrior. It twisted and turned to the attacks as the blonde used her sword skills as Ry went with his strong suit of spell work.

Suddenly and without warning Ry pulled on his light magic and twisted it with one of his spells and it smashed into Harry's warrior and the spell collapsed. Harry let all his magic drop as pain spiked across his head and he held his head in his hands.

"Blake!" Kingsley yelped, grabbing his shoulder as he cursed.

Harry wasn't sure what the man was panicking about until he moved his hands and noticed the blood. He sniffed slightly as he held his nose.

"Dad?" Ry called out and Harry's eyes darted to the room as he tilted his head back as he held his nose.

Kingsley pulled his phone out of his pocket.

"It's just a nose bleed, Kingsley." Harry told the man.

"Don't care," Kingsley snapped as he called a medic.

Harry looked over as the door opened and tall dark-haired woman came into the room and gave him a smile as she set her bag down. She knelt down in front of him and pulled out a tissue box.

"You must be Blake Sun," The woman said with a soft voice. "I'm Gurt Holiday."

"Nice to meet you," Harry replied as he picked a few tissues from the box.

The woman gave him a warm smile as she pulled her ward. Harry looked back into the room as the instructor spoke to Ry and the two girls but he could see Ry's eyes flicking around trying to pick up on his magic.

"Do you want me to grab him?" Kingsley asked.

"No," Harry said softly. "Send him to Hogwarts tomorrow, since it's a Saturday."

Gurt looked over into the room and her eye caught on Ry before looking back at him with a smile.

"Mr Potter?" Gurt asked softly. "I've had to patch him up a few times already."

"Like father, like son." Kingsley muttered.

"You should test him for healing magic," Gurt remarked as she conjured a bowl of water for Harry to wash his hands and face in as the bleeding started to stop.

"Why do you say that?" Harry asked in interest.

"I think he would be suited to it," Gurt replied. "His magic likes to follow mine when I do a healing."

Harry stilled as he looked at the woman but she had turned to place her wand away and didn't notice his stare. Harry's eyes flicked back to Ry in the other room and wasn't sure what to make of that. Could his son really be that much different from him.

"I'll look into that," Kingsley commented. "Thank you, Mrs Holiday."

"No problems," The woman said as she looked back at Harry. "Just a nose bleed, nothing to worry about."

"Told you," Harry said smugly to Kingsley as he finished washing up.

"If that's all, sir?" Gurt asked.

"Yes, thank you," Kingsley replied and the woman left, leaving the tissues and the bowl behind.

"What happened?" Kinsley asked once the woman was gone.

"He pulled on his light magic," Harry replied. "He's using it in his spell work. Is that what you wanted me to look for?"

"Yes," Kingsley said. "One of his instructors noticed the added boost to his spell."

Harry looked back into the stone room and noticed that they were still in there. Harry carefully reached out with his dark magic and let a small amount condense into a small form of a mouse. He linked in with the magic to see through the mouse's eyes as it twitched its nose and sent it towards the students.

The mouse could sense people around it as its master sent it running across the floor and closer to the people in the room. It paused as one of the people screamed and flinched back at the sound and would have run if its master didn't gently reassure it that it was alright. It edged closer and looked up at the people until one knelt down in front of him. He felt something brush him and he scrambled back as the person pulled back his fingers before inching closer.

Harry pulled back from the mouse but left it in place as he looked at Ry kneeling down in front of the little grey mouse. The animal sniffed his fingers before with a squeak it disappeared amongst the stuff in the room and Ry looked up.

"Dad," Ry called out, looking around. "I know you are there."

"He's in the other room," Alan replied reluctantly.

Ry gave the man a smile and Alan sighed and gave him directions. Harry banished the bowl of bloody water and didn't have to wait long until Ry opened the door and moved in.

"I knew it was you!" Ry accused as he closed the door behind him.

"In what way?" Harry asked from his place on the floor.

"The dark magic," Ry replied. "It had a familiar feel about it, it wasn't until you used light magic that I knew it was you. Did you use dark magic against me?"

"Ah, yes." Harry replied. "Sorry, I was under orders."

Harry looked at Kingsley and the man just stared back before getting to his feet.

"I'll leave you to it," Kingsley announced. "Mr Potter, you are working with your father for the rest of the day. I want you back at eight on Monday morning."

"Yes, sir." Ry replied.

Both Potters watched as Kingsley moved out of the room and Ry took the man's seat and looked him over.

"You don't look well," Ry said softly.

"I'm fine," Harry replied as he leaned back on his hands. "You are drawing on your light magic."

Ry reeled back from those words.

"Really?" Ry asked. "I didn't notice."

"That's what we'll be training with," Harry said softly. "You need to know when you are drawing on it and when to use it correctly. At the moment you are just pulling on it instinctively. I'll work out some time with Kingsley for us to practice."

"At Hogwarts?" Ry asked in interest.

"We'll see," Harry replied in amusement.

"I like the little mouse you made," Ry said with a smile.

Harry gave the boy a grin and looked him over, he was growing up. Ry gave him a soft smile. Harry held out his hand and focused on his magic and a small grey mouse appeared. It looked just like any other mouse, you would come across, as it sniffed and moved on his hand and he held it out to Ry. The boy reached out and held his palm up next to Harry's and the mouse moved to his hand.

"I can feel the magic in it but it looks just like a normal mouse," Ry said in surprise as the animal moved from one hand to the other. "Could I make one of these?"

"This is what we are going to start with," Harry said as he watched his son fondly. "It takes a lot of control to make one of these animals. My dark Dragon works off the same magic, just on a larger scale."

"My instructors won't teach me this?" Ry asked in interest as he set the mouse down.

Harry watched as the little mouse ran across the floor and he sent out a light touch and called it back. It ran back towards him and he placed his hand on the ground and it sniffed him with its whiskers twitching.

"They can teach you about drawing on your light magic," Harry said calmly. "Controlling that magic is a different matter. Most wizards and witches may not even know they have light or dark power and those that do…"

"Snape has dark magic?" Ry asked in interest.

"He does," Harry confirmed. "But he didn't know that until I showed him, he's still getting used to that."

Ry looked taken aback.

"Not many wizards or witches can't look into their cores, Ry." Harry said softly, as they watched the mouse. "Dark and light power is like a fog, you can see it at a distance but you don't know how to grab it. It doesn't like to be controlled unless you pull on it correctly. Wizard power comes to people easier, that is why people use it. Wizard magic wants to please."

"You make it sound like it's alive…" Ry started to say then his eyes were drawn to the little mouse. "Like it's alive."

Both Potters looked down at the mouse as it sniffed the tissue box before placing its paws on the side of it. Acting just like a real mouse but with less fear of the humans in the room.

"You aren't controlling it?" Ry asked.

"I'm not controlling it," Harry confirmed. "I just spun the spell and let the magic do as it wants. I used a mouse as a template, that is why it's acting like a real mouse. If I used another animal as a template it would be acting differently. It pulls on your knowledge of the animal you want it to be."

Ry's eyes widened as he looked at the animal and Harry knew he was looking at the magic with new eyes.

"Why don't teach us this?" Ry said softly.

"Humans by nature want to control everything around them," Harry said as he sat up. "This magic is different and also another reason that most wizards won't pull on it or if they do. They just use it to boost to their own magic, that is what you have been doing. I'm here to break you of that habit."

Harry gave him a son a lopsided grin.

"I could feel your dark magic up here," Ry said softly and tapped his head and Harry grimaced.

"Sorry about that," Harry said softly. "First lesson, never use dark or light magic against friends or family."

Ry looked him over and Harry could see more of the man that Harry Potter would be and he gave the boy a smile.

"You got me back if it helps your mind any," Harry remarked, still feeling the headache. "You flared your light magic which broke through what I was doing."

Harry turned to his little mouse as it lost the magic holding its form together and puffed away into dark mists which trailed across the floor before disappearing.

"It didn't act like a thing made from dark magic," Ry commented.

"Its template was a mouse," Harry explained. "It acted like a mouse, it would have acted the same if it had been made from light magic. The more magic you pour into it the less it will act like the creature that it looks like. In a fight you would use something like a wolf or large cat. That little mouse is great for spy work."

Ry looked at him sharply and Harry gave him a son a lopsided grin before pulling himself to his feet with the help of his cane and a slight groan. He'd been sitting there too long.

"Come on," Harry said as Ry smirked at him. "Go get changed and I'll take you out to a late lunch in London before heading to Hogwarts."

xXx

Severus looked up with dark eyes when the noise in the Hall dimmed slightly before whispers started up to see Blake and Ry walking into the hall.

"Ry!" Ginny squealed and flew out of her chair and Blake pulled back sharply as the girl grabbed Ry in a hug and Severus smirked.

"What do you reckon, Severus?" Dracka asked with a leer.

Severus turned his dark eyes on him and Dracka's leer twisted up and Severus gave him a glare.

"No?" Dracka asked. "He's no longer a student."

"Don't you even think about it, Mr Dracka." Minerva sniffed. "I'm sure that Blake would not be impressed-"

"About what?" Blake asked as he stepped up to the front of the Head Table and looked them over.

Dracka gave him a leer and Blake just raised his eyebrow in question.

"Dracka was pointing out the fact that Potter is no longer a student," Severus drawled.

"Is that so," Blake said softly with a deadly tone to his voice.

"Ah," Dracka stuttered and pulled back slightly. "Just an observation."

"In that case," Blake said silkily, then turned to Severus. "You won't mind giving up your bed to Ry for the weekend?"

Dracka barked a laugh at the sour look on Severus's face.

"And why would I do that, Mr Sun?" Severus drawled as he rubbed his chin.

Blake leaned back on his cane and looked him over with a lopsided grin.

"Well," Blake said. "The guest wing is too far away and your rooms are right next to mine and since Ry is no longer a student, which Dracka has just worked out…"

Dracka snorted. "He has you there, Severus."

"Why is Potter here?" Severus asked as he looked over at the boy sitting next to Ginny at the Gryffindor table.

"Training," Blake said simply then his eyes settled on Dracka.

Dracka shifted slightly at the look in the other man's eyes and Blake smirked.

"Hungry Dracka?" Blake asked and Minerva huffed as her lips thinned.

"I'm not sure how to answer that one," Dracka said as he looked between them all.

"Training in town," Blake answered. "With Ry in tow."

"Still not sure how to answer that one," Dracka admitted and Severus snorted.

"Want to come, Severus?" Blake asked.

"Someone needs to be here if you need to be bailed out of jail," Severus replied silkily. "Muggle or Auror watch house."

Blake barked a laugh and gave him a wink, they all knew that could be a possibility.

"Dracka, I'll see you at nine." Blake told the vampire before taking a few steps away from the table before turning back.

"Think of it as a date." Blake said with a smirk and a few students giggled. Dracka turned to Severus.

"Are you sure you don't want to come?" Dracka asked with a leer. "Always room for one more."

"Absolutely sure," Severus replied. "If it involves those two and you, I want to be as far away as I can get."

xXx

Ry sat nervously on the lounge in his father's rooms as the man got ready. He wasn't sure why they were heading out to a bar for his first lesson in light magic and by the smirk Snape was giving him from the armchair. He wasn't sure that he was going to like it.

"Did he say what he was planning on teaching me?" Ry asked Snape.

"All I know, Potter." Severus said silkily. "Is that the vampire is going with you."

Ry paled as his eyes widened.

"And if you get arrested," Severus purred. "I'm on bail out duty."

Ry paled even more.

"Don't let him get to you," Blake said as her moved into the room without his cane and moving smoothly so Ry knew he'd taken a potion. "You'll be fine."

Severus gave Ry a smirk that indicated different.

"Have you been arrested before?" Ry asked his father.

"Ah," Blake replied. "By the muggle police or the Aurors?"

Severus barked a laugh and Ry's lips quirked up, he didn't hear Snape laugh often but his father seemed to bring that out in him.

"I was detained by the Russian government once," Blake replied with a smirk. "Does that count."

Severus snorted and looked the man over. He was wearing black jeans and shoes with a soft blue shirt. Without his cane and with his dancing green eyes he looked more in his early forties as he looked the two over.

Ry stood and Severus looked the other man over. They were of a similar build but Ry was a good head and a bit taller than his father and with his shaggy dark hair and striking green eyes behind his wire rimmed glasses and he did draw the eye. The boy still had some filling out to do and the two men did look like father and son but Severus was sure the day would come that they would look more like brothers and Blake raised his eyebrow in question and he gave the man a smirk.

"Yes?" Blake purred and Ry's eyes flicked between the two men.

"Nothing, love." Severus purred and Ry gagged.

Ry looked between the two men, seeing them in a slightly different light as they shared a look. Ry hadn't spent much time with his father and Severus while he'd been at school, outside of classes and passing in the hallways but when they were on holidays he would see Severus more and the way the two men lived and worked together. He looked at the two of them now and how relaxed Snape looked as he looked at Blake before looking at him.

"Something amusing, Potter?" Severus purred and Ry gave him a grin.

"Nothing," Ry replied.

"So," Severus purred. "I heard an interesting rumour."

Ry groaned as Blake smirked at him.

"It was nothing," Ry snapped and glared at his father. "We just went out for dinner."

"Breaking curfew," Blake muttered and Ry's glare picked up. "Don't know why they have to call me about it."

"You do know the right spells, Potter?" Severus asked as he sat forward in his armchair. "I see enough of children around here without having to babysit one."

"I'm waiting outside," Ry snapped and walked out of his father's rooms to the man's laughter.

Ry turned before moving into the hallway to see his father and Severus sharing a kiss. He'd known what Snape had been trying to do as he walked out into the hallway and closed the door behind him.

xXx

Harry looked around the pub as he leaned back in his chair and looked over at his son next to him. Ry was looking around in interest, he was sure that he'd been to a pub before but as the boy's eye caught his, he was probably wondering why they had come here for a lesson.

Harry looked over to Dracka talking to a young man at the bar and he was sure by the end of the night that Ry would be looking at the vampire in a different light.

"Focus on Dracka," Harry said to Ry and the boy frowned.

"Why?"

"Focus on what he's doing."

"He's just talking to that bloke."

"Dracka is a vampire," Harry said as he picked up his beer. "A dark creature that feeds on blood and magic. Focus on what he is doing and how he does it."

Ry frown but focused on the vampire as Dracka spoke quietly to the man. Ry blushed slightly as Dracka let his hand rest on the young man's leg and Harry was sure that Dracka had chosen the man on the basis that it would make Ry blush more than if he had chosen a woman.

"What's he doing?" Ry asked. "Is he doing magic?"

"Focus on that," Harry said.

"Is he using dark magic?" Ry asked as Dracka ran his hand further up the man's leg.

Dracka was using more magic than he normally would have and Harry was concerned that the young man would notice since he was a wizard but the man just grabbed the vampire's hand and placed it between his legs. Ry sucked in a breath at the move and looked away his cheeks red.

"Keep watching," Harry said. "Focus on what he's doing."

"I know what he's doing," Ry snapped but looked back. "You're as bad as Snape."

Dracka was laying the magic on thick as the man's eyes glazed over slightly and Harry sipped at his beer.

"Focus on the magic," Harry suggested as Dracka got to his feet.

Ry's eyes widened as the young man moved to his feet and grabbed Dracka's ass and pulled him close. Dracka leaned forward and whispered something in the man's ear before they moved off towards the doors and Ry turned to him with large eyes.

"Could you feel the magic?" Harry asked mildly.

"What's he going to do?" Ry asked at the same time.

Harry gave the boy a lopsided grin.

"It's Dracka," Harry replied. "Whatever he feels like. He's a vampire Ry. Don't ever forget that, he may have been your teacher but he is still a vampire."

"I could feel him doing something," Ry admitted and shifted slightly.

"He was laying it on a bit thick," Harry admitted. "That is how dark magic can be used. A slight suggestion, that man he left with, is a wizard."

Ry frowned as he looked at Harry and he let his son think it through, let him come to his own conclusions.

"So, he could have picked up on the magic that Dracka was using?" Ry asked.

Harry picked up his beer and took a sip.

"That is the question," Harry replied. "Was he not aware of the magic whispering in his mind or was he just after a good time with a dark creature."

His son looked at him and Harry was sure in that moment he realised how dangerous vampires and people with dark magic could be as the boy sat up a bit straighter in his seat. They had come to a bar that was mostly muggle but Harry could also pick out the people with magical cores. It was a good mix between the two.

"What Dracka just did was similar to what I did with you," Harry said softly as he sat back in his seat, it still didn't sit right with him what he'd done. "I pushed on your mind, a slight suggestion."

"But I could pick up on that," Ry said softly. "That man didn't seem to pick up on what Dracka was doing."

"I pushed harder," Harry said. "The exercise was for me to disable one team member with dark magic to give my warrior a chance to overpower the other two. It was to show you that you have to look out for other magic besides what is in front of you. Dark magic can be used to slip into a person's mind and push them to do what you want as long as that person is open to it. This Ry, is why Dark Wizards are feared."

Ry looked at him and Harry was sure that after tonight Dracka wouldn't be the only one that Ry would be looking at differently and he gave him a lopsided grin.

"What about light magic?" Ry asked. "Can it be used in the same way?"

Harry gave the boy a grin, he was a quick learner.

"Got it in one," Harry replied. "Just in a slightly different way. That's the next lesson, once the vampire gets back."

Ry looked around the pub.

"Can you pick up the wizards and witches here?" Harry asked and Ry started. "I'll grab us another drink while you try to pick them out."

Harry pulled himself to his feet and grabbed up the two empty glasses and gave Ry a wink as he moved back to the bar. He slipped through the people around him easily, the potion in his system working wonders as he signalled for three beers.

xXx

Ry watched his father weave through the crowds as he thought over his words. He'd always believed that people feared Dark Wizards due to their power and the acts they would commit and yet his father wasn't like that and he didn't think that Dracka was either. He hadn't really thought through the whole vampire thing, even if they had done assignments at school on them.

Dracka himself had given a class on vampires and yet it hadn't sunk in until he saw the man using his magic and he could understand the Ministry of Magic's fear of the creatures. His eyes picked up on his father talking to someone at the bar and he focused slightly. Since their battle with Voldemort, Ry had noticed that he could pick up on the magic around him better as he focused in on his father.

The man had never given off a strong feeling of magic unless he was working but he could feel the magic in the man beside Blake as he leaned back on the bar with three drinks beside him. The man seemed to know Blake as they spoke and Ry frowned as he could see something around the man.

"Blake trying his luck?" Dracka asked as he took a seat next to him.

Ry turned to the vampire and noticed something around him as well and wondered why he hadn't noticed it before. The vampire gave him a leer but it started to slip as he kept looking at him.

"Ry?" Dracka asked softly. "You okay?"

Ry snapped out of it and the pub came back into focus as Dracka looked him over.

"Yes, sorry." Ry answered. "Zoned out a bit there."

Dracka gave him a grin and clapped a hand to his shoulder.

"Did you have fun?" Blake asked as he moved back to the table and placed the three beers down. "The Auror over there, picked up on your magic."

Dracka gave his father a leer and Ry shifted slightly at the look. He wasn't sure about the relationship that the vampire had with his father, he knew it was close and the rumours around the school had always annoyed him. Since he knew his father was in a relationship with Severus, which was another set rumours. Seeing the two men in a social setting he could understand what some of the students would whisper when they thought he couldn't hear them. His father looked over at him and gave him a grin but that didn't set his mind at ease. He wondered what Severus thought of the two men when they went out.

"Next lesson?" His father asked as he sat sprawled out in his seat.

"Let the man finished his beer first, Blake." Dracka laughed as he leaned on the table. "These lessons wouldn't include a stripe joint or a brothel?"

Blake barked a laugh as Ry blushed until he could feel his cheeks burning and the leer that Dracka gave him didn't help.

"You're as bad as Severus at making the boy blush," Blake commented before giving Ry a smile. "Vampires, they only have two things on their minds; sex and blood."

"Blake only has one," Dracka counted with a wink. "Coffee."

Ry snorted as his father barked another laugh. He looked the two men over as they sat beside each other comfortably and he wondered about his father's relationship. Looking at it from a more adult point of view as the two men spoke quietly as Ry nursed his beer. The two men across from him just seemed to move together and work seamlessly as a team. Similar to when he'd walked in to see his father and Snape working together on a potion.

Ry frowned as the thought that his father and him used to be the same person went through his mind and yet as his father leaned on the table close to Dracka he couldn't see himself doing that. Not after watching the vampire and the young man from before and he hadn't even seen the man feed. His father glanced over at him and his green eyes locked with his and Ry shifted slightly.

"Right there?" Blake asked with a smile.

"Yeah," Ry replied. "What's the next lesson?"

"How to stay sober enough to understand Blake's lessons," Dracka remarked with a grin as he threw his arm around his father's shoulders and grinned over at him showing his fangs.

"Lesson two," Blake said calmly. "Dealing with a vampire after they have fed, they get a little clingy."

His father calmly elbowed Dracka in the stomach and the man pulled back as he flashed his fangs at Blake. Ry pulled back slightly at the red glaze to the vampire's eyes. His father growled back slightly and Dracka grinned at him. A silent conversation seeming to pass between them.

"That's easy," Dracka replied mildly. "Just move your head to the side and expose your neck, I'll take care of the rest."

Ry paled at the vampire's words and he was in no doubt about what Dracka was in that moment, as his father barked a laugh. The vampire was no longer the teacher that had taught him, he was a dark creature and as the man's dark eyes locked onto him with amusement. Ry knew this night was going to change a lot of the things he had thought before.

"Come on," Blake said and clapped a hand to Ry's shoulder. "Time to move, the Aurors are getting edgy."

Ry looked up and noticed the man that his father had been talking to before had found a friend and both were watching them with sharp eyes.

xXx

Harry took in the smells and the sights of London on a Friday night as his son walked beside him and Dracka kept pace behind them. He glanced over at the vampire and the man flashed his fangs at him. Harry gave him a wink before turning back to his son. Ry had been quiet since they had left the bar and Harry frowned at him.

"Right there?" Harry asked quietly.

"Yeah," Ry replied, but his smile didn't reach his eyes as he glanced behind them at Dracka before looking in front of him again.

Blake glanced over to Dracka and the man frowned. Harry was glad now that the vampire had decided to feed outside the bar with Ry's reaction. He stepped closer to his son and slipped his hand into his and pulled him to a stop. Ry looked down at him with a frown and Harry gave him a soft grin. He grabbed the vampire and apparated them.

Dracka grabbed his shoulder as they landed as Ry looked around the alley they were in. The soft notes of music on the air as Harry released Ry and stepped back. Dracka suddenly wrapped his arm around his shoulders and leered over at the boy. Harry glanced at Dracka but the man was focused on Ry.

"Spit it out," Dracka snapped.

"What?" Ry stuttered.

"You want to say something," Dracka said calmly. "Spit it out."

Ry looked away and Dracka growled low in his throat and Harry tensed under his arm. There was a reason that the vampire had done that as he held him with a steel grip. This was between Ry and Dracka and he didn't want him to step in.

"I just didn't really see you as a dark creature," Ry said softly and Dracka relaxed beside him.

"I've always been a vampire," Dracka replied in amusement.

"I know that!" Ry snapped, his eyes flashing briefly. "It just didn't connect…"

"That he would have to feed?" Harry asked softly. "That he would use dark magic to do it?"

"Yes," Ry replied.

"He doesn't have to use magic at all," Harry replied and Dracka's arm tightened around him.

"What?" Ry questioned.

"He used magic tonight," Harry replied and slipped out of Dracka's arm to stand in front of Ry. "Because I asked him to. I'm sure that man would have left with him regardless, if he'd used magic or not. It just would have been a matter of time or if that one didn't go. Someone else would have."

Harry glanced over to Dracka to see the man's expression was closed as he looked at the two Potters.

"You have powerful light magic, Ry." Harry said softly. "Dark and light magic can clash. Dracka has pure dark magic. Only dark magic, he is not a wizard."

Ry's eyes grew large at that.

"But he uses a wand," Ry stuttered.

"He is allowed to use a wand," Harry pointed out with a smirk. "Doesn't mean he needs it."

Ry's eyes flicked between the two men.

"Some spells need a wand," Harry said softly. "Some do not."

Dracka moved closer to him until they stood shoulder to shoulder.

"You never use your magic against a friend or family," Dracka said softly.

Harry felt a stone of coldness in his stomach at the vampire's words. Ry looked between them and Harry could tell the boy was thinking the same thing. He hadn't told the vampire what he had done in the training session, earlier in the day.

"Come on," Harry said. "Lesson in light magic now."

Harry looked at his watch and cursed, he quickly moved out of the alley and towards a bar a couple of doors down.

"You're late," The man on the door drawled as he looked him over.

"Sorry, Steve." Harry replied with a grin. "I was held up."

The heavy-set man looked Dracka and Ry over with hard brown eyes.

"My son, Ry." Harry said with a smile. "And a friend. Could you look after them for me?"

"I'll call up David to look after them," Steve said smoothly. "Brian is panicking out the back, get back there."

"Right on it," Harry replied with a grin as he left the other two and weaved through the crowd to the back of the bar.

"Blake!"

Harry turned to a thin man with dark hair and a very relieved look on his face.

"Sorry I'm late," Harry said quickly.

"Just get on the stage," Brian said quickly and gave Harry a push in that direction. "It's a rough group tonight. The last guy on the stage is still shaking and it's not like the beer bottle hit him or anything."

"I'll take care of it," Harry told him with a grin and the other man relaxed slightly. "My son and friend are out there, David was showing them in. Can you send a few drinks their way?"

"Sure," Brian replied as he walked off.

Harry moved through the crowd and up onto the stage to scattered applause. He quickly introduced himself as the noise increased around him, which quickly subsided as he started to sing. It took his second song, to get the crowd going so the bloke before him must have sucked big time as Harry glanced around. With the spotlight on him, he couldn't pick out faces but it didn't matter as he focused on the atmosphere.

Once he had the crowd hooked, he taped into his light magic as he sung and let it drift out onto the air, stroking the emotions around him. It wasn't much of a spell more a feeling of a good time and enjoyment that he weaved through the people in front of him. He just let it settled around the room as the music rolled over them and he moved through the songs he'd given to Brian.

He normally didn't use his magic this way, since he didn't need to, but this was a good lesson for Ry on how light magic could be used. He moved through the songs as he let his light magic encase the room and float through everyone gathered until people were yelling out requests and clapping loudly between songs. He eased up on the magic and cut it off when his full hour had come and gone.

"Okay," Harry called out with a grin. "That's me. I need a drink and a smoke."

Loud clapping greeted him as he moved off the stage and Brian gave him a big grin and a clap on the shoulder as the next act moved out onto the stage. Blakes's eyes were briefly distracted by the little amount of clothing she was wearing before looking back at Brian.

"Well done, Blake." Brian said with a laugh. "Wasn't sure you could get them back after the last bloke."

"No problems," Harry replied as Brian handed him an envelope.

"How old is your son?" Brian asked as they moved out to the main pub.

"Eighteen," Harry replied.

"Any time you want to come back, give me a call." Brian replied with a grin and pointed out Ry and Dracka. "See ya."

Brian wandered off as Harry weaved through the crowd.

"Hey mate," A drunk bloke called as he stepped into Harry's path. "I'll be happy to buy you that drink."

The bloke looked him over with a leer and Harry was sure that a drink wasn't the only thing the man was offering.

"Sorry," Harry replied with a smile. "I have friends I need to catch up with."

Harry went to move passed him, when the bloke grabbed his arm and pulled him up short.

"Just one drink?" The man purred with a slight slur to his voice.

"Sorry, mate." Dracka said softly as he wrapped his arm around Harry's waist and pulled him close. "This one is mine."

The drunk bloke looked between them as Dracka gave the man a slight grin and a touch of dark magic and the man quickly let go of Harry's arm.

"Didn't know," The man said quickly and disappeared.

Harry turned to Dracka in amusement.

"My white knight," Harry swooned and Dracka pulled him close as they moved back to Ry.

The boy was looking them over as they made their way towards him and Harry could see a few more looks cast in their direction. He could also start to feel the edge in the room. This was not the kind of place for them to be broadcasting their preference.

"We should get out of here," Harry hissed in Dracka's ear. "Go get Ry, I'll wait outside. I don't like the feel of the place."

Dracka quickly moved away from him as Harry's eyes darted around, keeping an eye out as Dracka managed to get to Ry. Harry moved through the crowd as he made his way to the exit. Harry liked the place for the edgy nature but tonight was different, the feeling that had been in the place when they arrived was coming back even if the woman on stage was holding the crowd by her singing and what little she was wearing. Harry didn't much like the looks he was getting from a few of the men around the room.

Harry made it out of the bar and his eyes darted around as he waited for Dracka and Ry.

"Oi!"

Harry groaned before turning to the drunk that had grabbed him before, coming towards him with two other friends. Steve watched them from the door as they moved towards Harry and he was reminded of his cousin as they came closer. The Bouncer knew he could look after himself.

"Where's your boyfriend?" The lean bloke sneered.

Harry bit his tongue to stop himself from saying what he really wanted to.

"I don't see him now," The bloke said as he ran a hand through his spiky hair.

"Hey, mate." Harry said. "I just want to have a smoke in peace."

Harry could hear shouting from inside the bar and Steve glancing back through the doors.

"Looks like my mates found your boyfriend," The guy sneered as his two friends snickered.

"Look mate," Harry said as he held his hands out to his sides. "I don't want any trouble."

"No one turns me down," The man hissed.

"I'm sure one of your mates can service you for whatever you want," Harry sneered. "They look very capable of giving you a blow and go."

The man's face turned red in rage as he lunged towards Harry and he skipped to the side and the man went sprawling. His other two friends looked between each other.

"Oi!" Steve yelled out. "Blake are you going to help your friend?"

"Bit busy Steve," Harry yelled back as the drunk man jumped to his feet, his face red.

Harry skipped to the side again as the man rushed him but the other man swung around quickly. Harry blocked him as he threw a punch and pushed the man's fist to the side. He landed a punch to the man's stomach and the man crashed to his knees.

"Don't bother Blake," Steve shouted over to him. "He has it under control."

"Great to hear," Harry called back as one of the man's friends moved forward with more skills than the man he'd been dealing with.

Harry smashed his fist into the man's head as he skipped to the side and the man growled as he threw another punch and Harry blocked as he moved in close and brought an elbow up into the man's chin. Laying him out cold as the last man looked between his friends and held up his hands.

"All good, mate." The man said as he backed up.

Dracka and Ry tumbled out of the bar with two other blokes and two security blokes behind them. Harry looked them over as Dracka leered showing fangs and Ry just looked around with wide eyes. Harry gave him an amused smirk, the boy's first bar fight. He didn't know if he should feel proud or appalled and he could almost hear Minerva's huff of disapproval in his head.

"Police have been called," Steve called out. "Bugger off, you lot!"

The two blokes moved towards their friends as Harry fell into step with Dracka and Ry and flicked his stinging fist. Dracka barked a laugh and grabbed Ry in a side hug as the boy looked between them with large eyes.

"Are nights out with you two always like this?" Ry asked a slight slur to his words.

"That was just a bit of light entertainment," Dracka leered.

Harry barked a laugh.

"Did you at least get a lesson on light magic?" Harry asked as they moved down the street.

Dracka and Ry getting a few looks as Dracka pulled the boy close with the arm over his shoulders. The two men were of a similar height and Harry gave them a grin before looking at his bruised and slightly bloody knuckles. Dracka glanced over when he smelt the blood.

"I hope you got them a good one," Dracka said.

"Dracka gave them some good ones," Ry said with a grin. "They didn't see him coming."

"Steve thought you needed saving," Harry replied.

Dracka gave him a leer as they moved into the alley and Harry looked at his watch.

"Early night?" Harry asked. "Or next bar?"

Dracka grabbed his arm and apparated them this time in answer.

xXx

Severus started awake when he felt Blake sit on the bed. He glanced over at the man and the bedside table. Two in the morning, early for the other man to be back. He reached out and laid his hand on the other man's bare back and Blake glanced at him. He flopped back on the bed to rest his head on his stomach as Severus ran his hand over the man's short hair.

"How'd you go?" Severus asked as he looked the other man over.

"Don't think Ry will look at us the same," Blake replied with a chuckle.

"You didn't get arrested at least," Severus replied.

"They were called," Blake said mildly. "But we got out of there before they turned up."

"Oh, god." Severus moaned, he was well aware of the trouble they could get into. "Did you at least teach the boy something and I don't mean how to evade the muggle police or the Aurors."

Blake chuckled as Severus continued to run his hand through his hair as Blake laid his hand on his leg covered by the blanket. The other man didn't seem to feel the cold as he laid out naked on the bed with his legs hanging over the side. Blake turned his head to look up at him and gave him a smile that went straight through Severus.

"I think so," Blake replied. "It's hard to teach the subtler ways of using dark and light magic. Dracka enjoyed himself."

"The vampire always does," Severus drawled. "Until he is hungover with Minerva humming at him and being a mother cat."

"Or you are dropping a book next to his head?" Blake retorted with a smirk.

Severus huffed a laugh as Blake rolled onto his stomach and sprawled out next to him. Blake wiggled up until he could cup his face before giving him a soft kiss. Severus could taste the alcohol as he deepened the kiss and grabbed the back of the man's head gently. When Blake pulled back he pushed and wiggled around until he was settled under the blanket, much to Severus's amusement.

"Right there?" Severus asked once the man was curled up along his side.

Blake moved until he was settled between his legs and looked down at him with shining green eyes before dipping forward and taking him in a deep kiss as he ran one of his hands down Severus's body.

"Yes," Blake purred.

"How much have you had to drink?" Severus asked as he took in the sight of his lover.

Blake may go out and play with the vampire but Severus knew that the man would always come back to his bed. Trust was something that they needed in their relationship and Blake's job. Severus's hands came up to grab the man's hips and pull him closer.

"Enough," Blake replied.

xXx

Missing scene.

xXx

Severus cast the cleaning charm as Blake collapsed on his chest and moved his legs to sit on either side of one of his as he ran a hand down the man's side. Severus could see the magic on the man's skin as he ran his hand through it, mists twirling around his fingers as Blake moved slightly to rest more against his side.

Blake gave his shoulder a kiss before settling in beside him and closing his eyes.

"No lesson for me?" Severus asked in amusement.

"Nope," Blake replied sleepily. "Used up all my lessons today."

Severus just snorted as he cast the cleaning charm before pulling the blanket up around them and they were both asleep quickly tangled around each other.

xXx

Severus looked up from his paper when Ry entered Blake's room the next morning, the boy looked rough and only half awake as he moved in and Severus smirked at the wild mess of his hair.

"Food is on the table," Severus drawled and Ry moved that way with a wave of his hand in thanks.

Severus went back to his coffee and paper as Ry had his breakfast.

"Where's Dad?" Ry asked.

"Gringotts," Severus replied. "I didn't ask any more than that."

Ry moved over to the lounge in front of Severus with a bowl of cereal. Severus could feel eyes on him and he flicked the paper down to look at Ry and he looked away.

"What is it, Potter?" Severus asked silkily.

"Um," Ry replied and looked down at his cereal. "Can I ask you something personal?"

"If it's about anti-pregnancy charms," Severus drawled. "I'm sure I can find you a book."

Ry blushed a deep red and Severus smirked.

"Dad and Dracka," Ry blurted out.

"Yes?" Severus purred as he folded the paper over and placed it to the side.

"Well," Ry stuttered. "You and Dad are together and yet Dracka and Dad are close and last night…"

Ry just trailed off with a wave of his hand.

"Are you asking if Blake and Dracka are having sex, Ry?" Severus asked with a smirk.

"Ah," Ry muttered, blushing even deeper.

"Ry," Severus said softly and sat forward in his chair and looked at the boy. "Your father has a job that takes him away for days and weeks at a time."

"Yes," Ry agreed.

"I trust your father, Ry." Severus said, his face serious. "And he trusts me."

"But Dracka."

"Is a vampire," Severus said with a smirk. "And has walked away from Blake with bruises after he steps over that line."

Ry looked him over and Severus could see the wheels turning in his head and he sighed.

"Seeing him in a different light?" Severus asked.

"Yes," Ry replied.

"And Dracka?" Severus said silkily and Ry blush was so red that it rivalled Weasley's hair.

Severus smirked and wondered what they had gotten up to last night for that reaction.

"He's not like that around here," Ry muttered and Severus snorted.

"Not like that around students," Severus amended.

"Is he like that with you?" Ry asked in interest.

"The same as he is with Blake?" Severus asked and Ry nodded. "Not as much but Blake understands his nature and he gets away with more. I must admit that the two of them are scary together and I don't put much time into thinking about."

Ry snorted a laugh and Severus gave him a smile, they both looked over when Blake moved through the door and headed straight for the pot of coffee and the other two men shared a look.

"Have fun?" Ry asked in amusement and his father waved his hand.

"Do not deal with goblins before breakfast and coffee," Blake replied as he filled up a plate from the food on the table and moved over to the lounge that Ry was on with a slight limp.

Blake placed his plate down with the coffee before reaching into his pocket and Severus held his hand out for him to drop a silk bag onto his palm and Ry looked at it in interest.

"I dropped your order off," Blake remarked. "He said that two items were out of stock and will be coming in on Wednesday so he will send the order then or to contact him if you want it sent earlier without the two ingredients, that I can't remember the name of. God that man can talk, I thought I was going to curse him just to shut him up."

Blake then pulled out a thick book that fit in his hand and tapped it and it expanded to its full size and handed it over at Ry. He looked down at the cover with a frown.

"Pick one and we'll work on it," Blake said.

"What about the mouse?" Ry asked and Severus frowned.

"Would you like to explain for the rest of the class?" Severus drawled.

Blake and Ry looked at him and he held back the shiver as he held his hand out for the book. Ry passed it over with a smile.

"Casting light creatures," Blake explained.

Blake pulled his wand and mists rolled out of the end of it, before a form started to appear and roll into the shape of a small kitten. Red, black and white mixed together in patches until the small cat looked around it with green eyes and a meow. Severus reached out a hand and snagged the cat up in interest. The fur felt real under his hand and the kitten tried to bite his fingers and Ry snorted.

"What is it about you making animals that like fingers?" Ry asked his father in amusement and Blake just grinned.

Severus gave the cat a stoke before placing it back onto the table and it went wandering off down the length of it. They all looked over as Dracka entered the room and gave them a smirk as he moved towards the table with the food.

"What's that doing here?" Dracka asked as he looked at the kitten. "It's only got one tail."

Blake snorted.

"You know what it is," Blake replied. "Lesson three…are we up to lesson three? Anyway, light and dark creatures can pick up on light and dark magic better than wizards can."

The kitten jumped from the table to the floor and Blake cast a small ball of light and had it running after it and Ry shared a look with Severus. His father could be such a child sometimes as Dracka looked at the kitten in disdain.

xXx

"You're using too much light magic," Harry called out.

He was sprawled out on his back on the stone floor of an unused classroom while Ry practised. He had his eyes closed and his mind open to the magic as he 'watched' what Ry was doing. He didn't need to see what form the magic was taking just how much Ry was putting into the spell.

"You just use a small amount to cast the spell then add in more once the spell is formed until you craft the animal and its form goes solid," Harry explained as Ry stopped the spell and started again. "Just a small thread, that's right. Now think of the animal you want. No, don't add more magic yet."

There was a flare then a whoop and Harry tilted his head back to look at his son.

"Got away from you?" Harry asked as Ry flicked his hand.

"It just keeps slipping," Ry grumbled and Harry could see the frustration.

He rolled onto his stomach and pulled his cherry wand and gave it a flick as he focused his mind and a small mouse appeared. He sent it over towards Ry and his son looked down at it.

"Try to add to the spell," Harry said as his laid his head on his crossed arms. "That is a conjured mouse, try to add a small thread of light magic to give it a bit of life. Our magic is still close enough that you should be able to work with it."

Ry crouched down and looked the mouse over before pointing his wand at it and slowly pulled on his light magic. There was no spell for what Ry was doing as Harry watched him with interest. They both had the same wizard magic and light magic, it was the dark magic that separated them and Harry was drawn to looking at the magic that Ry was using and the way it called to him slightly.

Suddenly the magic flared out and Ry squeaked as he was knocked off his feet as Harry barked a laugh, safe on the floor. The mouse grew to the size of a large dog and squeaked loudly as it ran off across the room.

"Too much?" Ry asked from his place on his bum and Harry chuckled.

"Too much," Harry repeated in amusement as the large mouse tried to hide behind some tables. "Maybe I should teach you to look into the magic first."

Ry crossed his legs as he sat on the floor and looked over at his father and Harry moved to mirror him.

"I have a feeling that I'll find myself on my bum a few more times," Ry said with a crooked smile.

"You could cast a cushioning charm," Harry pointed out.

Both Potters looked over when the large mouse suddenly popped and light mists spun away across the floor and they shared a look of amusement.

"It's like with first years," Harry said. "They have to yell the spell, thinking that makes the difference."

Ry snorted as the mists rolled towards them and he held out his hand. Harry gave him a grin as the light magic rolled over them as it slowly absorbed into the stones.

"I'm guessing this will take time," Ry said as he leaned back on his hands.

"Yep," Harry replied with a rough grin and Ry returned it.

"Do you have trouble using light magic?" Ry asked.

"When I was younger, yes." Harry replied. "It does still slip from me, I don't use it in complex magic for that reason."

"But not dark magic?"

"It likes me," Harry replied with a grin and yet the thought of that wrongness he could still faintly feel came to his mind. "I find it easier to work with, I understand it better. Fits better with my personality I suppose."

Ry snorted then looked around, Harry gave him a grin then held out his hand and called his light magic into a ball and condensed it. When Ry was turned away and flicked it at his son.

"Oi!" Ry squeaked as it splattered on his shoulder with a jolt.

Harry called another ball to his hand and flicked it at Ry and the boy brought up a shield but the ball just zipped around it to splash against his back and Harry barked a laugh. He rolled to his feet as Ry focused and had his own ball of magic and flicked at him, then it was on.

xXx

Headmaster Albus Dumbledore of Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry was enjoying the quiet Sunday night as he made his way down to dinner, he had decided to take the long way down tonight as he smiled at the children milling around, talking and laughing. It wasn't until he came to the second floor and heard yelling that he sighed. He moved in that direction as he came across more students as they whispered and moved further down the hallway.

Albus went with the flow until he came to an unused classroom with the door open, he frowned at the students gathered around then he heard Blake's voice and he sighed. The man was up to something. At least he wouldn't be breaking up a fight between students.

"Out of the way!" Severus barked and the students scattered and Albus looked over at the man in amusement.

Severus came closer then stopped before turning on his heel.

"Professor Snape," Albus called and Severus turned back with a raised eyebrow and his arms crossed over his chest.

"If that has something to do with Potter and Sun," Severus drawled. "I'm not dealing with it, send the vampire in."

Severus turned on his heels to the sniggers of a few students around them as the students moved back towards the open doorway of the classroom. Albus heard a loud squeak and a splash and he found himself moving towards the doorway in interest as students giggled.

"Oi!" Ry yelped as he ducked his father's ball of magic then skipped back as the large dog almost took him out and his father laughed.

Ry flicked his wand and sent a beach ball of magic towards Blake and he skipped back then tripped on a box and when sprawling then quickly rolled out of the way of the dog that insisted on running around in circles, no matter what the two wizards tried to do to stop it.

"Gentlemen."

Blake and Ry looked over to the doorway to see Albus standing there surrounded by students. Suddenly Blake felt something hairy crawling up his arm and he jumped a mile in the air with a yelp as Ry barked a laugh as he tried to get the large spider off him. The thing was bigger than his hand and kept jumping every time he went to grab it.

"You look like Ron!" Ry laughed then jumped out of the way of the large dog as it tried to barrel into his side.

"Gentlemen!"

Blake finally managed to flick the spider off, just for the dog to cannonball into his side and he went sprawling with the dog sitting on him. He looked over to Albus as the giant dog sat on his chest.

"Hey, Headmaster." Blake called with a grin then squeaked as the dog licked him and he tried to push it off without luck.

Albus looked over the mess of the classroom, one of his teachers sprawled out on his back with a giant dog the size of a Great Dane on his chest licking him as he tried to get it off and one of his former students with his hands on his knees laughing as a snake that he hadn't noticed wrapped around his left leg and the thought that Severus had been the smart one to walk away entered his mind, just as Ry yelled out when he noticed the snake. He tried to jump back and went sprawling himself to the laughter of the students around him.

Albus looked around and did the smartest thing he could and walked away as the students filled the doorway to the room. Life at the school was never boring with Blake Sun around.

xXx

A/N: A soft chapter before everything falls apart. Hope you enjoy. I've almost finished writing this story so just a matter of proof reading and posting now.


	41. Chapter 41

"We have a problem."

Harry looked up from his paperwork to see Dracka in the doorway of his office.

"Come in, Mr Dracka." Harry purred and pointed to the chair across from him with his pen. "Take a seat."

Dracka grinned as he came in and took a seat.

"How can I help you?" Harry asked.

"Cutting the teacher crap might help." Dracka muttered darkly.

Harry grinned and sat back in his seat.

"It's the office," Harry said with a wink. "What problem can I solve for you today?"

"Your message stones have stopped working with my spies in Germany," Dracka told him.

"Only Germany?" Harry asked with a frown.

"Yes," Dracka confirmed. "As soon as they cross the border the stones stop working so reports out of there have stopped as well."

"Do you have a stone with you?"

"Yes," Dracka answered and placed the stone on the table.

"Give me a moment," Harry said.

Dracka sat back in the seat as Harry picked up the stone and closed his eyes. He focused on the magic he'd placed into the stone looking at the strands leading away from the item and very slowly picked up each one and looked at it and the stone it led to. Spider webs of links reached out from each of the stones as it linked in with every other stone. The spell that he'd cast on the stones was similar to the one that he'd used to connect the mobile phones he'd adapted.

"Give me a name of a contact in Germany and touch the stone?" Harry requested, not opening his eyes.

"Del Gerta." Dracka replied, touching the stone in Harry's hand.

Harry frowned as he looked at the link. There was nothing wrong with it but there seemed to be a barrier stopping the magic of the stones getting through. He flicked the link and watched it ping out but it came back sounding wrong as it touched on something foreign.

"Another name?"

"Dolca Milter."

Harry watched as another link lit up with the same result.

"Okay," Harry replied. "I'm going to follow the link further, just give me a few minutes. Don't move or make any noise."

Harry focused on the last link and picked up the strand and the connection flared as he held it and he slowly cast his mind out, following the magic. He was glad Dracka didn't make a sound because it took all his concentration to hold onto the link. He slowed when he was close to the block and looked it over.

He would liken it to a protection ward but it seemed to be linked into the border spell around Germany. Whoever set this up was an expert in wards and charms. It took great skill to change or add to a border spell, he would have to contact Conner to see if anything had been added with the permission of the German Ministry recently. They would not be getting any reports from anyone in that country unless Harry went there and changed the ward or tried to fix the link from the other side.

He pulled back and looked up at the vampire.

"It's creepy when you do that," Dracka muttered and stepped back.

"Is that so?" Harry asked with a smile and passed the stone back.

"Yes," Dracka replied, taking his seat again. "You go all still and your fingers seem to move like you are holding something."

"I am," Harry said. "I'm holding the links and connections. So, we won't be getting anything off the stones. There is a ward worked into the border spell so that anyone that steps over the border can't use them. Neat bit of spell work, really."

"Can you fix it?" Dracka asked.

"No," Harry said. "Not without going there and changing the spell or looking at the link from the other side."

"So, they have to pass over the border to get their reports to us?" Dracka questioned.

"There is another way," Harry said with a grin, sitting back in his seat.

"No." Dracka snapped, understanding where Harry's mind was going.

"If you want those reports and to try to open the stones-" Harry started to say.

"It's not safe, Blake."

"Why?" Harry questioned quietly. "I know the language and have the skills to disappear in the country."

"You are known at the Ministry," Dracka argued.

"True," Harry confirmed. "But I'm not going to the Ministry. You can give me a list of your contacts and how to get hold of them and I can pick up their reports, easy. I can look at the message stones from that side to see if I can open them back up."

"Things are never that easy with you, Blake."

"They are our options," Harry said calmly with a grin. "Risk your men having to step over the border spell or I go there."

"We'll give it time," Dracka replied. "I'll try to get someone in place to gather the reports and step back over the border to send them."

"Simpson would have been behind this, Dracka." Harry said mildly. "He will be ready for your men."

"Or you," Dracka growled.

Harry just raised an eyebrow but both men knew what the answer would be in the end, it was just down to time and how to break the news to Severus.

xXx

"We lost another one." Dracka announced to Severus and Blake two weeks later as he came into Blake's rooms.

He was so frustrated and angry and knew that Blake was right and that annoyed him even more. The man in question looked up from the files on table and sat back in his chair as Severus looked over from the lounge.

"Another one?" Severus questioned.

"We lost contact with the men in Germany about two weeks ago," Blake explained to the other man. "The message stones stopped working and they can't send any reports out of the country."

"Why are you just telling me this now?" Severus said darkly, moving towards the table.

"Dracka thought he could solve the problem," Blake replied and looked over at the vampire.

Dracka flashed his fangs, as the demon made itself known, Blake raised an eyebrow unimpressed by the display.

"Blake thinks the only way to solve the problem is to go there himself," Dracka snarled and felt smug as Severus turned his glare on Blake.

"No," Severus snapped.

"That's what he said," Blake stated, pointing at Dracka. "How many have we lost?"

"Four!" Dracka snapped and threw himself into one of the chairs. "They are killed before they get to the border or just over the border."

"If I can get the reports and reopen the border-" Blake started to say.

"No," Severus retorted with more heat this time.

"This is important Severus," Blake snapped turning on the man, his own anger coming through. "These reports are important. We can't keep losing men or the whole network could be found out! Or they break into the stones that I charmed and trace them!"

Severus paled and Dracka couldn't agree more as he pushed the demon aside. Putting his own feelings for Blake on hold as he looked at this from the point of view of his network and command and not the man in front of him. Blake made sense and that just pissed him off even more and made the demon snarl in the back of his mind.

"We can't lose you, Blake!" Dracka snarled as he stood.

Blake slowly got to his feet and spaced his feet on the floor, a soldier's stance.

"This is important," Blake said softly. "If we don't know what Simpson's movements are, we can't work against him. Every time another one of your men are killed it exposes your network."

"And if you are killed!" Dracka yelled. "Or worse captured and tortured!"

Blake paled but did not back down as Severus stood back in shock at the vampire's show of temper and words.

"I can't be killed and you have no faith in my skills," Blake said calmly as he held his own temper. "I know nothing of your network and I will add in a spell to the list that will allow one contact to be revealed at a time and only to me. I will not hold the reports. I will not have any information on me they can take!"

Dracka stalked forward until Blake had to tilt his head back to look up at him.

"Is this worth your life!" Dracka hissed. "Is it worth your sanity!"

"Yes," Blake said calmly.

Dracka could feel the demon in him yelling in his head as he glared down at the man but those green eyes were steady and hard. He was looking at a commander and not his friend at that moment.

"We could try a different way," Dracka tried.

"When we already have a solution?" Blake asked calmly.

Dracka growled and he could see Blake bracing himself. It would take nothing to reach forward, grab the man and shake sense into him.

"Have faith in my skills," Blake stated softly. "I know the country very well."

"As you keep telling me!" Dracka snarled.

Blake's lips curved up into a grin. Dracka grabbed his shirt in his hands and pulled the smaller man closer, baring his fangs. Blake braced his feet and Dracka knew if he pushed any further it was not going to end well.

"It seems we value your life more than you do!" Dracka hissed.

Blake's face and eyes went blank and Dracka knew that he'd hit his mark but he felt no satisfaction from it.

"If you go," Dracka said softly. "You may not come back!"

"I will come back." Blake said, no feeling in his voice.

"We could not live with ourselves if you don't come back, the same way as you left!" Dracka snapped.

"An annoying idiot?" Blake said calmly.

"Bah!" Dracka yelled and released the man and stepped back before he did something he would regret.

"You think I have no value of my life?" Blake asked, his face blank. "I have faith in my skills and I have faith in you two!"

Suddenly and without warning Dracka found himself up against the wall with Blake's forearm against his throat, his magic crackling along his skin, and a silver knife close to his ribs. He tried to push forward but Blake just pushed his arm up against his neck and he stilled as he could feel that silver blade close to his skin. His shirt the only thing separating the knife from burning him.

"I trust you and Severus to have my back," Blake hissed, his eyes shining green. "That if I am in danger, that you two will follow my orders."

Dracka's mouth went dry and as he looked into the man's green eyes, remembering once again how dangerous this man could be as he tasted his magic on the air and in some way, he needed the reminder.

"Blake." Severus whispered.

Blake eased back on his hold and stepped back as the silver knife disappeared from his hand. Dracka glanced over to Severus. The man was pale as he stared at the two of them.

"We have your back," Severus said, answering for the both of them.

"Thank you," Blake said, without taking his eyes off Dracka.

Dracka stared the man down for a few minutes, the ticking of the clock the only sound in the room. He tilted his head to the side slightly, to the screaming of his demon before nodding his head.

"Thank you." Blake repeated, then turned on his heel and limped out of his rooms.

Dracka leaned back against the wall behind him, thoughts running through his head. His eyes locked onto Severus's dark ones.

"That was…" The man trailed off.

Dracka snorted and pushed off from the wall.

"I forget sometimes how much of a warrior he is," Dracka admitted. "And how bloody fast he can move when he wants to."

"You're not the only one," Severus said in agreement as he sat back down at the table.

"Biggest problem is he knows how to deal with vampires," Dracka grudgingly admitted. "He could easily stand in a Coven and be respected. Damn the man!"

"He's going to go, isn't he?" Severus asked softly.

"Yes," Dracka agreed. "And we are going to give him as much support that we can."

Severus sighed and rubbed a hand over his face.

"I don't like this plan," Severus whispered.

"I hate to admit it," Dracka said softly. "But he's right."

"I know," Severus agreed. "Doesn't mean that I have to like it."

Both men shared a look over the table, a message passing between them without words. Thoughts of the same man running through their minds.

xXx

Harry leaned into his cane as he stood in the tower that Albus would have fallen from and looked out at the darkness of the clear night. The light of the moon shining down on the landscape and making the great lake look like a puddle of silver before him. His heart was still beating too fast and his hands shook slightly as the adrenaline wore off. He could understand where Dracka was coming from but it still hurt that he didn't trust him and his skills.

That was the problem with this time. They didn't know his history. They only saw an old man with a cane that sometimes acted and moved like a commander. They didn't know his training or what he could do and it frustrated him. The vampire did have a point but they couldn't keep losing men.

Harry knew he had to go. He had to collect the reports and look at the ward added to the border spell. He just hoped that Dracka and Severus would have his back. He had a lot of planning to put into place before he could go to Germany and he felt like he had a ticking clock in the back of his mind and he was already running late.

They had already been delayed while he let Dracka think through the plan and four people had lost their lives because of it. He tapped his silver knife against his leg in thought of what he would need. Running through lists and plans.

"What are you doing up here, my boy?" Albus asked softly, coming into the room.

Harry looked over at the man.

"Needed some air," Harry muttered as he turned back to the view.

"I would have thought there were too many stairs to get up here?" Albus pointed out.

"There are," Harry replied. "My leg counted ever second one."

Albus huffed a laugh and stepped up to the shorter man, both men looking out at the view as a light breeze reached them.

"Do you ever think you have lived too long?" Harry asked suddenly, unsure where the question had come from.

"Sometimes," Albus replied. "But it passes."

Harry smirked.

"It helps having younger people around," Albus said into the silence. "To remind me what it's like to see the world for the first time. To see the joy the first time a child sees a spell or the castle."

"You know," Harry said slowly, turning to the other man. "I never asked. Do you have any children?"

"No." Albus replied, and then added with a wink. "I like to think of the students as my children."

Harry barked a laugh as the twinkle in Albus's eyes increased.

"What about you, Blake?" Albus asked softly. "Besides Ry of course."

"Ah, yes." Harry replied. "I had two boys and a girl to my wife and two boys to another partner. All gone now. Lots of grandkids though."

"So, lots more Potters running around with messy hair?" Albus said with a twinkle in his eyes.

Harry laughed. "Not all of them were that unlucky."

The two men lapsed back into silence as they took in the view, each of them comforted and yet burdened by their own thoughts.

xXx

Harry rolled up a shirt tightly and pushed it to the bottom of his bag before he picked up the next one as he packed his bag. He was only taking what he needed and had already been to see the goblins to get some Euros to take with him. The bag was a plain muggle bag with no magic on it and made from a good waterproof fabric.

He had let a few of his students kick it around for a while to give it a well-worn look and to get some dirt on it so that it didn't look brand new before he started filling it. He had laid everything out on the bed first to make sure he had everything he was going to need before he started.

He could always buy anything else he wanted but wanted to keep out of any big towns and cities as he worked through Dracka's list. He had already spelled a leather pouch so he could send the reports to Dracka and it had been a pain in the ass to pierce a very small hole in the border spell for the leather bag to work without leaving too much of a signature of magic on the pouch itself. He also had an unaltered mobile phone, that he was not looking forward to using, due to lack of signal towers since he would be working off the muggle network.

Harry carefully placed a first aid kit into the bag hoping he wouldn't be needed as he placed a lightweight raincoat and pants next to it as he finished packing the rest of the bag. He pulled on an old well-worn pair of jeans and a shirt with a scruffy jacket over the top. He left his elder wand on his bedside table and slipped the cherry wand into the special pocket he had sewn into the jacket.

His silver knife went into his pocket with his mobile phone and in his other pocket went his department badge. He had hesitated about the badge but if he ran into trouble it could help with the German military and the Ministry but if he was captured it could mean his death. He placed a couple of pens and a packet of cigarettes away and he was done.

He patted himself down to make sure everything was in place and ran through the list of things in his head as he ran a hand over his hair. He hadn't shaved in the last three days as he'd gotten everything together and already his dark hair had taken over. For the first time glad for the Potter hair and how quickly it grew.

Harry glanced in the mirror and saw a slightly different man looking back at him as he moved to the bedroom door and stepped out. Severus and Dracka looked up. It had been tense between the three of them but Dracka had done everything he had asked without protest.

Harry moved into the room and stood with his backpack over his left shoulder as he leaned into his cane.

"I have a portkey waiting for me at the International Portkey Platform," Harry said softly. "Dracka you have my code words and I have your list. Severus…"

Harry trailed off as the man got up and stepped towards him. Severus took him in a hard hug and captured his lips in a kiss. Harry rested his hands on the man's back. They pulled back and Severus rested his forehead on his, his dark eyes intense.

"Stay safe," Severus whispered.

"Always," Harry replied and pulled him in for another kiss.

Harry stepped back and Dracka took him in a hug.

"You kiss me, you die." Harry growled and the vampire laughed as he released him.

Harry looked between the two men committing the image to his mind before he nodded and slipped out of the room without another word as he made his way to the front gates of the school. He apparated to the British International Portkey Platform and quickly picked up his Portkey for Germany.

xXx

Severus sat down on Blake's bed and carefully picked up the man's dark wand in his hand, he still wasn't sure why Blake had left it behind when he left for Germany over two months ago. He had taken the cherry wand but not this one, he remembered him telling them that he could call the wand to him but Severus worried about the distance that separated them at the moment.

He reached out to the ring that the man had and could only just faintly feel him and knew he wasn't in danger. It was the only comfort he'd had that the man was alive. Well that, and the reports coming in from Blake. Dracka was always quick to show him the reports as soon as they turned up and Blake's neat writing was a comfort to him. He had managed to open up some of the message stones as reports and communications with the country were starting to come back through.

But damn, did he miss the man.

It had been a long time since they had been apart for so long and the tension between them all before Blake left didn't help his mind as he sat in the room alone. He was kicking himself he hadn't said more to the man and told him that he trusted him and loved him but it was too late now.

Severus sighed and placed the wand back on the table and stripped down and slipped into the bed. He breathed in the faint scent of his lover but sleep didn't come easy for him that night.

xXx

Harry made his way through the woods silently. He had been travelling rough for the last two days after leaving Dracka's last contact. His leg was protesting but he ignored the slight pain grateful to Severus for the umpteenth time for repairing a lot of the muscle in his leg but it still gave him trouble now and again. He would have to stop in at the next town for painkillers, his own supply having run out, and there was no way he could get a hold of any potions.

He paused when he came across a small cottage along the country road he was moving beside and could feel the wards from where he stood. He moved towards the house carefully and knocked on the front door.

" _Ja_?"

A short man answered the door, keeping out of the light as he peered up at Harry with gold eyes.

"The snake in the grass," Harry said in German.

The man looked him over from his shaggy hair and rough face until he focused on his green eyes and stepped back from the door.

"Come in," The man said softly also in German.

Harry stepped into the house and the man quickly shut the door, plunging them into darkness. He could feel the man moving beside him, the darkness of his magic clear to Harry.

"Don't even think about it," Harry hissed, his silver knife in his hand and the man floated away from him and down the hall.

"Do you have the report?" Harry called after him not moving from the hall and the safety of the front door.

" _Ja, ja_." The man called from another room. "Give me a minute."

Harry tapped the knife against his leg, as he waited for the other man to return. The vampire moved back towards him silently and if it weren't for Harry's ability to sense magic he probably wouldn't have noticed him.

"Message stone please," Harry asked, holding out his hand.

The man hesitated slightly before he placed the stone in Harry's hand. Harry focused on it slightly and pushed a little hole through the barrier from stopping the messages getting through. He had worked out that he could do that from this side easily but not from outside of Germany. He passed the stone back to the vampire.

"You will be able to get messages through to outside of Germany again," Harry said stiffly. "Anything you need passed along?"

" _Nein_ ," The man replied.

"Peter Glover," Harry reported. "Needs more support on his side."

"Bah," The vampire cursed. "He is always wanting support. We can't help him. Simpson has been taking our children."

Harry stood up straighter at the information.

"Fledglings?" Harry asked.

" _Ja_ ," The man confirmed. "And some that are older. Dark power pulls dark power."

Harry shivered, he was starting to get more proof of the man becoming a strong Dark Lord and he was starting to use his power. He had yet to lay eyes on the man to confirm it in his mind, but the reports were falling that way.

" _Ja_ ," Harry agreed and took the report the man held out. "Thank you."

The vampire stepped closer and took a sniff of Harry, which he didn't take offence at. He had come to know it was a vampire thing and yet couldn't get anything out of Dracka about what it meant.

"You go now," The man announced, stepping back.

" _Ja_ ," Harry agreed and turned his back on the vampire.

His shoulder blades itching as he opened the door to blinding sunlight as he stepped out into the light and shut the door firmly behind him. The wards flaring back to life as he stepped away from the house. He turned off the country road and into the forest for a while before stopping.

He sat on a large rock and pulled a sandwich out of his bag and the leather pouch. He read through the report and quickly wrote the time, date and his location along with any information he had been told as well as anything else he needed to pass along to Dracka and the others.

'Creepy ass Vampire,' Harry wrote on the front of the file for Dracka, before placing it into the leather pouch and it disappeared.

The report would appear in a leather pouch in Dracka's office at Hogwarts so that Harry didn't have any reports on him as he worked through Dracka's contacts. He finished the sandwich and placed everything back in his backpack before pushing away from the rock and moving into the forest around him. He didn't have too many more contacts on the list to work through now.

xXx

Severus was enjoying a very nice dinner at the Head Table before Dracka came along and dropped a file next to his plate. The words 'Creepy ass vampire' in Blake's writing on the front of it.

"Referring to you?" Severus asked. "Or some other ' _Creepy ass vampire'_?"

McGonagall snorted as she leaned towards them to read the words.

"Blake?" The woman asked.

Dracka took a seat between them.

"Who else?" Dracka asked. "Not sure who he is referring to. Can't send him a message back, now can I?"

Severus nodded, it still chaffed him that he couldn't contact the man. He did have his phone but had kept it off, due to trying to keep the battery life. He would call when he could find a landline or charge his phone and get a signal but they were few and far between.

Minerva nodded with soft eyes, knowing how much the two men loved Blake. Even if the vampire was a little less obvious and was surprised by Severus's behaviour towards him. The Severus she taught had been very possessive. Lily Potter was a good example of that and yet he worked so well with Dracka with only slightly disagreements now and again.

Severus opened the file and read his lover's writing of location and time, Blake always wrote that into each report and it made Severus feel that bit better knowing his lover was making sure they knew where he was.

"This one wasn't on your list?" Severus asked, showing the vampire.

Dracka frowned and pulled out his list of contacts.

"You're right," Dracka said. "What lead him over there?"

The Headmaster arrived behind them and laid his hands on the back of Severus and Dracka's chairs, as he read through the report. Severus flicked the file closed to show Blake's writing on the front. Albus chuckled as Severus opened the file again.

"This is concerning about Simpson recruiting young vampires," Albus said softly.

"Yes," Dracka agreed. "I've already sent out messages to the Covens about keeping our children closer and to keep an eye on them. They are drawn so much easier to a Dark Lord."

"He mentions a compound," Severus said reading through the report. "No wait, he's written 'unconfirmed, will try and find out more.' He wouldn't try to get into a compound without support?"

Severus turned to Dracka.

"He can be an idiot," Dracka agreed. "But not that much of one."

Speak of the devil. Severus's phone rang.

"Snape," Severus answered.

"Hey," Blake said down the line.

"Who is the creepy ass vampire?" Severus asked with a smirk in Dracka's direction.

Blake's laughter rolled down the phone, easing the tension in his shoulders, as Dracka kicked him under the table.

"The contact," Blake said softly, there was a lot of noise in the background. " _Ein raum."_

"Where are you?" Severus asked. "I'll put you on speaker."

Albus put up a silencing charm around them and Severus placed the phone on the table.

"At a tavern," Blake replied. "Trying to get a room. It's really busy here, something about a festival or something. _Nein, ein raum_. They let me use the phone, I think I might end up in the stable at this rate."

Dracka snorted.

"Is everything quiet back there?" Blake asked.

"Nothing on this end, Blake." Albus said.

"Your advanced students are missing you, Mr Sun." Minerva mentioned.

"They aren't the only ones," Severus muttered.

"Happy to know I'm missed," Blake said with a laugh. " _Nein, Wenn du nichts hast, gehe ich woanders hin-"_

The phone cracked for a second.

"Blake?" Severus asked.

"Yeah, sorry." Blake said through the phone. "Not a great connection. They don't have anything here I have to go. _Ja, ja. Ich bezahle, ja."_

Loud noises came down the phone drowning out Blake for a second.

"Blake?" Dracka asked.

" _Ja_. Sorry, yes." Blake said. "Still here, bloody noisy lot. I'll call when I can. Have to go. Bye."

The phone clicked before anyone could say anything and Severus ended the call with a sigh.

"He wasn't having any luck getting a room," Dracka explained. "I could hear the other man on the line. He was saying they were full and wasn't happy that Blake called England and wanted payment for the call."

Severus chuckled.

"The man was saying that the whole town had been booked out for months," Dracka continued. "I don't think Blake was kidding when he said he was going to end up in the stable."

Severus's heart clenched at the words.

"I think he is used to living rough," Albus replied with a sigh.

"Yes," Dracka agreed. "Soldier to the core that one."

Minerva looked at the men in interest but had seen Blake fight and knew that he had skills and the talent of a warrior, it was just odd to connect that man with the man who worked with students and walked with a cane.

"He'll be fine, Severus." Albus said softly, placing a hand on Severus's shoulder.

"Yeah," Dracka agreed. "It's just a matter of time before the government catches up with him and sends him back here with a note saying; 'No returns'."

xXx

Harry was sick of sleeping rough, the last week he'd had to stay out of towns and move deeper into the forests. When he did venture into towns they were busy for some festival. Something about beer or food, all he knew was that every motel had been full and he'd had to move back out into the camping grounds or bush camps.

He quickly set up camp in a small campground with his swag, ignoring everyone around him as he sat out the front of his tent and pulled out his mobile phone. He turned it on and sighed in relief when he picked up a signal and quickly listened to any messages he had before turning it back off again, it was running low on battery and he would have to try and find somewhere he could charge it.

"Hello."

Harry looked up to see a young man with blonde hair and blue eyes looking down at him with a slight smile.

"Hello," Harry replied in English.

"Are you here for the festival?" The man asked nervously with a British accent.

" _Nein_ ," Harry replied. "Just passing through."

"Oh," The man replied. "Are you walking?"

"Ja." Harry replied as the man's eyes flicked to the cane beside Harry. "My name is Blake Sun, take a seat."

The young man smiled and took a seat next to him on the blanket he had laid out.

"Ben Cooper," The man replied, holding out a hand.

Harry smiled and took the young man's hand.

"Do you work for the German Ministry?" Harry asked, leaning back on his hands.

The other man started then smiled.

"I'm on loan from the British Ministry," The man replied with an easy grin on his face. "You?"

"Department of Mysteries," Harry replied.

Harry looked the young man over, remembering a similar man from his time with an easy smile and such joy with the world around him. The young man in front of him gave him a smile and the two sat for a while as the man spoke about his work as Harry just listened.

xXx

Dracka frowned when a file appeared in the pouch in front of him. It had been over a week since anyone had heard from Blake and Severus was a pain in the ass to work with at the moment. He opened the pouch and pulled out a couple of pieces of paper.

Blake's neat writing was at the top with time, date and location but then the rest of the report was in another person's hand and was about the German ministry. He grew concerned as he read through the report than his heart froze as he read in Blake's hand at the bottom. 'Dark power, pulls dark power.'

He bolted from his office and headed straight to Severus's classroom. He banged straight in, interrupting the man's class.

"Severus!" Dracka hissed, holding up the papers.

"Class dismissed," Severus called. "Everyone out, now!"

The students packed up and were out the door quickly. Dracka moved forward and gave Severus the papers, he could see the other man paling when he got to the end.

"This is dated today," Severus noted.

"Yes," Dracka replied. "He would have gone to ground by now. Something has gone wrong."

Just at that moment Severus's phone rang.

"Snape."

"Severus there is a young man here in my office asking for you and Mr Dracka," The Headmaster reported, but Severus could hear the strain in the man's voice. "He used Blake's portkey."

"We'll be right up," Severus said, looking even paler.

Dracka didn't feel much better after hearing the Headmaster words. The two men made good time getting up to the Headmaster's office using as many secret pathways they knew.

"Golden snaps," Dracka called out to the griffin as they got there and they took the stairs two at a time.

A young man sat in the chair in front of the Headmaster looking around nervously. He shot to his feet when Dracka and Severus entered, his eyes widening when he looked at Dracka and the vampire knew that the other man was well aware of what he was, which put him on edge.

"Gentlemen," Albus said calmly. "This is Ben Cooper. Mr Cooper this is Severus Snape and Rolf Dracka."

"Um," The man said and held out a piece of paper. "I am to give this to Mr Snape."

Severus reached forward and took the paper.

' _Trust this man, Blake.'_ Severus read then passed the paper to Dracka.

"And this," Cooper said holding out a small bag to Severus.

Severus took the bag and opened it feeling faint. Blake's cherry wood wand stood out on the top as Severus moved toward the Headmaster's table, his eye catching on the glass mouse, as Cooper stood nervously.

"Take a seat, Mr Cooper." Albus said gently to the young man.

Severus upended the bag on the table and Dracka swore. Along with Blake's cherry wand there was a badge, silver knife and a phone. Severus picked up the phone and passed it to Dracka. The vampire placed the papers in his hand as well as the note on the table for Albus as he took the phone and turned it on. Albus picked up the papers to read through them.

"There is a password lock on the phone," Dracka said. "And it's not the one he normally uses."

"Oh sorry," Copper piped up. "He wrote the code on the note."

"There is nothing on here, my boy." Albus said, holding out the paper.

Cooper jumped to his feet and grabbed the paper.

"Oh, oops." Cooper said blushing slightly. "He wrote it in magic, I forget that sometimes. It's 4571."

Dracka started and stared at the young man, he looked to be just out of school and was still in that gangly teenage stage, so didn't look like much and yet Blake had just confirmed that he trusted this boy in one go.

"Wrote it in magic?" Severus said slowly.

"Yeah," Cooper said quickly. "It's an old charm trick. When you look into the magic of the paper you can see it. I forget that not everyone can do that."

The three men shared a look, thinking the same thing that this teenager had the same talent that Blake did. They were starting to think it was just a Blake thing, the way he could look into magic and sense it, and wondered if this boy could also do what Blake could with his magic.

"So, um." Cooper continued, stepping from one foot to the other. "He said that he put a timer on his phone, said to 'Hold until it went off.' Not sure what that means."

"Sit down," Severus ordered.

Cooper sat and started fiddling with his hands. Severus picked up the badge, he had never seen it before and wasn't sure if it was Blake's or not.

"What is this?" Severus asked.

"Department of Mysteries, Special Division badge." Cooper replied quickly. "It's Blake's, it's keyed to his magic."

"Who are you?" Dracka asked softly, the man flinched as he looked at the vampire.

"Um, I'm Ben Cooper." The man said in the same way that Blake said his name when asked. "I work for the Ministry of Magic in the Charms Department. I was on loan to the German Ministry. That's where I met Blake."

Severus placed Blake's things back in the bag and slipped them into his robes along with the glass mouse.

"Did you write this?" Dracka asked and held out the papers.

Cooper took them in his hand looking them over.

"Yes," Ben said. "This is my writing, but the date is wrong. How did you get these?"

"Blake sent them," Dracka replied. "What is wrong with the date?"

"Well," Cooper said. "This is today's date but I gave these to Blake two days ago."

Dracka swore as he took the papers back.

"He has two days on us and the timer is saying about twenty-four hours," Dracka announced. "That will be almost three days in total."

"Did he say anything else?" Albus asked softly.

"Well he says a lot," Cooper said.

Severus snorted but could feel his patience thinning.

"Anything for us to know?" Dracka growled.

Cooper started and looked at the vampire with wide eyes.

"Um, no." The man said nervously. "Give you the bag and note, tell you about the timer and the message. I think that's it."

"How did you meet Blake?" Severus asked.

"His magic," Cooper said. "It was very faint but it was odd so I followed it to a camp ground. He was there. It was odd though."

"How so, my boy?" Albus asked.

"I had never met him before," Cooper said slowly. "But he seemed to act like he already knew me."

The three men shared a look as the man looked at them confusion.

"His magic is really strange," Cooper continued. "Never seen anything like it before."

Dracka laid a hand on Severus's arm as the man tensed and was ready to snap at young man.

"I'll have a House Elf show you to a room, Mr Cooper." Albus said softly, knowing Severus well.

"Um, yeah." Cooper said. "Thank you."

Dracka pulled Severus to the side of the room.

"Just calm down," Dracka snapped at him. "Can you feel anything wrong through the ring?"

Severus sighed. "No, but I can only just feel him. If I was better with sensing magic maybe."

Dracka clapped a hand to the man's shoulder.

"Blake knows how to look after himself but I have to admit this doesn't look good." Dracka whispered with a sigh.

Severus leaned back against the wall behind him as Dracka watched him, seeing the tension in his shoulders and back.

"What do we do now?" Severus asked after a few minutes.

"We wait, Severus." Dracka said softly. "Blake gave us a count down for a reason. He wants us to wait."

"I can't just wait!" Severus hissed.

"I never said we were going to sit idle, Severus." Dracka said with a dark smile, showing his fangs.

xXx

Harry cursed the rain for the hundredth time as he curled up in his swag. Everything was wet, from his clothes to his sleeping bag to his shoes. He couldn't risk any magic and had such a tight hold on it at the moment, that it hurt, but he had no choice. It was bad enough that he couldn't place a protection circle or even a ward around him and had been forced to hide his swag in bushland.

He wasn't sure what had gone wrong but it all started with Ben Cooper finding him, he had thought that he had a good grip on his magic but he was wrong. He knew the boy was very sensitive to magic so at least he knew that he had been doing something right but it had been a long time since he'd had to hold his magic in as tightly as he was now.

He shivered in cold as the storm lit up the night around him, Ben Cooper should have made it to the school by now after he had sent Dracka the last report. He knew the vampire would be working already and just hoped that he would be able to hold Severus back until his time was up.

He needed to get distance between him and anyone following him. He still wasn't sure what he had done, but he had been found out. Harry thought it might have been that he spent too long with Ben or one of Dracka's men had given him up or he had just slipped. He was just happy that he spotted the man outside of Ben's apartment before he was spotter first. They were smart and had used a muggle but Harry had been fooled before and knew what to look for.

He risked a lot to get to Ben without suspicions falling on the boy or being spotted. He just hoped it was enough as he listened to the storm and shivered.

xXx

"No one knows anything," Dracka said with a sigh. "I spoke to the last person he would have seen and he knows nothing."

Dracka was frustrated and finding it hard to keep his demon under control. Severus didn't look much better across the table from him, staring into his coffee. Even the Headmaster looked a bit sick and tired. They could find no trace of Blake and he didn't know if that was a good thing or not. The only comfort they had was Severus's ring and the connection he had with Blake, telling them that the man wasn't in danger and was alive.

"We have six hours on his count down," Dracka continued. "Severus and I are going over to Germany soon to be in place. I have men waiting for us and have sent men to his last location on his report but he has more than two days on us."

"Do you need the Order's support?" Albus asked softly as Severus just looked into his coffee.

"We should be good," Dracka replied. "We are restricted in our movements. I can only guess that he will be heading towards the French border."

"Why do you say that?" Albus asked.

"He will find support there," Dracka said. "He has lots of contacts there to help him. We can only hope that Simpson doesn't know that."

"Or he will have men at the border to stop him," Severus said softly.

"Yes," Dracka replied. "Or he will head to Belgium then into France. My coven is near the border of France and Belgium so he will get support there as well."

"Did Ben Cooper have anything else to say?" Severus asked Albus.

"No," The Headmaster answered. "He said that Blake stayed with him for three days then came in and said he had to get out and that his life was in danger."

Severus's hand clenched around his cup and Dracka was concerned that he was going to break it.

"He did say that he couldn't feel or sense Blake's magic when he came in before he gave him the bag and directed him how to get here," Albus said softly.

Dracka shivered at the thought. Yes, the man didn't give off much of a sense of magic but you could still find it if you went looking for it.

"Something must have tipped him off," Severus muttered. "We are hoping that once we get to Germany, we'll be able to track him by his ring."

"Do you know why Blake gave us a count down?" Albus questioned.

"No," Dracka said. "No idea at all. I've tried to keep my men back until the time is up but I already had some men close so…"

Dracka smirked but he couldn't stop the worry that Blake had already been tracked and captured. The image of the scars on the man's back and arms came to his mind and a shiver ran down his spine at the thought.

"He timed the countdown to after the sun set," Severus muttered suddenly. "Do you have the communication bag?"

Dracka pulled the leather pouch from his pocket and held it up.

"I've set up an alarm on it," Dracka said. "Just in case."

xXx

Harry shivered as he waited, watching his watch as the rain fell around him and the sky darkened. He could feel people with magic moving in the distance as he waited. He already had a note written and ready to go but he needed to lose the men hunting him first. He was sure it was only a small group but Harry couldn't fall back on his magic, since there might be more men ready to move in and they seem to be able to pick up on his used of magic. Since that is how they were able to find him again after he lost them last time.

He left his gear where it was and moved off silently to the right. Circling around the group. Wishing he had his gun at that moment in time. He moved silently as he sensed out the men and kept an eye out for any people without a magical core. The rain dripped down his face and he was soaked through as he crept closer to the group. There were three men and they were well armed and not just with wands but with guns as well. He spotted one other man without a magical core, separated and placed as a look out before he moved back into the bushes.

He crept back and looked at his watch, it was past time. He quickly pulled out the leather bag and placed the note inside. That moment of inattention cost him as he flinched back when he saw something coming towards him. A rifle butt slammed into his shoulder, instead of his head and he hit the ground hard. Pain exploded in his shoulder as he rolled quickly to the side as he got his feet under him. He wasn't quick enough as the rifle came at him again to smash into his stomach. He folded around the end and grabbed it and pulled the man forward.

The man stumbled as Harry slipped his hand down and pulled the trigger, lucky for him the safety was off. The gunshot was loud in the forest as the man in front of him stared in shock before collapsing limply to the ground. Harry quickly grabbed the rifle and ran. He had to get away before the other men descended on him. Cursing as his leg slowed him down. He skittered down the edge of an embankment and risked a look over his shoulder. No one was following yet, but he could hear shouting behind him. He crossed over the small stream and up the other side, his shoulder and stomach protesting at the movement.

He moved behind some rocks and put his back to a large boulder. He quickly checked the rifle. He had only one round. Harry cursed as he rested the gun against the rocks and waited. He could feel the men fanning out from where he had shot the other man and his mind raced with plans. He slipped the gun strap over his head and flicked the safety on and moved it to his back so that it was easy to bring to bear, if he needed it. He could feel two men moving to the left of him and one moving to the right. The rain a blessing now as it washed away his tracks.

He looked at his options and moved off to his right, weaving through the trees and using as much cover as he could get. He pushed his hair back from his eyes, wishing for his shorter hair once again. He ducked down and crawled as he spied the man he was looking for and kept an eye out for any muggles. He slipped a steel knife into his hand and waited. The man was close and moving closer. Harry's timing had to be perfect as he moved into place and waited. Harry was good at waiting.

He kept an eye out as the man stood on the other side of the tree, Harry was crouched behind. When the man came even with him, Harry grabbed the man's ankle and pulled sharply. The man yelped as he tripped and Harry was on him quickly. Slitting his throat before he could make any more noise. He quickly rolled away and crouched listening as he kept a tree at his back. He knew the muggle would be close.

A twig breaking gave the man away and Harry lunged around the tree. The man was waiting with a gun in hand. Harry twisted to the side as it went off loudly beside him and he cursed. He grabbed the man's wrist as the man swung a knife towards his side with the other hand. The knife grazed across his ribs as Harry bared his teeth, digging his fingers into the man's wrist harshly and the gun fell from numb fingers.

He grabbed the man's arm in both of his and twisted to the side before pulling the man down to the ground with his added weight. They hit the ground hard as Harry stabbed the other man between the ribs. The man made a wet gurgle as he pieced into his lung. Harry pulled the knife free and kicked the man to the side, feeling his side stinging.

He grabbed up the man's gun in his right hand as he moved the knife to the left. He panted as he pulled himself to his feet, the man already dead at his feet as he moved off trying to sense out the other two men. He checked the gun to find five rounds.

Harry tried to circle back towards his gear but was blocked by the river that had widened further downstream and cursed. He would have to move back towards the men to get across the river again. He could sense the men moving towards where he had left the man he had killed. He didn't like his choices.

Suddenly he felt two other signals that had a magical core and flicked his head to his right, hoping they weren't reinforcements. He silently moved through the bush keeping his mind open.

A gunshot rang out and Harry dropped as wood from the tree behind him splintered and he crawled forward. It seemed like they wanted him alive at least as he spotted another muggle. He quickly took sight with his gun and took him down with a bullet between the eyes, his shoulder now screaming at him.

He cursed as he felt the four people moving towards his location and ran in a crouch, the stream to his right as he tried to find a way across. The two signals on his side closer than the ones on the other as he worked his way through the thick bushes. The two men on his side of the river had spilt up as Harry moved further upstream. Finally, he was able to get across and he broke cover. He dashed across the shallow river towards the other side.

"Blake, behind!"

Harry's head shot up and he twisted around, bringing the rifle to bear as a shot rang out. The bullet tore into him and he grunted as he felt his back hitting the embankment as he sighted along the rifle and pulled the trigger.

The man standing on the other side, clear in the moonlight, dropped where he stood as Harry panted, the pain not quite catching up with him yet as he felt warm blood running down his side. He held the rifle where it was and looked up.

Severus and Dracka looked down at him and he sighed.

"No magic," Harry called. "One more, Dracka! Keep a look out for muggles."

Harry held a hand to the wound in his side as Dracka leaped down easily.

"To the left," Harry panted. "Getting closer."

Dracka nodded red eyes flashing as Severus slid his way down.

"Blake?" Severus whispered, face pale.

Harry slid down to his knees, keeping the rifle pointed even if it didn't have a round in it.

"Move back," Harry ordered.

"No," Severus snapped.

Harry grabbed his arm.

"Get cover, Severus!" Harry hissed.

Harry pulled himself to his feet, swaying slightly and Severus grabbed his arm.

"Move!" Harry growled and pushed the man.

Severus looked shocked for a moment, then he was stepping back and scrambling up the embankment. Harry used the rifle to hull himself up, handgun tucked into his belt as he kept an eye on the other side of the bank.

Once he reached the top, he glanced over his shoulder to see Severus further back in the tree line.

"There could be muggles," Harry hissed. "Keep a look out."

Severus nodded and crouched down beside the tree. Harry moved towards him and passed him the rifle.

"I don't know how to use this," Severus whispered.

"No problems," Harry grinned. "It's empty. Stay here and keep a look out."

Harry moved back to the bank and laid out on the ground at the edge, the handgun in his hands. His side and shoulder were screaming as he focused his sights on the other side of the bank. He could hear Severus's quick breathing behind him and tried to hold his hands still.

Suddenly two men broke cover, one man punching the other hard. Harry waited, he wasn't sure which one was Dracka. He reached out with his senses as much as he could and could feel a darker power in one of the figures as they struggled on the ground. He held his gun steady and timed his breathing, ignoring everything else around him as he breathed in and out and sighted along the gun, waiting. As one of the men pulled back he took his shot.

The sound of the gunshot loud in his ears as the man dropped where he knelt and the other man turned in surprise, giving Harry a good look at him and he sighed. The gun dropped from his hands as the pain rushed in.

Dracka moved back towards him, leaving the dead man where he'd fallen. Harry rolled over onto his back, his breathing coming in pants as he pushed his hair back from his face. Dracka looked down at him.

"Need a hand up?" Dracka asked with a grin, holding his hand out.

Harry shook his head.

"Check for muggles," He ordered, holding his side.

Dracka looked unsure before moving off into the bushland. Severus moved towards him and crouched down, rifle held in his hands.

"Blake?" Severus whispered, saying so much in one word.

"Hey," Harry whispered. "Just give me a minute."

"You can't move, can you?" Severus asked, placing a hand on his cheek.

"I can try," Harry said with a grin, but it fell short. "Pass me the handgun."

Severus picked the gun up and passed it over to Harry. Harry checked it over and clicked the safety on before painfully sitting up, Severus giving him a hand. He made it to his knees and looked around. The night was quiet around them and he knew they had to get into cover.

He staggered to his feet and Severus tried to move in to help him but Harry pushed him back. Severus moved back, but wasn't happy as Harry stumbled forward.

"Get to cover," Harry whispered.

Suddenly a man appeared to Harry's right and he lunged without thinking, instinct taking over. The man went down with a grunt and Harry grabbed the hand with the knife and held it tightly. The man struggled then brought a knee up into Harry's side. He yelped and flinched to the side allowing the man to get the upper hand as he rolled them, knife held above him. Harry held tight to the man's wrist with both hands and cursed when the man punched him in his good side.

Suddenly the man grunted and went limp, his whole body weight landing on him. Harry grunted as he twisted the knife so it didn't impale him. The man's weight was pulled off him and pushed to the side as Severus's pale face looked down at him.

"Thanks," Harry whispered and pushed the man further so he could move away from him.

Harry checked the man's pulse and found one, he looked over his shoulder at Severus, unsure.

"We can't leave him alive, Severus." Harry whispered.

"Do it," Severus replied, no feeling in his voice.

Harry turned back and quickly slit the man's throat and pulled himself to his feet, swaying. He limped to the closest tree and leaned his weight back into it. He tried to sense out Dracka but couldn't focus his mind. Severus moved to his side but gave him space as they waited, the rifle held in his hands.

Harry's knees suddenly gave out and he slid to the ground as he held his side. Severus stayed standing as he kept scanning around them. Harry held the knife in his right hand, his eyes also keeping watch.

Dracka appeared silently in front of them, his eyes briefly flicking to the dead man on the ground.

"There was one more," Dracka whispered as he moved forward and knelt in front of Harry. "It's clear now."

Harry nodded, too tried and in pain to say anything.

"Blake?" Dracka asked, hand reaching for his shirt.

Severus tensed but kept a look out.

"We need to move," Harry whispered and tried to get his feet under him.

They wouldn't hold him as he panted. He laid his head back against the tree for a couple of seconds. Just focusing on his breathing. He felt Dracka beside him as the vampire gently moved his hand from his side and pulled up his shirt. Harry hissed as it pulled at the wound.

"It didn't go through," Dracka said softly.

Harry closed his eyes as Dracka gently bound the wound with bandages Severus gave him as he knelt next to the tree.

"We need to get him to the hospital, Severus." Dracka said softly. "They have to get the bullet out, before an infection sets in."

Harry didn't say anything just trying to focus as Dracka finished off the bandaging as he tried to master up the energy to stand. He could already feel his hands shaking as the adrenaline worn off and reality set in and the pain.

"Anything else, Blake?" Dracka asked softly.

Harry was just trying to hold onto consciousness as he focused on his breathing.

"Come on, Severus." Dracka said getting under his left arm. "Let's get him up."

"Stop," Harry whispered. "Just give me a moment. Right shoulder."

Dracka slipped out from under his arm and moved to his right side. Harry could feel a knife at his shoulder and he flinched to the side. Pain exploded in his side and he hissed as his vision greyed.

"Sh," Dracka whispered. "I just need cut your shirt to look at your shoulder, unless you can take it off?"

Harry shook his head feeling sick as Severus kneeled down and took his weight as Dracka sliced into the fabric and peeled it away. He cursed when he saw his shoulder.

"That's going hurt for a while, Blake." Dracka said softly as he started to bind it up carefully.

xXx

Severus looked down at his lover, his heart clenching. He was a mess and he could tell he was slipping as he took his weight as Dracka worked. He gently moved the man's arm over his shoulders in case they needed to move quickly. It still amazed him how quickly the man could move, even in the state he was in now.

"Done?" Severus whispered.

Dracka nodded as Blake started to shiver.

"We have to move," Dracka repeated. "Blake?"

Blake nodded and Dracka and Severus shared a look before Severus pulled the man to his feet. He grunted and leaned into Severus but he was on his feet.

"Bag," Blake hissed. "Dracka?"

The vampire nodded and moved off, Severus getting further under him making Blake hiss when he bumped the gunshot wound on his side but he kept his feet under him. Severus was amazed the man was still standing, the pain he must be in.

"Can I give you anything?" Severus asked.

"No," Blake breathed.

Severus kept an eye out for Dracka as Blake pointed out the way. The vampire appeared quickly with a bag and swag over his shoulders.

"No magic," Blake said softly. "They can track it. They would have picked up on you apparating. We need to make it to the Border."

"Blake," Dracka growled.

"That way," Blake hissed back, green eyes locking with the vampire.

Dracka bared his teeth at the man as Blake just stared back and tried to stand up straighter. Severus adjusted his weight across his shoulders and Blake hissed, looking away.

"Unless you can apparate over Borders, Dracka" Blake drawled. "We walk."

Dracka looked away and very carefully got under the man's injured shoulder. Blake lost his footing for a second and groaned until the vampire was settled. Blake's head dropped and all they could hear was his harsh breathing, unsure if he was still with them or had passed out.

"Blake?" Severus asked softly.

Blake nodded his head and got his feet under him again and started moving, the two men beside him, holding his weight.

They moved like that for the next few hours. When Blake stumbled for the third time they stopped. Blake was breathing hard as he hung between them.

"We can't keep going," Dracka whispered. "We have to stop."

Blake nodded, the rain still falling like mist around them. They gently lowered him to the ground onto his right side as Severus rolled up his coat and placed it under his head. Dracka rolled out the swag close to some bushes and moved them around until it disappeared. He glanced over to the still figure of Blake as Severus ran fingers through the man's longer hair. He looked like he was out. Severus met his eyes and nodded.

"Will that protect you?" Severus asked softly.

Dracka looked back to the swag and slipped inside, he could smell Blake's scent all around him and was sure his eyes were shinning red.

"Well?" Severus asked from outside.

Dracka got his demon under control and slipped back out.

"Yes," He said. "It should do."

He moved towards Severus and slid Blake's shirt up to check the wound. It had stopped bleeding at least. The biggest problem was the bullet was still in there, he was just lucky with where it had hit, just above his hip and not any higher or further over. He had found another smaller cut on the man's other side but it wasn't much to worry about. He placed the back of his hand to the man's forehead and couldn't feel any heat, yet.

"Do you know how far we are from the Border?" Severus whispered.

"Not sure," Dracka replied. "Blake would know."

Severus gently ran his hands through the man's hair.

"He looks a lot more like Harry Potter with that hair," Dracka said softly.

Severus nodded.

"He does." Severus agreed. "I don't think he likes it."

"Looking like his son?" Dracka asked. "Or looking like Harry Potter?"

Severus snorted.

"He never hides who he is," Severus said softly. "Who would be looking for Harry Potter in his father?"

Dracka grinned then frowned down at the man.

"Severus," Dracka whispered and the other man tensed. "I can't feel his magic. I keep reaching for it, but there's nothing there."

Severus paled. "The Hallows…"

Dracka didn't have an answer to that as he placed his hand on Blake's shoulder, trying to feel out the dark magic he could normally feel but nothing was there, he just felt like a muggle, it was very unsettling.

"We better clean up and rewrap that wound since the rain has stopped," Dracka said. "I'll keep watch tonight if you need to sleep."

Severus nodded in agreement as he ran his fingers through the man's hair, his eyes locked on Blake.

xXx

Harry woke feeling warm for the first time in a long time. He could feel sun on his back as he laid on his side with something soft under his head. The pain in his side a dull ache as he lay there listening to the birds around him. He could spy his bag within his reach with a bottle of water next to it and a couple of potions. He smiled at the sight and slowly pulled himself into a sitting position.

He looked up at the sun to see it was late afternoon before looking around. He couldn't see Severus but knew the man would be close by and Dracka would be in the swag, probably sleeping as he waited for the sun to set. He opened up his bag and pulled out the pill bottle and swallowed down two tablets with the water before taking one of the pain potions and placing the others in his pocket.

His shirt was cut on one side and he struggled out of it and slipped on a new one, wishing for a shower as he moved back to lean against one of the trees. He pulled out a small kettle and placed it to the side and a couple of add water meals.

"Hey," Severus said as he walked back with a plastic container with berries and a couple of other things in it. "How are you feeling?"

"Next question," Harry replied roughly.

Severus's lips twitched in a smile but his dark eyes showed his concern as he placed the berries next to Harry and took a seat next to him on the ground, touching his shoulder gently with the other man.

"If we can get a fire going," Harry said. "We can eat."

"Is that safe?" Severus asked.

"Yeah," Harry replied. "They seem to be tracking magic, I'm sure we have enough distance that they won't see a small fire."

"What happened?" Severus asked, resting a hand on Harry's knee.

"I was made," Harry said. "I'm not sure how, I may have stayed with Ben for too long. I spotted the man watching his apartment."

"Ben Cooper?" Severus questioned, tense.

"Yes," Harry confirmed, leaning his head back against the tree as the pain killers kicked in. "I had been staying there for a few days while he found out what he could from the Ministry."

"The last report you sent?"

"Yes, Simpson has been gathering support in the Ministry." Harry replied. "He hasn't tipped the scales yet but he is working through them."

"What happened after you spotted the man at Cooper's apartment?"

"I had to get in to Ben," Harry said faintly. "I had to get him out without it looking like he was helping me. Plus, all my stuff was there, I thought I was safe."

Severus hand tightened on his knee and Harry placed his hand over his.

"I think I slipped," Harry continued. "Ben was able to find me, I hadn't held my magic back as much as I should have but the possibility is also that one of Dracka's men has turned. You hear that vampire?"

"I heard you," Dracka said from the shadows of the swag.

"How are they tracking the magic?" Severus asked with a frown.

"I don't know," Harry said softly and it was annoying the crap out of him. "There are spells and charms but this feels slightly different to them. They seem to be able to pick up my magic, the only thing I can think of is they have my blood and it would have to be fresh blood for it to work, which makes no sense."

Severus shivered.

"But you told us not to use magic," Dracka called.

"Yes," Harry agreed. "I'm not sure if the spell they are using can pick up on it. They were able to lock onto my magic and I don't know if they will be able to do the same with yours. There is a spell they can use to detect magic use but it normally can't be spread over such a large area. I just don't know what spell they are using."

Severus ran his hand up and down Harry's leg as the man rested his head back against the tree for a while.

"I'll go find some wood," Severus said, jolting Harry from a light sleep. "Not sure it will catch after the rain we have had."

"Thanks," Harry muttered, rubbing a hand down his face.

Severus cupped his face and Harry looked up at him with glassy green eyes and gave him a small smile.

"I'll be back in a few minutes," Severus muttered.

Harry nodded and the man disappeared into the bush. He looked over to the swag and could see Dracka watching him from the shadowed entrance and gave him a nod. With a groan he got to his knees and moved forward slightly. Clearing off a small area of ground. Picking up the twigs he could reach as the pain in his side throbbed. Dracka's dark eyes watching him the whole time.

xXx

Severus picked up another stick and added it to the bundle he had, before turning back to camp as he kept an eye out around him but the bush was quiet except for the birds. He slipped back into camp to find Blake kneeling on the ground waiting for him. He placed the sticks down and moved off again as Blake started piling them up. He wasn't sure how the man was going to start a fire with everything so wet but he would rather be doing something than nothing.

He had felt so useless when they arrived and he couldn't use magic, he knew no way to defend himself that didn't use magic and he was kicking himself now that he had never asked Blake to teach him more. The image of the man above Blake with the knife came to his mind as he had brought the butt of the rifle down on the man's head. He still felt sick with the way Blake had slit the man's throat but knew it had to be done.

They had come across the other men Blake had killed and he'd had to swallow back bile. Magic killed so cleanly, and in some cases like the killing curse, left no evidence except death. He was prone to forgetting that Blake was a solider and would use the skills he had to take someone out whatever means necessary and he shivered.

He stopped and stood there for a moment looking around at the bushland and sighed. He reached for his connection with Blake on instinct but could barely feel the link even with the man so close and he didn't react to him reaching out and it hurt. He knew that Blake was holding the magic back but he didn't realise how much he had relied on that connection until now and how often he reached for it without thinking.

Severus shook his head and headed back to camp, they only had an hour or so until sundown before they could start moving again. He was surprised that Blake already had a small fire going and was blowing on it softly to bring the flames up. The man had skills as Blake gave him a grin, patches of dirt and blood on his face. Severus paused and the smile started to slip.

"You look a mess," Severus said stiffly as he dropped the branches down.

Dracka snorted from his spot in the cover of the swag.

"There's a river not too far from here," Blake said in reply. "We'll move towards that so we can get cleaned up and can fill up our water bottles. I don't think anyone is tracking us but I'll try and sense them out before we move off."

"That won't alert them?" Severus asked, taking a seat across the fire from the other man.

"It hasn't yet," Blake said. "It's not really a form of magic that most people understand."

"Ben Cooper," Dracka said softly. "He seems to have the same talent as you."

"Yes," Blake replied, his hands stilling. "He can do a lot of things that I can with magic but doesn't have the power levels behind him. He is very talented in sensing magic, since he was born to it, unlike me."

"You knew him from before?" Severus stated, he'd had his suspicions.

"Yes," Harry said, not looking at Severus. "I didn't meet him until he was much older than he is now. He became one of my apprentices."

Severus reeled back at that as Dracka growled.

"What?" Blake asked with wide eyes.

"That's not a light undertaking," Dracka said softly, red eyes shining.

Blake looked between the two men, looking confused.

"So, yeah." The man said slowly. "I'm not sure what you two are thinking but probably isn't what I am."

Dracka barked a laugh.

"I don't think anyone thinks like you do, Blake." Severus purred.

Blake flashed him a grin as he placed the pot over the fire held up by some type of steel device that kept it above the flames. They talked quietly as they caught Blake up on the day-to-day life at Hogwarts as they waited for the sun to set.

xXx

As soon as the sun set the men broke camp and Dracka and Blake quickly worked over the ground to make it look like they had never been there as Severus watched in interest. He picked up Blake's bag and swung it over his shoulder as Dracka carried the swag. Blake looked unsteady on his feet as he took out a compass to get his bearing before he moved out. Limping without his cane for support, not that it would have helped with his right shoulder the way it was.

Dracka disappeared ahead of them as Severus kept a close eye on Blake. The man was pale and had his arm wrapped around his stomach but once they got going he moved on steadily.

They had been walking for a while until Dracka appeared out of the darkness beside them making Severus jolt and the vampire to show his fangs in amusement.

"You need a bell," Severus snapped at him.

Blake snorted.

"The river is to our right," Dracka reported. "I hope we don't have to cross it."

"No," Blake replied and turned them towards the river. "We can start to follow it towards the border."

They made their way in silence until they came to the river. It was wide but slow moving as he looked out. Blake quickly unbuckled his belt and let his pants fall as he struggle out of his shirt. Severus saw Dracka's eyes change to red as his lover stripped down and he shoved the vampire in the shoulder as he moved towards Blake. Dracka chuckled as Severus helped Blake with the bandages around his middle. The other man not the least bit concerned with standing there naked.

"You have no shame," Severus purred in the man's ear.

"What?" Blake asked, looking up with wide eyes. "What did I do now?"

Dracaka swore as the red and inflamed wound on his side was revealed.

"We will have to get that bullet out," Dracka stated, stepping forward. "It already looks infected."

Severus barred his teeth and the vampire reeled back in surprise as Blake looked between them.

"For fuck sake," Blake muttered. "You two will be the death of me."

"I don't know Blake," Dracka drawled. "You seem to be doing a good job of that by yourself, you don't need our help."

Blake glared at the vampire. "Bag please, Severus."

The other man stared down the vampire as Dracka stepped back and titled his head to the side before Severus held the bag open for Blake. The man dug around until he came out with a small container holding soap. He patted Severus on the shoulder before moving into the water and dunking his head under using the soap to wash himself off as the two men watched him.

"You would make a good vampire," Dracka said softly.

Severus jolted and looked at the man with wide eyes.

"Don't even think about it," Severus hissed.

Dracka barked a laugh and disappeared into the bushland around them. Severus knelt on the ground and opened Blake's bag and looked through it. He pulled out some clothing for him and the first aid kit he had in there as well as a strange towel made from something he'd never felt before.

Blake took that from his hand and quickly dried himself down before ringing it out. Severus helped him clean and rebandage the wound and his shoulder before helping him with his shirt.

"Did you happen to pick up that handgun?" Blake asked.

"No, sorry." Severus replied, kicking himself that he hadn't thought of that.

Blake placed a hand on his cheek and turned his head towards him.

"Are you okay?" Blake said softly, his green eyes boring into him.

Severus tried to look away but Blake held him in place.

"What is it?" Blake asked. "Is it the men I killed? Are you injured?"

"No," Severus whispered.

Blake just held his hand against his cheek a frown between his brow as he looked into Severus's eyes before he stepped back and looked away. He knelt down and slipped two large bottles of water from his pack and held them up to Severus.

"Could you fill these, please?" Blake asked, not meeting his eyes.

Severus heart clenched as he took the bottles.

"Blake?"

"We need these filled," Blake replied softly. "Don't drink the water until I put the purifying tablets in them."

Severus reached a hand out to the man but let it drop before it touched him. He gathered up the bottles and moved towards the river to fill them up, his heart aching. Knowing he had hurt the man but not sure how or how to fix it.

Dracka was waiting beside Blake as he made his way back with the water and Blake took them placing a tablet of some kind into each bottle and giving them a shake until it dissolved. He took a couple of pills from another bottle before washing it down with the water. He passed the bottle of water to Severus.

Once everyone had had their fill, Blake packed up the bag and Severus pulled it up onto his back. He was a lot heavier than it was before and they set off again. Dracka disappearing into the forest as Severus followed close behind Blake. He was amazed all over again as the man pushed through, only stopping now and again to check the compass, as they kept the river close to them as they moved down a small valley.

Dracka would work his way back to them every now and again and Severus was getting used to him, just appearing beside them. The vampire reported that he couldn't find anyone following them or up ahead and Blake just nodded his head.

It well past midnight when Blake stumbled the first time and Severus moved up beside him but the man just waved him back and checked the compass before setting out again. Severus kept a close eye on him as his steps started to slow and his limp became more pronounced as they moved forward.

"Blake?" Severus questioned.

The man kept going without answering and Severus grew concerned.

"Dracka!" Severus called softly.

Blake flinched at the noise but kept moving forward. The vampire appeared at Severus's side, red eyes shining, as he looked around for danger.

Suddenly and without warning Blake just dropped, hitting the ground hard on his right side. Severus jumped forward his heart in his throat as he fell to his knees at his lover's side, the vampire beside him. Blake's eyes were closed and his breathing hitching as heat poured off him under Severus's hand.

"We have to get that bullet out," Dracka hissed. "I told him, bloody stubborn man."

Dracka pushed the man's shirt up and he quickly sliced through the bandages.

"We have to do this before he gains consciousness," Dracka hissed. "Do you have some antibacterial potions?"

"Yes," Severus replied, pulling out his potion's pouch.

He passed the right ones to Dracka and the man quickly poured a little on his hands and the knife before splashing some on the wound. Severus felt pale as the vampire worked. He held Blake still but the man was out of it, his breathing coming in gasps. Finally, Dracka held up the small bit of metal and quickly washed down the wound, trying to flush it out as much as he could.

"Get him sitting up so we can bind this wound," Dracka said quietly.

They worked together quietly, Blake limp between them. Dracka and Severus's eyes locked, over the man, both showing concern. Dracka looked away first.

"I'll set up camp," Dracka said softly, moving away.

Leaving Severus holding Blake in his arms.


	42. Chapter 42

Warning: Adult situation.

Harry woke with a jolt as he felt a body resting against his back as he curled up around the pain in his side and the pounding in his head. He could feel the dark power of the hallows clawing at his mind but pushed it to the side as he tried to breathe through the pain. The body behind him moved and he could hear a soft voice but couldn't make out the words in his confusion.

He felt a hand on his shoulder and flinched away gasping as the pain exploded in his side. The hand quickly disappeared and he just panted for a while as the voices spoke quietly above him, the odd word making it through to him as he drifted slightly.

He knew he had to move but didn't know why as he carefully opened his eyes to see canvas before him. He frowned unsure where he was. He wasn't sure if he was on another mission for the Aurors or the Department or even after another Dark Lord. It was almost a blessing when the darkness pulled him back down taking his confusion with it.

The next time he woke, it was slower and someone was sleeping next to him. The person's back resting against his in the small space as he blinked his eyes open. His thoughts were still in confusion but he felt safe so he relaxed his body from the tight ball he'd rolled into.

"Blake?" Someone questioned softly.

Harry started at the voice, the pain spiking through his side but it settled into a dull ache that had his head joining it.

"Wha'?" He slurred, unsure if they were talking to him or not

"Severus," The voice called out. "He's awake again. Blake, you with us?"

Harry rolled slightly to look up at the man and jerked back in confusion as he looked up at the vampire. The dark magic of the hallows pushing at his mind.

"Shh," The man said resting a hand on his shoulder.

Harry stared at him, unsure, until his memories started to fall back into place in his mind.

"Dracka?" Harry asked.

The vampire smiled. "That's me."

Harry's eyes slipped closed.

"Hey!" The vampire yelped. "Stay awake. Blake!"

"Potter!"

Harry jolted, his eyes flying open as he tilted his head back to stare at Severus Snape in surprise.

"Fuck, that worked." Dracka swore.

Severus smirked as he looked at the two men.

"Are you with us?" Severus asked softly.

"Was I not?" Harry whispered.

Severus and Dracka shared a look and the pounding in Harry's head increased.

"You were out of it for a bit," Dracka replied. "Your fever spiked."

"Mind's a little confused." Harry confessed, curling around so he could look at both men in the small space. "Having problems putting it in order."

The two men shared a look that Harry couldn't read and he was too tired to ask. He had the feeling that he'd scared them but was unsure how or why.

"Just rest," Severus said after a couple of minutes. "It's still a few hours to sunset. Do you need pain killers?"

Harry nodded and Severus pulled a pill bottle out of a bag and passed it over to him with some water. Harry squinted at the label on the bottle.

"These are pretty strong," Harry said softly.

"Do you want a potion instead?" Severus asked.

Harry shook out two pills and swallowed them down with water in answer before curling up again. He felt a hand run through his hair as he fell asleep quickly.

xXx

Dracka and Severus shared a look over Blake's head as the man slipped back into sleep. The image of those glazed over green eyes staring up at him in confusion, haunting them.

"Will he be able to move at night fall?" Severus asked softly into the silence as he ran his hand through Blake's hair.

"I don't know," Dracka said. "I think holding his magic the way he is, plus the fever is mixing up his head. He didn't recognize me Severus when he first woke up."

"You still can't feel his magic?" Severus question.

"No," Dracka replied. "It's frustrating."

Severus didn't question him about it anymore as they fell into silence to wait out the rest of the day.

xXx

Harry woke to someone stroking his head and he tensed slightly before relaxing. The pain a dull ache in his shoulder and side but not feeling as hot as he uncurled his body. The hand kept moving without stopping as he opened his eyes on darkness.

They had to move but Harry just felt like curling back up and going back to sleep. He cast his mind out to sense if there was anyone else around as picked up on Dracka's signal. He brushed across the man's mind as he sensed out further.

Nothing.

He pulled back, brushing his magic against the link with Severus softly, the hand paused in brushing through his hair before continuing.

"Are you back with us now?" Severus whispered.

"Think so," Harry whispered back. "Sorry."

Severus just smiled slightly and kept running his hands through his hair as Dracka appeared and peered in at them.

"What time is it?" Harry asked.

"Just after nine," Dracka replied.

"We have to keep moving," Harry replied.

He managed to get out of the swag, with help and stumbled over to a large rock and sat down, the other two men watching him carefully.

"Dracka," Harry ordered. "We have to move."

The vampire nodded and with Severus help they cleared up the area quickly and had Harry's bag packed and swag rolled up. Severus laid a hand on his shoulder before helping him to his feet.

"Can you hand me that branch?" Harry asked as he got his feet under him.

Dracka handed up the branch and Harry took it in hand as they moved out. His shoulder burning with every step but he needed the support. Severus stayed close but gave him enough space to move.

Harry focused on the steps in front of him as he kept his mind open sensing around him as Dracka moved out. He made sure to keep tabs on the vampire but his concentration kept slipping, as the pain in his side would spike every now and again. They stopped long enough for him to take a couple more pills before moving off again.

When he suddenly stopped, Severus almost ran into him as he looked around. He brushed his magic against Dracka to call him back as he reached further out with his mind.

"What is it?" Dracka asked quietly, eyes darting around. "I couldn't see anything."

"There are people up ahead," Harry replied.

"Can you tell how many and how far out?" Dracka whispered.

"Um," Harry said, unsure. "Give me a sec."

Harry cast his mind out again ignoring everything around him as he focused on the sense of magic up ahead. He was hoping that these were the people he was looking for and not Simpson's men.

"Not sure," Harry said. "We need to move closer."

"Closer why?" Severus asked.

Harry looked at him in surprise then frowned.

"I didn't tell you?" Harry asked.

"Tell us what?" Dracka said slowly.

"I have people in place at the border," Harry commented. "I thought I told you."

Severus looked at him in concern and stepped closer.

"Dracka they are veelas," Harry said making the vampire hiss. "I didn't say that?"

"No," Severus drawled. "We would have remembered."

Harry could feel his head pounding as he looked between the two.

"That's a bit concerning," Harry said slowly.

"Yes," Dracka agreed. "Makes us think what else you have forgotten to tell us."

Harry flinched back then hissed as the pain spiked in his side. Severus placed a hand on his shoulder as he glared at the vampire.

"These people at the border?" Severus asked.

"Um yeah," Harry stuttered, trying to focus while keeping his mind open. "Possibly veela, if I got the direction right, um. Dracka you should have safe passage as long as you are with me."

"Should?" Dracka growled, eyes turning red.

"Um, yeah." Harry said quickly. "Don't worry, but they are pure veela. Severus watch your step but you should be fine too."

"There is a lot of 'Should' in there, Mr Sun." Severus drawled.

Harry tried to give them a grin but his head pounded as he gripped the branch, feeling two sets of unhappy eyes on him.

"I managed to get a message to them," Harry said quickly. "They should…um, have people at the border in case Simpson has tried to block us. I didn't say any of this?"

"No," Severus said shortly, then looked at him in concern. "Blake, are you okay?"

Harry wasn't sure how to answer that as he looked at Severus.

"We should-" Harry swore. "I mean, keep moving."

He turned and started back out. Severus and Dracka falling into step behind him as they hissed between each other. Harry tuned them out as he reached out with his senses, his head pounding even worse as the hallows clawed at his mind and his side felt like it was on fire. He had to push on, they had no other choice.

He stumbled slightly and Severus slipped under his arm and took some of his weight.

"Your fever is back," Severus whispered to him.

"Yeah," Harry agreed, still moving forward.

Dracka stayed close to Harry and he didn't blame him. Veelas and vampires did not mix and when they did. It did not end well. Harry frowned, he was sure he had told them about the people at the border but his mind was still confused with keeping the power of the hallows at bay as it raged. He was keeping it caged and it was not happy.

"The border is coming up," Harry whispered. "A large group to the right, I think I can feel light magic."

"You think?" Dracka snapped, on edge.

"Sorry," Harry apologised. "Best I can do."

Severus glared over at the vampire and he looked away.

"Once we cross the border we should be okay to use magic," Harry told them. "The border spell will protect us."

Severus felt better about that as they moved forward until even he could feel the magic of the border ahead. Dracka's eyes flicked around but the clouds were blocking the moon, making it hard to see too far ahead, even for him. Harry shook Severus off and got his feet under him and stepped over the border, magic racing down his spine uncomfortably and could feel the slight resistance before it let him pass. It was always dodgy passing over the border this way, there was no telling if the spell would stop them.

He shivered and stepped further over as Dracka and Severus followed him. He grinned up at Severus until movement on his senses had him turning the other way. Suddenly a blonde-haired man appeared next to Dracka with a rifle in his hands. The vampire flashed his fangs on pure instinct as Harry yelled out everything moving too quickly.

"No!"

Dracka flinched back as the man swung the rifle, missing the vampire as he skipped back, the other man moved with inhuman speed as he swung the rifle around. Harry jumped forward, pulling on his side painfully, as Severus pulled his wand.

" _Non_!" Harry shouted out, but it was too late as the veela stepped forward and smashed his rifle into Dracka's stomach and the vampire dropped to his knees.

" _Il est sous ma protection_!" Harry yelled out as he tried to get between the two men. " _Parlementer_!"

Then he did the stupidest thing he could have done at that moment in time, he flared his dark magic on instinct. The veela turned with a snarl and brought the rifle around and slammed it into Harry's side.

"Blake!" Severus yelled.

Harry dropped as his vision swam, the hallows taking joy in his pain, since he had released them. All he could see was dark mists before him and shouting as hands grabbed him but his world had centred down to pain and pain alone.

xXx

Severus dropped to his knees beside Blake as the veela pointed his gun at Dracka, keeping him on his knees. The vampire's eyes were wide as the moon briefly filtered down to him.

"Blake Sun," Dracka stated quietly to the man above him.

The man frowned.

"Why have you come across the border?" The veela asked, with a thick accent. "You all stink of dark magic."

Severus started as he laid a hand on Blake's head, feeling the heat from the man, he was out.

"Blake Sun," Dracka repeated as he held his hands out before him.

The man shouted out and other veelas started to arrive. Severus looked around in panic. Blake was out. Dracka on his knees and he was unsure what he could do. One man stepped forward and tied Dracka's wrists in front of him and the man didn't fight back, concerning Severus even more.

Two veelas moved forward and grabbed his shoulders. He tried to push them back but the strength in their hold was like steel as they pulled him to his feet and away from Blake.

"Just go with them, Severus." Dracka hissed.

Severus stopped struggling and one of the men picked up his wand, that he'd dropped, and placed it into his pocket. He watched helpless as two other men moved forward and pulled Blake up, the man was completely limp in their hands and Severus could see blood seeping into his shirt from the wound in his side. Severus's hands were tied behind his back as Dracka was forced to his feet. The vampire stood as the veelas eyed him off.

Severus yelled out when suddenly the man smashed his rifle butt into the side of Dracka's head and he dropped where he stood. He couldn't take his eyes off him as two men lifted Dracka up and started moving off with him.

"Where are you taking him?" Severus demanded.

"Not you worry, wizard." The head veela said as he moved forward, his blonde hair flowing around him. "You meet him soon."

Severus gut clenched, as the man behind him pushed him, and it seemed like they had just gone from bad to worse.

xXx

Dracka woke slowly, his head pounding, and he moaned. He felt someone place a hand on his shoulder.

"Don't move," Severus said softly.

Dracka couldn't agree more as he opened his eyes and tried to focus on the stone wall in front of him.

"They hit you pretty hard," Severus whispered. "You've been out for a while."

"Blake?" Dracka questioned.

"I don't know," Severus whispered and he felt the man rub his shoulder. "They took him somewhere else."

Dracka carefully rolled so he could see Severus, the man looked pale but unhurt as he sat next to him with his hand on his shoulder. They were in a stone cell with a simple wooden door and no windows.

"At least they didn't give us a room with a view," Dracka commented.

Severus gave him a crooked smile but it didn't reach his eyes.

"What is it with veelas and vampires?" Severus asked, leaning back against the wall slightly his hand staying on Dracka's shoulder.

"We don't mix," Dracka said, trying to gather his scattered thoughts. "They have too much light power and we have too much dark. I'm a born vampire, Severus."

"What does that mean?"

"You never looked up vampires?"

"Only how to kill them," Severus smirked. "Thought it might come in handy."

Dracka snorted as he rolled further onto his back. Severus laid his leg out straight so he could rest his head on it and he was grateful for that.

"There are two types of vampires," Dracka explained. "Ones that are born from vampire parents and those that are made into vampires. Ones that are born vampires always have a darker magical core than those that are turned."

"So more magic to clash against?"

"Yes," Dracka replied. "And you."

"Me?"

"Please tell me that Blake explained about your dark magic," Dracka pleaded.

"He showed me," Severus said softly, looking away from the vampire.

Dracka barked a laughed. "Sex?"

"Only in your dreams, vampire." Severus snapped.

Dracka leered up at him but it was offset by the pain in his dark eyes. The two men fell into silence after that. Only looking up as someone pushed a tray of food through the gap in the door, neither man moved.

xXx

Harry was floating on a river of white light. He wasn't sure where he was but something in him was screaming out to him but he couldn't work out what it was saying. He felt an urgency to do something but was powerless as he floated unable to move or speak. He had never felt this way before and it put him on edge.

He tried reaching out with his mind but something blocked him. He tried the ring next but nothing. He couldn't feel Severus and he started to panic. He tried hard to reach out and the light around him started to pull him down. He wasn't floating anymore he was drowning. White light pouring into him as he pushed harder to reach Severus without any luck.

He tried calling on the magic of the hallows but every time he reached for it, it would slip away as he was pulled further under. All he could see was white and he shivered.

xXx

Severus started, waking Dracka.

"What is it?" Dracka asked looking up at the other man.

"I thought I felt Blake," Severus whispered. "Was just briefly but it felt like he was panicking."

Dracka sat up, ignoring the pounding in his head.

"Can you reach out to him?" Dracka questioned.

Severus closed his eyes and focused to the link with Blake. He couldn't feel the man. He tried harder and got a slight connection but something was blocking it and it was just making his head pound, he shook his head and opened his eyes.

"Feels like something is blocking him," Severus said softly.

"Does it feel like light magic?"

Severus glared at him.

"How the hell should I know!" He snapped.

"Sorry," Dracka apologised. "Headache."

"I'm not surprised with how hard he hit you," Severus muttered. "You do have a hard head though."

Dracka grinned showing fangs as he rested against the wall next to Severus, their shoulders touching as they watched the door and waited.

xXx

"Blake Sun."

Harry started at the voice, his side a dull ache and his shoulder stiff. Otherwise he felt warm and was in a large and very soft bed. A beautiful woman with solid black hair, pure white skin and icily blue eyes sat next to him on the bed in a thin sliver dress. She smiled down at him when she saw he was awake.

"I must apologise for my men," The woman said in French, her voice had a musical quality to it as she glazed down at Harry. "You brought dark companions with you. Not to mention your own dark magic, though it does feel faint at the moment, love."

"Bella," Harry whispered. "Where are Dracka and Severus?"

"They are safe," Bella replied.

"Unharmed?"

"The vampire will probably have a headache," The woman replied, with no feeling in her voice. "The dark wizard is unharmed."

Harry sagged in the bed in relief as the woman smiled and reached out with a hand and placed it on Harry's forehead and pushed back his hair.

"If only that dark stain didn't taint you, faint as it may be." The woman whispered turning on the bed so that she knelt beside him.

"Already taken," Harry whispered, reaching out to Severus but he was blocked.

"The dark wizard or the vampire?" Bella asked as she moved closer, the dress hanging low showing off her breasts.

"The dark wizard," Harry replied, feeling tried as he tried again to reach out to Severus.

"A connection can always be broken," Bella whispered in his ear and Harry felt a chill. She pulled the blanket back exposing his naked body and pushed him back into the bed as he tried to sit up. "The dark wizard and the vampire are very close. Some would say too close?"

An image Severus in a stone cell with Dracka resting his head on his leg came to Harry's mind and Harry felt his heart clench at the words and images. Bella smiled down at him and slipped the straps of her dress down her arms, revealing her breasts and perfect body. Harry looked up at her in surprise, still trying to reach for Severus.

"Bella," Harry growled in warning.

The woman ignored him as she saddled his waist, her legs feeling like steel around his hips. She smiled as she leaned forward over him.

"Yes?" She purred as he rocked her hips.

"I am bound," Harry said softly.

The woman snarled her nails digging into his skin at the words before drawing back leaving scratches on his sides, leathery wings sprouting from her back as she looked down at him.

"No," The woman hissed.

Harry brought the power of the hallows forward but it was faint as he brought up a barrier between them. The woman glared down at him. Naked from the waist up as the wings disappeared as she calmed down and slowly licked his blood off her finger nails.

"You think you can hide behind your dark magic?" Bella asked, a smile curving up her red lips.

She leaned down her bare breasts, rubbing against his chest as she moved her face close to his. Harry wiggled his arms loose and grabbed her around the hips already feeling her magic brushing against his skin. Trying to draw him in, pulling on his own light magic, preventing him from pushing her away.

"Bella!" Harry hissed, as the woman dipped down and placed a kiss on his neck as her nails dug into his skin as she held him down.

He tried to grab the link with Severus, harder, straining to touch the other man. Faintly he felt something as the woman above him rocked her hips and his cock hardened in response, betraying him. He grabbed the weak link and then suddenly Severus was there and the woman jumped back as Harry crawled to the side of the bed and threw up as his head swum as the connection in his mind made the world spin.

"No!"

Harry was suddenly grabbed in hands like steel and slammed up against the wall, his head cracking against the stones painfully. Harry grabbed the link with Severus harder and the woman dropped him with a hiss. Harry panted on the floor in a heap as he gently eased back on the connection.

"Take them and leave!" The woman spat, her wings wide in rage.

Harry looked up at the veela, her eyes cold as she stared down at him completely naked. He slowly pulled himself to his feet and spied his clothes, gear and Severus and Dracka's wands on the table. He quickly pulled on his pants and shirt as Bella glared at him the whole time.

"My men will bring them to you outside." The woman spat. "Leave!"

"Bella?"

"Leave."

"The Treaty?"

"Still stands," Bella snapped as her wings faded away.

Harry nodded and stuffed the two wands into his bag and placed it over his left shoulder.

"I'm sorry," Harry said softly.

The woman's expression eased and her eyes warmed.

"So am I, Blake." Bella whispered.

Harry turned to the door and made his way out, a guard on the door showed him to the front door. He stepped into the night and glanced at his watch, he had lost three days. He shivered and waited, the guards watching him closely.

The door opened and Severus and Dracka were pushed out, hands tied behind their backs.

"Blake!" Severus called, as he was held back.

Dracka just reeled back from him, his eyes wide.

"Release them," Harry ordered, not meeting Dracka's eyes.

The guards cut through the ropes and Severus quickly moved forward as Dracka hesitantly moved towards him as well.

Harry turned on his heels.

"Blake Sun."

Harry turned back to see Bella standing there, a smile on her ruby lips and her dress back in place and Harry tensed. He stepped between the two men and the woman. Keeping them behind him.

"Yes?" He asked carefully.

"Until next time, love." Bella said softly with a smile.

Harry couldn't contain the shiver that ran down his back and nodded. He turned, not meeting the two men's eyes as he grabbed their arms and apparated them away.

Harry braced his feet as he landed and quickly stepped away from Severus and Dracka. The vampire already reeling back from him as he moved towards the front door of the house.

"You have permission to enter," Harry called over his shoulder as he placed his hand on the door.

He flinched away when Severus placed a hand on his shoulder and the man quickly removed it.

"Blake?" Severus whispered.

"Severus give him a minute," Dracka said softly.

Severus stepped back and Harry just laid his hand against the door, not pushing it open. His shoulder and side still hurting. The healing magic of the veelas only going so far and he was sure that the gunshot wound was still infected. He sighed and pushed the door open and moved inside. This was one of his bigger homes.

He moved into the house as the two men stayed near the front door, unsure.

xXx

"What is going on?" Severus hissed to Dracka.

The man looked pale and shaky.

"He is covered with light magic, Severus." Dracka whispered, checking to make sure Blake couldn't hear. "And it's not his."

Severus paled.

"He flared the connection," Severus said softly. "I've never felt him hold it so tight before."

Dracka nodded. "Let's hope it was enough."

Severus paled.

"You don't think…" Severus couldn't finish the question.

"I don't know," Dracka replied.

They moved into the house and found Blake sitting at the dining room table with his head in his hands. The scent of the light magic, making Dracka scrunch up his noise in distaste.

"I'm going to get some supplies," He announced, stepping out of the room.

"Be careful," Blake called after him.

Dracka didn't reply as he slipped out of the house, leaving the two alone.

Severus moved forward and stood unsure at the side of the table.

"Sit down Severus." Blake said softly, looking up at him with pale green eyes.

"Are you okay?" Severus whispered.

"I'm not sure how to answer that," Blake said shakily, the tone chilling Severus. "My injuries have been looked at. So yes, feeling a lot better. They didn't hurt you?"

Blake's eyes flicked over to him before looking away.

"I'm fine," Severus replied. "They kept us fed. Blake?"

"Okay, good." Blake said. "Sorry, if I grabbed the link too hard."

"It's fine," Severus told him and reached across the table towards the man's hand.

Blake pulled it away and Severus paused, his heart clenching.

"What happened?" Severus whispered.

Blake wouldn't meet his eyes and Severus grew concerned. The man ran a hand through his hair, messing it up and making Severus smile.

"Already missing your short hair?" Severus asked instead.

Blake snorted as he leaned back in his chair.

"I feel like I'm Harry Potter again." He said. "All messy hair, just need the glasses."

Severus grinned but it didn't reach his eyes.

"Why do you cut it so short?" Severus questioned.

"I had a wizard grab it once and he was able to take me down," Blake answered. "One of the other soldiers laughed and told me to cut it like man and I wouldn't have that problem."

Severus snorted and Blake gave him a small smile.

"The way he said it was more politicly incorrect than that, of course." Blake said. "And involved more swearing but by that time, the curse scar had faded so much, I didn't mind about cutting it back."

"You didn't like to show the scar?"

"I didn't like the staring," Blake said softly. "I got used to it eventually. I didn't much like being Harry Potter. I was happy to let that name go."

Severus started at that confession.

"They always expected 'great things' from me," Blake whispered. "Then they would look disappointed when I failed."

"Where did you get your name from?" Severus asked, sitting back in his seat.

"Blake Sun?" Blake asked.

"Yes."

"I had a teacher in Japan," Blake replied with a far-away look in his eyes. "Called Asahi Sun. He used to get flak about the fact that his name basically meant Sun Sun, his father was Korean and he wanted a Japanese name for his son. One day he got fed up with me-"

"-As you do," Severus interrupted.

"-And he yelled at me," Blake continued as if he wasn't interrupted. "'If you think it's so funny you can call me Blank Sun.'"

Blake smiled as he remembered the brilliant man fondly.

"Other students over heard him and thought he said Blake Sun," Blake said. "It stuck. When he died, I carried on his name."

Severus grinned and this time when Severus reached for him, Blake took his hand with a small smile. The moment was broken as Dracka walked in and dropped a couple of bags on the table and Blake pulled back. Severus glared up at the vampire but the man just showed his fangs. He dumped a shirt and pants on the table in front of him with a bar of soap.

"You stink," Dracka said to Severus.

"Thanks," Severus said dryly.

"Off you go," Dracka announced and waved his hand at the man.

Severus looked over to Blake, the man looked back in amusement, easing the tension in his shoulders. Severus got to his feet and picked up the clothing before moving out of the room to find a shower. Dracka looked back at Blake.

"You stink as well," Dracka said, but without any bite.

"I know," Blake agreed. "It will fade, I'm too tired to remove it."

Dracka bared his teeth at him, his eyes red. Blake looked away until he felt a hand on his arm. He started and looked up.

"My turn to be ordered to the shower?" Blake said faintly.

"More like the bedroom."

Blake flinched badly at the words and Dracka cursed.

"Sorry," Dracka whispered and took a seat next to him. "The demon is too close to the surface, right now."

"No, no." Blake said softly. "I deserved that."

"Blake," Dracka whispered and grabbed his hand.

"Nothing happened," Blake said softly.

"The magic coating you says different, Blake."

"Nothing happened," Blake repeated, staring Dracka in the eye.

The vampire let it slid but didn't let the man's hand go.

"How's your head?" Blake asked instead. "She said something about a headache?"

"Rifle butt to the head," Dracka replied. "Healed up now."

"Wish I had that talent," Blake replied.

"Hey," Dracka stated, showing his fangs. "Always an option."

Blake barked a laugh.

"No, no it's not." Blake replied, with a smile.

"If you need to talk, Blake?"

"I think I talk enough," Blake broke in. "As I keep being told by many, many people that I talk too much."

Dracka grinned and turned to the bags and pulled out some dark jeans and a blue shirt.

"Shower?" Blake asked.

"See," Dracka grinned. "I don't need to order you anywhere, you know where to go."

Blake grinned as he walked out of the room heading to the bathroom.

xXx

Harry opened the bathroom door just as Severus was finishing up and got to see him at just the right moment. Harry paused as Severus stepped out of the shower, water still running off him.

"Hey," Harry purred as he moved closer.

"No," Severus stated as he grabbed the towel. "You stink."

Harry nodded but didn't move to take his clothes off. Severus frowned and finished towelling off as the man leaned back against the wall as the steam settled along the ceiling.

"You're not getting undressed," Severus said softly.

"I know," Harry replied with a lopsided grin.

"Why?"

"Someone said I had no shame," Harry said. "So, I'm waiting until you leave but enjoying the show while I wait."

"Or you don't want me to see what's under them," Severus pointed out.

Harry looked away but didn't move as Severus moved closer to him. He'd pulled on his pants but was still bare-chested. He placed his hands on Harry's waist and when he didn't pull away, Severus gently raised the fabric up and Harry ducked out of the shirt.

Severus eyes hardened when he saw the scratches on his sides and across his ribs in groups of four. Harry couldn't meet his eyes as Severus ran his fingers over the gunshot wound, which was still looked red and slightly puffy.

"You still have a bit of an infection here," Severus stated mildly. "How's the shoulder?"

Harry's eyes shot to his, instinctively brushing across the link, as Severus met his eyes evenly.

"Stiff," Harry replied slowly. "Severus?"

"Hurry up and have a shower," Severus replied. "I'm not kissing you when you stink this much."

Harry didn't know what to say. Severus Snape had just rendered him speechless. He grinned as Severus pushed him towards the shower. He quickly showered, washing away the dirt and blood from his hair and body. Working the soap into his wounds trying to scrub away the two weeks from hell from his skin.

Severus waited for him, sitting on the side of the bath, his dark eyes watching as he stepped out and quickly dressed. He stood and moved closer as Harry finished and waited. Harry looked up at him and Severus reached down and cupped his cheeks. They met in the middle for a kiss as Harry's arms wound around his waist still holding onto the connection he had with Severus, having not let go of it from the second it was made.

"Hurry the fuck up!" Dracka growled from the other side of the door.

"There are other bathrooms!" Harry snapped back, not moving.

"But only one bar of soap!"

Severus snorted as Harry laid his head on his chest.

"That I brought with my own money!" Dracka added.

xXx

Dracka knocked softly on the door that Severus and Blake's scent was coming from a few hours later. He pushed the door open quietly when neither man bid him to enter. Blake was asleep on his side as Severus sat next to him, wide awake as he leaned back against the headboard. Gently running his hand through the man's messy hair.

Severus nodded at him and he came further into the room, the light scent from Blake not as strong but still there. His demon was close to the surface as he looked down at the man. Severus flicked down the covers and Dracka flinched back as his demon rushed forward when he saw the scratches on the man's skin.

His eyes flicked to Severus and the man didn't even flinch at his red eyes, as his own rage was clear to see. Dracka turned back to Blake and knelt down beside the bed to get a better look.

"His side still looks infected," Severus said softly.

Dracka could see that, it looked like they had missed a piece of the bullet and the veelas had tried to heal over it. He placed a shaking hand to the man's forehead and could feel the slight heat. Blake mumbled something, which had Dracka paling as he snatched his hand back.

" _Lié_?" Dracka repeated louder. "Blake, _Lié_?"

Blake frowned in his sleep but didn't wake.

"Dracka?" Severus hissed.

"He said 'bound'," Dracka said. "In French."

"What does that mean?"

Dracka gave a shaky laugh.

"Bound is not a term thrown around lightly in our circles," Dracka explained.

Severus eyes locked with the vampires as he calmly kept stroking Blake's hair but Dracka could see he would rather be strangling Dracka with those hands instead.

"It is hard to put into words," Dracka said. "And it may not be what he means. Can you feel him through the ring?"

"Yes," Severus said, without a doubt. "He hasn't let go of it since I could feel him again."

"He may have used your connection to him to confirm to the veela that he is bound to you then," Dracka said, looking down at the man. "Let's hope that's what it means."

The sight of the scratches had a spike of rage flowing through him again. He grabbed a hold of his demon tightly so he didn't do anything, Blake stupid, like go back and kill the veela that did that to him.

"What's our next move?" Severus asked softly as he covered Blake back up.

Blake turned in his sleep, moving further onto his side before settling, arm stretched out towards Dracka. The vampire took the man's hand in his, feeling Severus's dark eyes on him. Severus's hand paused briefly before continuing to move through Blake's hair. The demon in Dracka calming with Blake's hand in his but the light magic scent was still putting him on edge.

"We have to get him medical attention for that wound," Dracka replied. "I know a safe place but Blake might have a different idea in mind when he wakes up. We will just let him sleep for now."

"Stay here," Severus said softly.

Dracka looked up in surprise.

"This is a big house, Severus." Dracka said with a smirk. "I'm sure I can find a room."

"No," Severus answered. "Stay here."

"Why?" Dracka whispered, feeling tense.

"He needs our support," Severus replied. "And you know that he will sense you out the minute he wakes up anyway."

Dracka chuckled. "You are getting better at picking up on that."

"I have a good teacher," Severus said fondly, as he looked down at Blake.

xXx

Harry woke feeling safe with an arm wrapped around his waist and Severus's legs tangled with his own and he relaxed back against the man. He still felt too hot but the dark magic of the hallows was working through his body as he dozed for a while. Movement of someone else close by had Harry's eyes flicking open to look into Dracka's red ones.

"Fuck," Harry swore, pulling back.

Both men quickly looked over at Severus but the man was sleeping deeply for a change and didn't wake. Dracka gave him a leer as he lay out on the bed in his shirt and pants.

"Not the reaction I was hoping for," Dracka whispered.

"Your demon is showing," Harry pointed out as he tried to untangle himself from Severus without waking him.

He didn't have much luck as Severus's arm was locked around him and Harry gave up as Dracka grinned at him, showing fangs.

"What are you doing there?" Harry asked quietly. "Does Severus know you are there?"

"He asked me to stay," Dracka replied, his eyes sharp watching for his reaction.

"Really?" Harry questioned, with a look over his shoulder.

"Yes."

Harry frowned unsure what the men had in mind and the words of the veela came back to him, making him shiver. He flinched when Dracka reached forward and the man paused.

"I was only going to check to see if you're still running a temperature," Dracka said lightly, but the red eyes gave him away.

"I'm fine," Harry replied, as he gently pushed Severus until the man rolled away in his sleep.

Finally free, Harry pulled himself from the bed and padded out the door towards the bathroom. To his annoyance the vampire followed him. He sighed and turned on the man, making him pull up short and step back.

"What is this about?" Harry demanded. "Because, I don't feel like having an in-depth conversation in just my underwear. I need to pee, vampire."

Dracka flinch back this time and Harry sighed and rubbed his head.

"Headache?" Dracka asked softly.

Harry just turned on his heels and limped towards the bathroom without answering. Closing and locking the door behind him. He sat on the toilet and just held his head for a while. He could feel that Dracka had gone back to the bedroom with Severus and he felt his heart clench at the thought. The image of his lover's face after he had killed those men came back to him as well as the words spoken by Bella.

His head hurt too much to try and muddle his way through what the vampire and his lover were up to and he was too wrung out emotionally to even touch on anything else. He sighed and looked at himself in the mirror as he washed his hands. He looked a mess but he just couldn't seem to care as he eyes locked onto the scratches. Rage suddenly spiked through him and he lashed out at the mirror smashing it with his fist then cursing as pain shot through his hand.

"Blake?" Severus questioned softly from the other side of the door.

Harry cursed again and leaned forward with his hands on the sides of the sink as his blood fell to the floor from his right fist. He looked into the mirror, a spider web of cracks and breaks from where he'd hit it and his own blood from where the glass had cut him. He was no use to anyone in this frame of mind as he rinsed off the blood on his hand, feeling the two men at the door.

He had work to do but Bella's attempt to claim him, just felt like betrayal sitting like a stone in his stomach. Her words floating back to him as he looked at his fragmented image. He didn't realise he was crying until the first drops landed into the sink as he hung his head. He wasn't even aware of Severus and Dracka coming through the door until Severus gently took him into his arms.

He slipped to the floor as Severus rocked him, glass all around them as he broke down. Silently crying into the man's shoulder as Dracka supported him from the other side. The vampire's dark presence a comfort to Harry's fragile mind. The dark power of the hallows burned in his blood as Severus whispered in his ear and rubbed his back.


	43. Chapter 43

French kindly supplied by Craounette.

x

Severus didn't know what to do as he held Blake as the man cried. He looked over at Dracka to see his shock mirrored in the other man's face as they looked at the damage to the mirror and Blake's blood on the floor.

Dracka carefully untangled the man's right hand from Severus's shirt and they could see he had cut his knuckles on the glass of the mirror as he stilled in Severus's arms.

"He just cut his hand," Dracka said softly. "It's not too bad."

Dracka stood and cast the reparo spell on the mirror and it joined back together. He looked down at Severus, the man looking pale and knew he didn't look much better as his hand shook.

"Come on, Blake." Severus whispered in the man's ear. "Let's get you up."

Blake got to his feet, his eyes hollow, looking around but not really seeing anything. Dracka ducked back to the bedroom to get some clothes for him as Severus ran the man's hand under the tap and soaped it up to clean the cuts and remove any glass. Blake just stood silent as Severus worked.

Dracka moved into the room and held out the clothing, which Blake pulled on only hissing slightly as he pulled the shirt over his head. Dracka and Severus shared a look of concern.

"Come on, we'll get you some coffee." Severus said gently.

Blake nodded and followed Severus out of the room and to the kitchen with Dracka following behind him. Blake took a seat at the table in the dining room as Severus moved over to the kitchen and flicked the kettle on. Dracka moved up beside him with a jar of coffee.

"Severus?" Dracka asked softly, his eyes locked on Blake in the next room.

Severus kept making the coffee as his mind raced. He didn't know how to deal with this situation and from the look of it neither did Dracka. Blake was always the one to take control of the situation and the man, both of them turned to, when they didn't know what to do next.

"Give me Blake's phone," Severus asked as he poured the water into the cups.

Dracka placed the phone on the bench as Severus pushed two cups towards him and left the other on the counter.

"I'm going to call the Headmaster, then Dr Greenburg," Severus explained. "I'll call Shacklebolt to see if Ry can be released from the Auror program for a little while."

Dracka nodded and moved towards the table with the two cups. He placed one in front of Blake and the man took it into his hands but didn't drink it. Severus moved into the next room but made sure he could still see the two at the table and called the first number on Blake's phone.

"Albus Dumbledore, speaking."

"Albus," Severus said quietly. "It's Severus."

"Severus!" Albus cried. "Did you find him?"

"Yes," Severus said tensely. "We have him."

"Is he okay?"

"Um, no. We are going to make our way back to the school." Severus replied quickly. "We should be there in a day or so. I'm going to call Dr Greenburg to see if he can meet us there."

"Okay, Severus. I'll make up a room for him." Albus said quietly. "Stay safe."

"Thank you, Albus."

Severus hung up and went looking through Blake's phone for Doctor Greenburg's number and he cursed when he couldn't find it. There were too many codewords in the man's contact list.

"Blake?" Severus called out and the man looked up at him blankly. "What have you got Doctor Greenburg's number under?"

"Um," Blake thought for a second. "It's under 'Bear'."

Dracka snorted as Severus pulled up the number and called him.

"Blake!" The man's voice boomed down the phone. " _Wie Geht es dir_?"

"It's Severus."

"Severus! Is Blake okay?"

"No," Severus replied. "Are you able to meet us at Hogwarts? We should be there in a day or two"

"Yes, yes. Of course, what is wrong?"

"Gunshot wound about four days old," Severus replied. "The veelas tried to heal it but we think a part of the bullet is still in there causing an infection."

" _Ja_ ," The man said. "I will be there."

"Thank you."

"Anything for Blake, he is good man! _Auf Wiedersehen_."

Severus hung up and stared at the phone for a few minutes. The battery was running low again and he couldn't remember if Dracka had a phone cord or not to charge it. He thumbed through the contact list until he came to Shacklebolt's number and rang it.

"Blake! How are you?"

"It's Severus." He told him.

"Snape, is Blake okay?" The other man said with concern in his voice.

"No-"

"Do you need support? I can have a team ready." Kingsley interrupted.

"No," Severus replied, rubbing his face. "We have him but he has been injured. Are you able to pull Potter from the Auror program for a few days? It should take us a day or so to get back to the castle."

"Where are you?"

"Um, somewhere in France." Severus replied and looked at Dracka and the man nodded. "We are going to move back towards the school."

"Okay, I'll see what I can do." Kingsley replied. "Call me if you need support, Snape."

"Thank you," Severus replied and ended the call.

He moved back towards the table and placed Blake's phone in front of him.

"It's almost out of battery," He said as he took a seat at the table. "Did you bring the charger?"

Dracka cursed in answer.

"I have one in my bag," Blake said softly and pushed the phone towards the vampire.

"Do you need any pain killers?" Severus asked.

"Um, yeah." Blake replied. "Hungry."

Dracka barked a laugh and clapped him on the shoulder as he moved towards the kitchen.

"Don't tell me he's going to cook?" Blake asked, looking after the vampire.

"Looks that way," Severus replied.

"Oh, god."

xXx

Harry woke slowly with the late afternoon light coming through the windows. He was curled along Severus's back with his legs tangled with the other man's and feeling more like himself than he had in days. His side was still giving him trouble and because of his own stupidity, his hand was stiff and sore. He sighed and rolled away from Severus to lie on his back.

He felt eyes on him and looked over to see Dracka curled up on a sofa that the boys had found somewhere in the house.

"How did you get that in here?" Harry asked softly, rolling towards the man.

"It's called magic, Blake." Dracka said with a grin.

Harry snorted and pulled himself out of bed, soft light shining through the curtains of the room. He noticed that he was still wearing his pants. He sat on the edge of the bed, looking at the vampire.

"How do you feel?" Dracka asked as he sat up and stretched.

"Like an idiot," Harry replied with a lopsided smile.

"So normal?"

Harry smiled but the hollow look in his eyes betrayed him.

"When do we move?" Harry asked softly.

"Nightfall," Dracka replied. "Severus doesn't want to apparate into the Paris International Platform."

Harry nodded he wasn't sure who he could rely on at the moment but he trusted Dracka and Severus. He would feel a lot better once he was back at the school. He needed to work through his reports to see how far Simpson's reach had gone.

"We are not far from your Coven," Harry said, raising his head to look at the man.

The vampire stiffened.

"I'm not leaving," Dracka stated, his voice like steel.

Harry nodded and looked away.

"Blake," Dracka said softly, sitting forward on the lounge.

Harry looked back at him.

"What's running through that head of yours?" Dracka asked softly.

Harry ran a hand through his hair, messing it up.

"No idea," Harry said softly.

Severus snorted behind him and laid a hand on his back offering his support.

xXx

They packed up everything as the sky darkened and Harry looked around the house as Severus and Dracka stayed in the dining room. This house was huge and over three floors with two large living areas and five bedrooms, he managed to get it cheap and in need of repair. He'd put a lot of money into it, to bring it up to the standard it was now as he looked around. He hadn't seen the house in over five years and the real estate agent had kept it well maintained.

"Not your normal type of house?" Severus said as he walked back into the dining area off the kitchen.

"Ah, no." Harry agreed as he took a seat. "Mainly just a rental. I told the real estate agent to hold off renting it again after the last tenant left a couple of months ago. I like to have a house free, just in case."

"How many properties do you have?" Dracka asked.

"I have a list somewhere," Harry replied with a small grin. "Mostly rentals. Ry is always telling me off when I want to buy another one but they bring in good income. Saves me from having to do real work for my money."

Severus snorted.

"Might have to look at some new carpets and paint around here before I rent it back out." Harry said looking around.

"And a longer couch," Dracka muttered.

Harry gave him a grin. "I'm not made of money you know."

Dracka looked around the large dining room and raised an eyebrow.

"This is just one of how many houses?" Dracka noted.

"You live in a mansion," Harry deadpanned.

"Okay, you two." Severus cut in. "We should get going."

Harry agreed as Severus shouldered the backpack and Dracka picked up the swag. They moved to the front door and Harry closed it softly behind them before placing a hand on the wood for a second before turning away following Severus. They walked for a while down the quiet streets, Harry following Severus's lead as the man lead them towards the main centre of town.

"Are we going muggle?" Harry asked in amusement.

"Yes," Severus replied. "Problem, Mr Sun?"

"Nope," Harry replied, wishing he had his cane. "Maybe a stop at a chemist might help."

Severus looked around at him as Harry caught up.

"Don't tell me I've been gone that long that you've forgotten?" Harry asked in amusement.

Dracka snorted as they moved closer to town stopping briefly at a chemist for Harry to pick up a cane and more pain killers as Severus kept watch out the front and Dracka kept a watch on him. He didn't take offence at that as they moved further into town. The streets getting busier and Harry found it harder to keep up with Severus's longer strides.

The pain killers helped with the headache and the pain in his side as he kept Severus and Dracka in his sights. He kept his mind open to anything else but it had been a while since he was around so many people and he'd had to pull back on his sense of magic or be overwhelmed.

Severus and Dracka slowed down for him when they noticed he was lagging behind.

"Do you need to stop?" Severus asked in concern.

"All good," Harry replied.

"The train station isn't much further," Dracka said as he glanced around.

"Okay," Harry replied. "Keep going."

The two men set back out as Harry followed them as they kept an eye on him. The men weaved through the crowds on a busy Friday night in town. Harry kept an eye out and it was what saved him when he noticed a man near the station with an unlit cigarette in his fingers and eyes that were too sharp. Harry fell back in the crowd allowing Severus and Dracka to get ahead of him and slid further to the side as he kept an eye on the man and Severus's tall frame.

The man looked Severus and Dracka over as the men got closer and pulled out a mobile phone, which rang alarm bells for Harry since the devices were still uncommon. Harry slipped through the crowds with skill so he wouldn't draw attention to himself. He watched as Severus stopped and looked around. Dracka grabbed his arm and gave him a slight push to keep him moving and Harry was grateful to the vampire. The man had picked up on something as well.

He quickly assessed the rest of the crowd but the man seemed to be working alone but that didn't mean people weren't watching him from a distance. Harry moved closer to the man and picked up a hat from one of the stores lining the street and slipped it on, pushing as much of his hair into it. He winked at the storeowner who blushed as he paid her and moved off, losing his cane near a bench with regret. He tried to walk as normally as he could and his leg was not happy with the arrangement but he ignored it.

He paused next to a group of teenagers and exchanged words with them before weaving further through the crowds. He noticed the gun at the man's belt, tucked to the side, under his coat. He picked a man's pocket as he walked passed and pulled out a cigarette from the packet he had nicked and moved towards the man.

" _Vous avez du feu_?" Harry muttered and held the cigarette up to the man, keeping his face tilted away.

" _Nein_ French," The man replied in thick accented German.

" _De feu_?" Harry asked again wiggling the smoke.

The man smiled and reached into his pocket. Just at that moment a teenager bumped into Harry and he stumbled into the man.

"Pardon," Harry muttered then yelled over his shoulder. " _Fais attention_!"

The man smiled and lit the cigarette for him as Harry turned back to the man.

" _Merci_ ," Harry said and disappeared into the crowd moving into the station passing a bill to the teenager that had bumped into him as he did so.

He weaved through the station as he pocketed the gun and man's wallet. He quickly ditched his hat as he swiped another man's cane and coat from off a bench and kept walking, leaning into the cane heavily. Stooping his walk as he moved further into the station as the man looked around for him.

Harry paused and rubbed his hands over a piece of white chalk in his pocket and ran his hands through his hair messing it up and adding a couple of years to his age with the white chalk. He hunched down in the stolen coat that was two sizes too big for his frame and flicked the collar up.

He spotted Dracka moving through the crowd towards him with his nose in the air and circled around the vampire making him frown. Moving towards a group of old people waiting for a train.

"It is too busy here today," Harry remarked in French to an old lady sitting on a walker.

"It is my dear," The woman replied also in French. "These young people just don't know how to respect their elders."

"That they don't." Harry agreed softly as Dracka stopped as he looked around. "Where are you headed this lovely night?"

"Oh, Paris." The woman announced brightly. "My daughter has just had a little baby."

"Congratulations," Harry said with a grin. "Boy or girl?"

"A little girl," The woman sighed. "You must see the photos I have of my other grandchildren."

"I would love to see them," Harry replied and quickly wrote a note on the back of a receipt. "Just give me a minute, I have to give this to my friend before the train comes."

"Of course," The woman cried and Harry slipped off.

The man was watching Dracka as the vampire moved through the crowds. This was going to be the hard part. Harry brushed his magic against the vampire and he flicked his head around towards him. Harry ducked down and moved to his right as Dracka moved towards the place he had been.

He got close enough to stumble on a step and bump into the vampire. Dracka glanced at him then did a double take but before he could grab him, Harry slipped the note into his pocket and palmed his phone before apologising and disappearing into the crowd.

Dracka looked stunned for a second before placing his hand in his pocket. Harry smirked as he worked his way around to the old lady as he kept an eye on the vampire and the man he'd taken the gun from.

"Now, dear." Harry said softly as he moved towards the woman. "My name is Blake Sun and I would love to see the photos of your grandchildren. My son is all grown up now so hopefully grandchildren are in my future."

The old woman grinned and pulled a picture wallet out of her bag as the train pulled into the station.

xXx

Dracka cursed Blake as he moved back towards Severus. He'd taken the wrong bloody phone. Severus shot to his feet when he saw him, their bags on the ground at his feet, the smell of the bags alone giving them space.

"Did you find him?" Severus asked.

"No," Dracka grumbled. "But he found me, the slippery bastard. Picked my pocket as well."

He held Blake's note out to Severus.

' _You and Severus were made_.' Was written in Blake's hand. ' _Keep a look out and I'll catch the next train to Paris, Blake.'_

"He stole my phone as well," Dracka growled. "The bugger."

Severus smiled in amusement and took his seat again as Dracka looked around the busy station feeling on edge.

"He always finds a way," Dracka muttered.

"Try living with him," Severus replied with a sigh.

Dracka snorted as they picked up their bags and moved towards the train.

xXx

Harry was starting to think he would have been happier to ride with the animals in the back. Then look at another photo of a smiling child but he just nodded and said the right thing, at the right time, as the woman chatted away.

He ducked down lower in his borrowed coat and was very happy to hear the announcement that Paris station was five minutes away.

"Well," Harry said softly, getting to his feet. "This my stop, my dear. Thank you for showing me your lovely family."

"Oh," The woman smiled. "You are very welcome."

Harry nodded and moved with the rest of the passages, towards the doors and flipped the collar of the coat up and readjusted everything in his pockets as he moved off the train and onto the platform. He spotted the man, the minute he got off the train, his magical signal strong. He turned to his left and fell into step with a man near him.

"Do you know where the taxis are?" Harry asked in English.

" _Oui_ ," The man said with a smile. "I'm heading that way."

Harry smiled and walked with the man looking out for anyone else.

"Thank you," Harry said with a grin. "This is my first time in Paris."

"I work here," The man replied, unsure.

"Any good places to eat?" Harry asked lightly with a grin and the man launched into broken English about what to see and where to eat as they moved towards the taxi rank.

"Thank you," Harry said as the man took a cab and he waved as the man moved off.

He turned away from the taxi rank and blended into the crowd standing straighter and curling his collar back down as he pulled a smoke from the packet. He walked up to a man smoking on the street and asked for a light. The man passed him the lighter and Harry leaned back against the wall and watched the entrance of the station.

He spotted Severus first, about ten minutes later, the man standing out in the crowd due to his height with Dracka beside him. They seem to be arguing about something since people were giving them a bit of space and would look over their shoulders as they passed. His boys were not made for this kind of work, Harry thought fondly as he sighed.

"Waiting for someone?" The man next to him asked in French.

" _Oui_ ," Harry replied also in French and took another smoke from the packet. "She is always late."

The man laughed as Harry lit the smoke and passed the lighter back.

"They are always like that," The man said with a smile. "But if you are five minutes late you cop the blame."

" _Oui_ ," Harry agreed taking a drag on the smoke as he watched the two men.

They seem to come to an agreement and set off down the street. Harry watched them while he kept an eye out for a tail. He couldn't spot one and he thanked the man beside him and moved off, keeping to the other side of the street as he kept pace with them.

They came to a phone box and Harry grinned as Dracka stepped inside. Severus folded his arms over his chest and stood in the doorway with the two bags. Harry could see the scowl on Severus's face from where he stood.

"Yes?" Harry answered the phone with a grin as he leaned up against the wall and pulled a smoke from the packet and held it in his fingers. He only had two left.

"Save me from Severus," Dracka begged and Harry watched in amusement as Severus whacked the other man's shoulder.

"And here I thought you two were getting along very well," Harry replied and shoved his other thoughts of the two of them aside.

"Blake, where are you?"

"Across the road."

Severus's head shot up and scanned the street, it took him a little while to find him and Harry held up the smoke.

"It's safe," Harry replied and hung up the phone.

He asked a passing smoker for a light as the two men moved through the crowds before him and took a drag as Dracka and Severus moved in front of him. He blew the smoke out and passed Dracka his phone and held his hand out for his.

Dracka growled and swapped phones. Harry took the phone and moved off down the street as he kept his eyes open as they moved through the crowds. He stepped into a coffee shop and waited in line. Severus and Dracka behind him in line.

"Blake?" Severus asked softly.

" _Oui_ ," Harry answered as he stepped forward in line.

Dracka placed a hand on the man's arm and Harry turned back to the front as his turn came. He stepped forward and ordered a coffee in French with a big smile for the woman behind the counter. The woman blushed as he brushed his hair to the side. He turned to Dracka and Severus behind him.

"Coffee?" Harry asked, in very heavily accented English.

The two men nodded.

"They are new in town," Harry said in French, with a smile turning back to the woman. "Boss told me to show them around. They don't even speak French!"

The girl on the counter giggled and Harry took a wallet out of his pocket and passed over a couple of bills making sure his hand brushed against the woman's. She blushed deeper and Harry took his number and weaved through the tables until he got to a table near the large window so he could see the street.

He took a seat with a sigh, gabbing his bag as Severus placed it on the ground and picking out the water and pills. Severus and Dracka just stared at him.

"What?" Harry asked with a grin.

The woman from the counter stepped over with their coffees and Harry smiled up at her.

" _Merci_ ," Harry purred and slid an extra bill across the table.

The woman smiled and tucked the bill away, walking away with a sway to her hips. Harry watched her before turning to Severus and smirked.

"It looks could kill, Severus." Harry drawled as he took a sip of coffee.

Dracka snorted as Severus turned his glare towards Harry.

"So, the man that spotted you is this man." Harry said and placed a wallet on the table. "The man that used to own his coat and cane was this man." Another wallet joined the first. "Got these off some other guy and a kid is ten euros richer tonight."

He placed the smokes on the table then hung the cane from the edge of the table with a grin.

"Also got a nice little weapon off the man watching at the station." Harry finished.

The two men just looked at him as Dracka reached for the wallet.

"You never cease to amaze me," Severus drawled.

Harry gave him a grin and a wink as he sat back in his seat.

"I've had lots of time to perfect my skills." Harry said with a wink. "We used to take it in turns to see what we could get away with, before someone would call the police."

Harry looked at the napkin and the number written there and held it up for Severus to see. The man's eyes darkened.

"All types of skills," Harry replied, as Dracka barked a laugh. "There was a wizard when I got off the train, he was keeping a look out but no one followed you. Simpson has managed to get a spy network working here as well as in Germany."

"Yes," Dracka agreed. "This wasn't just set up recently either."

"Yes," Harry mused, sitting back in his chair. "He was probably working on it while we were working against Dark Lord Voldemort. This is a concerning development. I've never faced a Dark Lord that has gotten this kind of support, so quickly. They normally like to work slow in building up their networks and gathering power. He is working like someone that already knows how to use his dark power."

"Could it just be that we were distracted by the Dark Lord?" Severus asked. "We didn't notice what Simpson was doing?"

"Yes," Dracka agreed. "It could be possible."

"The Council were focused on Dark Lord Voldemort as well," Harry remarked, as he slipped a couple of extra pills out of the bottle and swallowed then down. "Simpson could have slipped through the cracks, he was probably hoping we were too focused in England to come to the Council aid, when he attacked. I'll have to look back through some old reports to pick up where and when he started. I'm sure this started before he was exiled from the states."

Harry took a sip of his coffee, his side burning, his leg sore and the headache brought on from looking at way too many pictures of children was making itself known.

"The question is," Harry announced after a couple of minutes. "Do we stay here or move on?"

Severus and Dracka shared a look.

"We go to Hogwarts," Severus replied. "You are still injured Blake."

"I am aware of that," Harry said softly. "I meant do we move to the Portkey Platform tonight or wait until tomorrow night."

"We should move on," Severus insisted but Dracka was thinking it through.

"An extra night and day could give us time to scope out the Portkey Platform," Dracka said eventually. "Just in case he has men in place there."

Harry nodded and Severus just glared at them.

"I do have an apartment in the city," Harry said softly. "But I think a hotel might be a better idea."

"I agree," Dracka commented.

Severus sat back in his seat, unhappily.

"Severus?" Harry asked, turning to his lover.

"If you think it's best," Severus replied slowly. "But I'm not happy about it."

Harry was torn as he looked around the coffee shop and out the window at the people passing on the sidewalk as they worked through their coffees.

"We move on tonight then," Harry said softly.

Severus started and stared at him, Harry gave him a small smile as he pulled himself to his feet, gritting his teeth as he put his weight on his bad leg. Severus picked up the bag and placed the items on the table inside it before swinging it onto his shoulder as Dracka picked up the swag.

"Give that here," Harry held a hand out for the swag and the vampire passed it over.

Harry gave a wink to the waitress as they moved out of the coffee shop. The first homeless person that Harry spotted he placed the swag down without breaking stride as he followed after Severus and Dracka.

xXx

They made it to the entrance to the Paris International Portkey Platform without a problem. It looked like Simpson didn't want his men too close to the French military as they moved into the entrance.

"Ah, fuck." Harry swore. "Do either of you have my badge?"

Severus smirked and pulled the leather bag from his jacket and passed it over. Harry took it in hand and slipped the badge out before placing the rest of the bag into his stolen coat.

" _Bonjour_ ," Harry said to the security guard.

" _Bonjour monsieur_ ," The man replied.

Harry held out the badge with a grin and the man's eyes widened.

"Please wait here, sir," The guard replied in French and moved off to speak into his radio.

Harry grinned at the other two men and slipped the badge into his pocket.

"Perks with working for the Department," Harry said with a smile.

"You couldn't have used that in Germany that time?" Severus asked, looking down his nose at Harry.

"Ah, yeah." Harry replied, rubbing his head. "I didn't have it with me."

Dracka snorted as a man in a military uniform made his way towards them.

"Badge?" The man demanded in French.

" _Oui_ , sir." Harry replied and stepped forward showing the man the badge.

The man took in in hand and flipped it over with a raised eyebrow.

"Please come with me, Mr Blake Sun." The man announced in English.

"Thank you, sir." Harry replied with a grin. "We have come a long way."

"Yes, yes." The man huffed and waved his hand. "It has been a busy night tonight."

"People coming or going?" Harry asked in interest.

"More people leaving," The man replied stiffly. "Here we are."

The man passed Harry's badge to the lady behind the counter and he gave Harry a nod before disappearing.

"Hello," Harry said to the woman with a smile.

" _Bonjour_ , sir." The woman replied. "Where are you going tonight?"

"London please," Harry commented, leaning on the counter and slipping the badge back into his pocket.

"Have a nice trip," The woman said with a smile and passed over a piece of steel with a ticket.

"Thank you," Harry said and turned towards the portkey room on the ticket with Dracka and Severus behind him.

"Bloody hell," Dracka swore. "How do I get one of those?"

Harry laughed and stepped into the room and held out the portkey.

"I'm just special," Harry said with a grin.

Severus and Dracka shared a look which Harry ignored.

xXx

It was nearing dawn when they arrived at the castle and Dracka slipped away from them to hurry up to the castle as Harry and Severus lingered. Harry sighed as he looked up at the castle. Severus wrapped his arms around him from behind and leaned back into the man's embrace.

"Home again," Severus purred.

Harry grinned and tilted his head back to look up at the man behind him.

"Over two months gone and it's still standing," Harry muttered.

"You know that Minerva and Albus have a bet that you are going to destroy a part of the school," Severus whispered as the sun rose.

"Which one thinks I'm going to do that?" Harry asked in amusement.

"Both," Severus said with a smirk. "They are betting which part of the castle and they aren't alone in that bet."

Harry barked a laugh and together they moved up to the school.

"Dad!"

Harry looked up to see Ry running towards him with a big grin. Harry grinned, his eyes shining as his son came towards him. The boy skittered to a stop, looking him over before giving him a hug. Harry tightened his hold on his son, ignoring the pain in his side. Ry patted his father's back before pulling back and shaking hands with Severus with a grin.

"Are you okay?" Ry asked his father, looking him over. "Doctor Greenburg is here to see you and Auror Shacklebolt pulled me out of training."

"Whoa," Harry said holding up a hand and the boy grinned. "I'm fine."

Severus snorted and two sets of green eyes looked at him and he shivered.

"Oh, God." Severus moaned. "You really need to cut your hair, Blake."

Harry laughed as Ry wrapped an arm around his shoulders as they moved up to the castle. Ry grinned and started talking a mile a minute about his training as they made their way up to the castle. Severus falling back with a soft smile, this was just what his lover needed.

Albus, Albert, Dracka and Minerva stood waiting on the front steps of the castle as Ry stepped away from his father and Minerva gasped.

"My god, Blake." The woman gasped. "No one is going to think you're not a Potter looking like that!"

Harry grinned and ruffled his hair, spiking it up even more, before rubbing the hair on his face.

"You don't like it?" Harry asked as he moved up the steps.

"You look just like James," Minerva said fondly. "He could never tame his hair either. I was at their wedding you know."

"Really?" Ry piped up.

"Yes," Minerva said with a soft smile. "Did you ever meet him, Blake?"

"Um, no." Harry answered. "I never met him, I was just unlucky enough to get the Potter hair. My father had the same mop of hair. The Potter curse it is."

Harry shared a look with Severus and Ry before reached up and ruffling Ry's hair.

"Like this one." Harry laughed as Ry tried to push his hair back down. "I think a date with the shaver is in order."

"After I look you over, Blake." Albert rumbled, stepping forward.

Dracka smirked.

"No way out of that?" Harry pleaded with a grin.

Severus clamped a hand on his shoulder.

"No," Severus said shortly.

Harry coughed and stepped forward.

"I'm all yours then, Albert." Harry said holding his hands out to his sides.

The large man laughed and gently clapped a hand to his shoulder, steering him away.

"Um, Albus." Harry called over his shoulder.

"Yes, my boy?" Albus asked.

"If I'm not seen in twenty-four hours, please send in reinforcements."

xXx

Severus carefully opened Blake's door and looked around the edge of it. Albert sat at the table and grinned at him when he saw him.

"Severus!" The big man cried. "Come in, come in!"

Severus hesitantly closed the door behind him and sat down at the table.

"Were you injured as well?" Albert asked loudly. "I've already seen to the vampire."

Severus's eyes flicked to Blake's bedroom door.

"Don't worry about him," Albert said with a dark grin. "He has enough drugs running through his system at the moment to take down an elephant!"

"How is he?"

"He still has a fever but I got the last of the bullet out and cleaned up the wound. It was mess. Too dirty when it was closed." Albert calmly told him. "Those veelas have no idea! The shoulder should heal up nicely. The head wound was a little tricky but he should be fine."

Severus paled. "Head wound?"

" _Ja_ ," Albert replied.

Severus frowned. "He was having problems remembering things and keeping things in order. We thought it was the fever or the way he was holding his magic."

"It is possible, but the wound was newer than the gunshot." The big man said. "He is good at hiding injuries but he can't hide them from me!"

"Do you want a coffee?" Severus asked.

" _Nein_ ," Albert said, getting to his feet. "I need to be going. Look after him Severus."

The man clapped a hand to his shoulder and Severus staggered.

"Thank you, Albert."

" _Ja, ja_." The man said with a grin. "Any time, _Auf Wiedersehen_."

"Good bye, Albert."

Severus finished making up his coffee before moving into the bedroom. Blake was sprawled out across the bed on his stomach with the blanket over him, snoring softly and completely boneless. Severus smiled softly as he looked at the man and stepped forward to pull the blanket up higher and run a hand over the man's head before leaving.

He looked up when Dracka peeked around the door.

"He's gone," Severus said with a smirk.

"Thank god," Dracka cried coming into the room. "If he was going to poke my head one more time, I was going to snap."

Severus huffed a laugh as Dracka peeked into the bedroom before pulling the door closed and moving to the table.

"What did the doctor say?" Dracka asked.

Severus placed a mug in front of him as he took a seat himself.

"That Blake had a head injury that we didn't know about," Severus said blandly. "And that he had given him enough drugs to take down an elephant."

"So, he might be awake soon?" Dracka asked with a grin.

"Knowing Blake?" Severus drawled with a smirk. "He will probably be at the door asking for coffee."

Dracka barked a laugh. They both looked up when Ry peeked around the door, his eyes flicking around.

"Come in, Ry." Severus said with a smile. "He's already left."

"Thank god," The boy cried, coming into the room. "He bailed me up in the hallway to talk about birth control and you know how loud he talks! I had third year girls giggling at me."

Dracka snorted into his coffee as Severus smiled.

"It's an important conversation," Severus remarked with a straight face.

Potter's face screwed up, making Severus smirk.

"Ugh," Ry gagged. "How's dad?"

"To quote Albert," Severus said softly. "He has enough drugs in his system to knock out an elephant."

"So, he will be up soon?" Ry questioned with a cheeky grin.

"How's training going?" Severus asked the boy, sitting back in his seat.

"It's great." Ry said excitingly. "Ron and I are having so much fun! More fun than Hermione is at the Ministry!"

Severus smiled and sat back in his seat as they listened to the boy talk. Severus seeing the man that Harry Potter was going to become and he felt proud to be part of the boy's life, a feeling he didn't think he would ever have.

"Did you want to stay with him, Ry?" Severus questioned, some time later. "While Dracka and I go up to the Headmaster to give our report?"

"Sure," Ry replied and took a small book out of his pocket. "I have reading to catch up on and he will probably be awake soon anyway."

"I'm sure Blake has some other books you can read through," Severus said with a smile. "Some of them might bite though."

Ry barked a laugh. "I know what his books are like. You get bitten by a book at five and you remember to check them after that."

Dracka grinned and clapped a hand to the boy's shoulder as they made their way out of the room.

xXx

Severus was surprised that Blake slept through the day and was still sleeping when he went to bed that night. He looked down at the man sprawled out across the bed. He may not be tall but he knew how to spread out. Severus looked down at him while he snored quietly before stripping down and climbing under the covers. He pushed the man gently until he rolled over onto his side and curled up facing away from Severus.

He could feel the bandages around the man's waist as he curled up along his back and carefully placed an arm around his chest and was quickly asleep.

He jolted when a hand shook his shoulder and he looked up at Dracka. He glanced over his shoulder to see Blake still curled up asleep. The vampire moved out of the room and Severus pulled on some pants before following him out.

"What is it?" Severus asked.

He looked at the clock to see he had only been asleep for about four hours.

"Simpson attacked a village in Germany," Dracka reported. "The Council and Ministry came to their aid and he pulled back. Blake's wards kept them back until we arrived."

Severus frowned and sat down at the dining table.

"Do you think he was looking for Blake?" Severus asked.

"I think you may be right," Dracka agreed. "It was the closest magical village to where Blake was made. We made a good dint on his forces at least, it was one of the villages that Blake had linked."

"Linked?" Severus asked with a frown.

"He linked a few villages with a type of Portkey so that we could get support in and people out," Dracka replied. "He was hoping to get more done but the Dark Lord here started making moves."

"Is Simpson making a move?" Severus asked.

"I don't think so," Dracka said. "I'm still waiting on reports but we finally got a photo of the man!"

Severus started, for some reason getting photos of the man had been the hardest thing. They had school photos and a couple of side profile shots but the man didn't come to the main battles and getting a full photo had been hard. Not to mention he had some kind of spell on him that made taking images from memories or magical means impossible. The only way to get his photo was with a muggle camera.

"It should be in the file they are sending." Dracka announced and looked over to the bedroom door.

Severus looked over his shoulder but it was still closed, he half expected Blake to be standing there.

"Is he still sleeping?" Dracka asked with a frown.

"Yes," Severus replied. "I don't think he's woken up since Albert left."

"Should we be concerned?" Dracka asked.

"Albert didn't say anything," Severus said. "He must have just given him some strong drugs or he just needed the sleep. You know he has been living rough and may not have been getting sleep before we got to him."

"That's true," Dracka conceded as he stood. "I'll leave you to it."

"Thanks."

Severus sat at the table for a little longer in thought before turning back to the bedroom. He walked in to see Blake sprawled back across the whole bed and sighed.


	44. Chapter 44

Harry woke slowly, alone and sprawled out across the bed with just the soft light in the room for company. He pulled himself out of the bed and headed to the bathroom first feeling a lot better The pain in side just a slight ache and the headache gone. His thoughts clear for the first time in a while.

Severus was nowhere to be found and he reached out to the link with him. He brushed against it and felt the man's amusement back. When he walked back into his main room he noticed a file sitting on the table and clicked the kettle on for a coffee. He ordered up some food from the House Elves before dressing.

He settled at the table with a coffee, bacon and eggs, and flicked the file open. His eyes widened as he looked into the face of a plain looking man in his thirties with brown hair and brown eyes. He was turning away slightly and Harry could see that the photo had been taken from a distance with a muggle camera. He felt a chill in his stomach as he looked into that face.

He knew the man and it made him shiver and reach for the silver knife that wasn't there. He flipped the photo over to see the name Graham Simpson in Dracka's curving script. The letters leading into each other on the back.

He placed the photo to the side, his hand shaking slightly before he curled it into a fist. He turned back to the report of the attack last night. He could tell from the report that the attack had been to find him and he frowned. Why was Simpson so focused on him all of a sudden? What did he do to draw the man's attention?

Harry sat back in his seat in thought and tapped a pen on the table. The photo just threw up other questions. He moved to his office and grabbed up a few more files and a blank notebook. He had to write this all out so he could put it all in order in his mind.

It was around lunchtime when Severus came into his room and looked at the table covered from one end to the other and sighed. Harry looked up with a grin.

"Hey," Harry greeted, sitting back in his seat. "Is Dracka coming down or do I have to call him?"

"Do you have something for us?" Severus asked, looking the files over and the notebook full of Blake's writing in interest.

"I do," Harry replied. "Do you want to call him or should I?"

"No need," Dracka announced, coming into the room and looking at the table. "You've been busy."

"More than that," Harry commented. "I know who Graham Simpson is."

The two men stilled and looked at him in surprise. Harry picked up the photo. Then threw it down onto the table.

"This is the man that tortured me and I killed in my time," Harry said blandly.

Severus and Dracka paled at his words.

"Different name and a large age gap," Harry continued. "But the same man. It was annoying me that I didn't know him. I know every Dark Lord from my time and this man was not one of them. I now know why."

"Why?" Severus whispered, unsure if he wanted to know the answer.

"The man I knew never held a horcrux, so could never work out how to become a Dark Lord." Harry explained. "And the fact that I killed him, even if he had been working towards being a Dark Lord, I killed him before that could happen."

"Time difference," Severus muttered.

"Yes," Harry agreed. "Annoying, aren't they?"

Dracka snorted and made coffees for the three of them.

"What is concerning me," Harry continued. "Is this attack last night. It seems like it was focused on finding me. Not to mention those men were looking for me at the station. They may have picked up on you two but they didn't move in, they seemed to have been waiting for me."

"What are you thinking?" Dracka asked.

"I'm not sure," Harry replied with a frown. "But I have a feeling that I have caught his attention for some reason."

"You do tend to cause waves, Blake." Dracka grumbled softly.

"That's me," Harry said, with a grin. "I like to rock the boat."

Severus snorted as Dracka placed the mugs of coffee on the table. Harry having to move a couple of files to make room.

"Now," Harry said, turning serious. "If I am a target than that means you two are in trouble as well, which means we can't leave the school alone, understand?"

The two men nodded in agreement.

"I'll contact Kingsley to put extra protection around the Auror School to keep Ry safe as well," Harry said calmly. "Though he is probably the safest of all of us."

Harry tapped his pen for a few seconds, trying to think.

"You said he didn't go by the name Graham Simpson?" Severus muttered.

"Yes," Harry replied. "But I can't remember what name he went by. I'll probably have to look back into some memories to see if I can remember any more about this man but I'm not holding my breath. We know that Graham Simpson is the man's birth name so the name he may have gone by in my time is kind of irrelevant."

Severus paled at Harry words and he gave him a nod. Looking back on his memories was not going to be pleasant and he was sure it would stir up his nightmares.

"I don't think we had much on him," Harry uttered into the silence. "He was just a man that tortured me and then he was dead. Case closed."

Severus flinched at the words said so casually.

"The hallows," Dracka said suddenly.

"What about them?" Harry questioned.

"When you had that flashback," Dracka reminded him. "You said that the hallows were trying to tell you something."

Harry sat up straighter and moved some files around until he pulled out the ones on Simpson that he'd been reading that night. He looked through them and pulled out the school photo of the man and swore. He placed the two photos together and could see the similarity and yet the differences in age and hair style.

"They were trying to tell me," Harry whispered, feeling faint. "I was just too thick to understand. There is still so much I don't know about the hallows. They are just a bloody children story!"

Severus smirked.

"They are more than that to you, Blake." Dracka pointed out.

Harry froze as a thought came to him and the other two sat up, seeing something in his face.

"Maybe that's it," Harry said slowly. "Dark power has a way of creating their own personality. Their form changed from the wand, cloak and stone maybe when I started using the power, they got a life of their own as well. Since their power is mixed in with mine. A dark power that I was never supposed to hold."

"That's a bit of a stretch," Severus mused.

"Possibly," Harry said, unsure.

xXx

 _Harry could feel claws digging into his sides as light magic swirled around him. Settling on his skin as a figure moved up his body. He tried to flinch away but the claws dug in deeper holding him in place as a body like steel held him down. He cried out when the claws drew down his sides, the warmth of his blood on his skin as the figure leaned over him and bit into his shoulder, the light magic pouring into him. The hallows burning in his veins and he yelled out in pain and looked up into the icy blue eyes above him._

Harry tore himself from the bed in panic. His stomach rolling as he stumbled through the room with Severus shouting behind him. He crashed through the bathroom door and fell onto his knees, with a sharp crack, in front of the toilet as he threw up everything in his stomach.

His hands were shaking and his body shivered as his stomach rebelled until nothing but bile was coming up. He laid his head against the toilet seat as he tried to get his breathing under control as someone rubbed his back and the coldness of the tiles started to seep into his knees.

"Blake?"

Harry closed his eyes as he tried to get his stomach under control. He could feel the phantom feeling of fingers running down his sides and the light magic brushing against him. The hand disappeared as Harry threw up again. When he could focus again there was a glass of water being held out to him by Severus.

Harry took it with a nod and washed his mouth out as he sat on the floor. He winced as he stretched his right leg out and Severus disappeared. Harry leaned his back against the wall next to the toilet, his head tilted back as he tried to push the dream to the side in his mind as his stomach started to settle. The coldness of the tiles cooling his hot skin.

He started when Severus dropped a pair of pants in his lap, just before the vampire walked in. They both looked down at him as Severus held out a pain potion. Harry took it into his hand and just looked up at them.

They were both dark haired and dark eyed but that's where the similarity ended. Severus was a good couple of inches taller with dark hair that brushed his shoulders and a long nose that he used to his advantage as he looked down at Harry. Dracka on the other hand was always well groomed with short facial hair down his cheeks, under his nose and across his chin. He kept his hair short and in trend. Both sets of dark eyes were focused on him.

"Hey," Harry said softly.

Severus's mouth curled up.

"Hey," He said in reply.

"Did I call you?" Harry asked, looking at Dracka.

The vampire's lips curled up, showing fangs. Harry let his head fall back against the wall with a groan. Severus crouched down in front of him and he felt a cold hand on his forehead.

"You're hot," Severus said in concern. "Is your side infected again? Do you want me to call Albert?"

"Oh god, no." Harry snapped with wide eyes.

Dracka snorted as Severus smirked.

"You are an evil man, Snape." Harry growled.

Severus just smirked and helped him to his feet. Harry slipped into the pants that had been dropped onto him. He felt shaky and his hands shook as he tried to tighten his belt, he gave up and left it with a curse. He picked up a jacket when he moved into the living room and slipped it on.

He was steered towards the table and sprawled out in one of the chairs. His files were scattered across the top of it. He looked them over before piling them all up and placing them in the middle of the table. Dracka sat close to him then suddenly leaned forward and sniffed him. Harry's hand froze and he slowly turned his head to look at him.

"Looking for something?" Harry drawled.

"When you called, you sent out light magic," Dracka remarked. "You haven't done that before."

Severus paused in making coffee for them and looked over.

"Um, sorry." Harry said with wide eyes. "Didn't even realise I called you."

"You were yelling in your sleep," Severus said softly as he placed the mugs on the table and took a seat across from him.

Harry looked away as he clenched his hands on the tabletop.

"Blake?" Dracka asked softly. "Was it what happened with the veela?"

"Yes," Harry whispered, the phantom feeling of that light magic making him shiver.

"Tell us what happened," Dracka said softly and curled one of his hands around his forearm gently.

"She tried to claim me," Harry remarked.

Dracka pulled back cursing as Severus brushed his magic against him, making Harry's head shoot up to stare at him. Severus's eyes were dark as they looked at him and his hands were tight around the cup but his magic was soft against him. The man was learning and quickly.

"Blake," Severus whispered. "What does that mean?"

Harry rubbed a hand over his short hair, glad to have it back, as he tried to get his thoughts in order.

"Bound," Dracka said suddenly, startling Harry and Severus. "You said bound after you left. You pulled on your link with Severus."

Harry nodded and Dracka paled.

"You are bound," Dracka whispered.

"No," Harry stated. "I can't be bound to any person with dark or light magic."

Dracka reeled back.

"Why?" Severus questioned.

Harry looked away from him.

"I used my link with you, Severus, to convince Bella that I was bound to you." Harry said instead. "I had to pull on it strong enough to convince her."

"Wait," Dracka snapped. "She tried to claim you? To bind you to her?"

Harry nodded his head and suddenly Dracka was before him. His red eyes shining as he crouched in front of him so they were eye to eye. Harry felt a bolt of fear run through him and he flinched back. Dracka's eyes widened and he gently laid his hand on his knee in apology.

"Can someone please explain this to me?" Severus hissed dangerously.

Harry flinched as he looked up into Severus's dark eyes, filled with rage as he looked at the two of them. Dracka bolted to his feet and flashed his fangs at the man and Severus's eyes darkened even more as he lowered his head slightly.

Harry moved quickly as he lunged at the vampire, bring him down. Dracka yelped in surprise and even Severus looked shocked as Harry pushed Dracka to the floor with his forearm against the man's throat. His legs were clamped around his sides as he leaned his whole weight into the man. His green eyes shining as his magic crackled in the air and along his skin. Dracka quickly tilted his head to the side and Harry let up on the pressure on his throat but didn't get up.

"Sorry," Dracka said softly into the silence.

Harry nodded and pulled himself to his feet and held a hand out to the vampire. Dracka took the offered hand and Harry helped him up.

"What the hell?" Severus cursed.

"You field this one," Harry stated as he took his seat again and grabbed his coffee.

"Gee thanks," Dracka replied. "Sorry Severus, the demon took over for a second there."

Severus paled as he looked between the two of them before taking his seat again.

"I'm going to have to read a book about vampire language, aren't I?" Severus muttered softly.

Harry choked on his coffee as Dracka laughed.

"I'll get you the right one," Dracka said with a grin, his eyes back to normal.

Harry's eyes watered as he finally got his coughing under control.

"I'm still confused here," Severus confessed.

"She tried to bind me to her," Harry said bluntly. "If she had succeeded she would have been able to draw on my magic through the binding. I used the link between us to convince her that I am already bound to you. She tried to block our connection but we broke through it. She took a chance because my dark magic was so low."

Both men paled and stared at Harry as he finished.

"Fuck," Dracka swore and Severus didn't look much better.

"I can't be bound to anyone with dark or light magic," Harry continued, his eyes hollow. "I hold both light and dark power, something that is very rare and never heard of in the amount I have. I've worked on balancing the two types of magic over the years so that I am able to draw on both. If I was bound to someone with either magic the other half would turn on me."

Dracka paled even more at the words.

"I was not born with both types of magic," Harry confessed. "Ry's core is pure light magic…"

Harry paused as he tried to gather his thoughts, his hands shaking.

"The Hallows tainted my core," Harry explained softly. "They have become a part of me after all the years that I have held them. I didn't realise until after the battle with Dark Lord Voldemort that Ry's core was just light magic meaning mine was the same when I was born. Before then, I always thought I was born with some dark magic which was just boosted when I took up the Hallows…I was wrong."

He clenched his hands into fists to stop them shaking and wouldn't look at the other two men. Dracka and Severus looked at him in shock unsure what to say.

"The link I had with Ry at the final battle was the closest I have come to being bound," Harry said softly. "And Ry and myself were born the same person. That link almost killed me…it would have killed me."

Severus wrapped his arms around him and pulled him to his feet as Harry buried his head in his chest as Severus rubbed his back. He could feel Dracka close by, his dark presence brushing against him.

"Blake?" Dracka asked softly after a few minutes and Harry pulled back from Severus to look at him.

"Yes?" Harry asked.

"How do you know so much about vampires and our ways?" Dracka said with a frown, it was something that had been bothering him for a while. "Before, you acted as quickly as a full vampire would have."

"Um," Harry uttered and stepped back from Severus.

Severus raised an eyebrow in question, also wondering about the other man's answer.

"Well you see," Harry replied nervously. "I lived in a Coven for a while."

Dracka started at that.

"That would have meant…" Dracka trailed off.

"Yes," Harry confirmed. "I had a relationship with a vampire."

"Humans don't live in Covens," Dracka countered.

"I'm special," Harry replied with a grin.

Severus clapped him on the shoulder and shoved him towards the bedroom.

"You're special alright," Severus muttered and gave the man another shove when he went to say something else. "See you in the morning, Dracka."

The vampire smirked as the two men disappeared into the bedroom as more questions than answers ran through his head. The biggest one was whether Blake had known him from before he came to this time and it wasn't until a couple of weeks later that he got his answer

xXx

"Blake?" Dracka asked.

The man looked up at him from some files they were working through in his office for a change, instead of Blake's rooms. The man was looking a lot better than he had before. He wasn't so pale and he had slipped back into teaching the students again and his eyes weren't looking as hollow. Severus had told him that he hadn't been calling out in his sleep or waking up from nightmares as much either. He had also started working with his sword again. It looked like Blake was moving forward, like he always seemed to do.

"What?" Blake asked, as he tapped a pen.

"Did you know me?" Dracka blurted out and the pen paused. "From before you came here?"

Blake's eyes widened as he stared at Dracka.

"Ah, no." Blake replied, his eyes guarded. "No, I didn't know you."

Dracka sat back in his seat, a cold feeling in his stomach.

"I knew your brother very well," Blake mumbled, tapping his pen as Dracka started.

A stab of hurt went through him at the thought of his brother even after all these years. His hand tightened on the pen in his own hand as he stared at Blake. The man that had killed his brother.

"You knew him?" Dracka asked, his demon close to the surface.

"Um, yes." Blake replied, stilling. Everything about Blake closed. "I was in and out of your Coven for over a year in negotiations."

"The Treaty?" Dracka asked, sitting forward in his seat in interest.

"Ah, no." Blake replied. "I was just a desk jockey from the Department at that time. I could speak French and knew vampires so I was a go between with the Ministry and a few different vampire' Covens around France and the UK."

The coldness in Dracka's stomach increased as he looked at Blake.

"The Treaty?" He repeated.

"Didn't exist," Blake said calmly. "There was no Treaty, there were arrangements and agreements, but no Treaty."

"My brother…" Dracka trailed off.

"Was a good man," Blake said softly and Dracka could see the hurt in the man's eyes. It had never crossed his mind that Blake would have known him, had never given any sign that he'd known him. "Had one hell of a temper but was a good man. We would spar together sometimes and amuse the rest of the Coven. The man didn't hold his punches."

Dracka smiled as he remembered his brother as he looked at his brother's killer sitting in the seat across from him.

"We worked well together," Blake continued as he nervously played with the pen in his hand. "He wanted more rights for vampires and I was helping him get them."

"And me?" Dracka choked out.

"Ah," Blake stalled. "You had died."

Dracka's stomach dropped at the words.

"Many years before I met your brother," Blake continued. "He would speak of you sometimes when he'd had too much to drink."

Blake smiled softly in memory before looking back to Dracka.

"I still have nightmares of that night," Blake confessed, after a few minutes of silence. "I should have realised where I was. When I arrived but I wasn't in the right state of mind to be working on wards. Which is no excuse for what happened."

"You had a right," Dracka said softly. "He attacked your team first before turning on you."

"No," Blake disagreed. "No, I didn't."

The two men lapsed into silence and they remembered a man that had meant so much to both of them but in two different times. Blake still remembering the feeling of the man's blood on his hands and another vampire on his knees before him, red eyes glaring up at him in pure hate. That night had gone so wrong, so quickly. Dracka remembered the coldness around Blake and the bodies spread out around him. He had feared for his life that night as Blake had held his silver sword so close to his throat.

"I had buried my partner ten months before that," Blake said suddenly into the silence, making Dracka jolt.

The man didn't talk much about his personal life, especially before he stepped through the time rip.

"Before you came here?" Dracka asked.

"Yes," Blake agreed. "She'd been murdered."

Dracka started. "What happened?"

Blake ran a hand over his head and down his face, his green eyes distant.

"I was out of the country," Blake said softly. "China, I think, they had a problem with a ghost dragon."

Blake lapsed into silence and Dracka waited him out. The vampire could tell the other man was caught up in his memories. It reminded him of very old vampires and the way they would drift off in their memories.

"I got the call that they had found her," Blake whispered. "It was not pretty. A Light Wizard had killed her."

"What!" Dracka yelped.

"You don't think a Light Wizard is capable of murder?" Blake asked him.

"No, just surprising." Dracka replied.

"She had a dark core," Blake continued. "This Light Wizard had tracked her down and he murdered her…and my two young children."

Dracka's stomach dropped in horror.

"I didn't take it well," Blake said with a humourless smile. "I stepped through the time rip about a month later without knowing what was on the other side. Didn't much care what was on the other side either."

Dracka shivered.

"Before I knew it," Blake said softly. "There was a baby laying in my arms, looking up at me with bright green eyes. My mind was a mess, completely shattered."

He tapped the pen on the table a couple of times. When he looked back up Dracka could see the pain in his eyes.

"How did you come to work for Gringotts and get the contract to come to my Coven?" Dracka asked, then shivered as Blake smiled darkly.

"The goblins," Blake replied. "It doesn't matter what time you are from, they know who you are and what jobs you have worked. I got the feeling their dreams had come true when, Master Curse Breaker came up against my name. They offered me work and contracts. I took them. I had my son to support. I was hoping that the work would help to pull my mind out of my depression and looking after Ry helped as well. I mostly worked overseas when Ry was younger before taking more contracts here when Ry started Boarding School, the Department would send me work as well."

The room fell into silence and Dracka eyed the other man off. He could tell the other man's mind was seeing something that the vampire couldn't.

Suddenly Blake tilted his head to the side and smirked.

"Severus is pissed off at something," Blake said with a soft smile. "Probably second year potions."

Dracka grinned as Blake fiddled with the ring on his finger.

"Severus," Dracka said slowly and Blake stilled.

"Yes?" Blake asked, his eyes guarded.

"Is a man," Dracka finished.

Blake barked a laugh.

"I have noticed that," Blake remarked with a smirk. "The penis gives it away."

Dracka grinned.

"You have only mentioned female lovers," Dracka pointed out.

"Have I?"

"Yes."

"Oh," Blake replied, sitting back in his seat. "It doesn't really matter to me. Sex is tricky enough with me so whether they are male or female doesn't really come into it until a lot later in a relationship."

"So, you have no preference?" Dracka purred.

Blake sat forward in his seat, his green eyes intense as he looked at Dracka and gave him a wink.

"Not in the least," The man purred.

Blake dangled his hands between his knees as he leaned forward slightly as he looked up at Dracka. His green eyes shining as he licked his lips slightly. Dracka jolted back and Blake grinned at him in amusement.

"I wish you wouldn't do that," Dracka muttered and Blake grinned wider.

Blake sat back in his seat with a smile.

"We should get back to work," The man said after a few more minutes.

Dracka couldn't agree more before his mind went wandering off somewhere it shouldn't.

xXx

Harry held his sword casually in his hand as he looked around one of the unused classrooms on the second floor. He had moved all the tables and chairs to the sides as he stood in the cleared area in the middle.

He took a breath and blew it out before falling into an easy stance and held the position with his eyes closed. Feeling the muscles straining with the added weight of his steel sword. Memories, of the man that had given him the sword, running through his head. He had just been lucky, the day he stepped through the time gap. That he'd had the sword on him as well as the few other items like the silver knife.

He sighed as he started to move, not opening his eyes as he let his body dance with the sword. His teachers used to tell him that he had been born with a sword in his hand and yet the Japanese were quick to remind him different. Normally while they were knocking him to the hard ground.

He moved through the stances and adjusted his movements slightly when his leg would twinge. He needed to flow through the movements.

"It works better if you have someone to work with, Blake."

Harry opened his eyes to see Dracka standing there with a steel sword in his hand and his dark eyes filled with amusement.

"Well, come on." Harry called and moved back to give them room. "Did Severus sell me out?"

Dracka barked a laugh and stepped forward with his sword held out. Harry flicked his sword forward and steel rang out on steel. He danced to the side and pushed forward but Dracka was ready. He pushed him back with his taller frame. Harry flicked his sword to the side then slipped the other way and kicked out at the vampire's side.

"Oi!" Dracka yelped and he jumped back. "That's cheating!"

Harry grinned and circled back around the vampire as Severus slipped into the room. Dracka flicked out with his sword while Harry was distracted. He quickly ducked as the sword passed over his head. He dropped his sword and lunged forward while Dracka was over balanced. He barrelled into Dracka's side and his sword dropped from his hand as Harry pinned him to the ground with a grin.

Harry rolled away grabbing up Dracka's sword as he came to his feet. The weapon felt off balanced in his hand as Dracka skipped back. Harry passed the sword through the air a few times to get the feel of it as he kicked his sword to the vampire. It was heavier and longer than his sword as he brought it up.

"Why do you have a Katana?" Dracka questioned.

"My Master gave it to me," Harry replied as he flicked out with the sword and Dracka brought his sword up.

Dracka pushed forward his advantage and Harry skipped to the side. Wincing slightly as he came down on his right leg at the wrong angle. Dracka grinned as he saw that and pushed forward again. Harry quickly whipped out with the sword then danced to the left, the sword moving with him but Dracka was faster. He blocked him and pushed him back with a swipe of his sword.

Harry stumbled slightly with the heavier blade and jumped back as Dracka swung his sword. Harry took care to land on his left before his right and twisted to the side, bringing the sword up to block with both hands holding the hilt.

"You studied under a Master Swordsman?" Dracka questioned and he moved forward and Harry circled around.

"Yes," Harry replied and moved the sword to his left hand so he could move his weight to his other leg.

"In Japan?"

"Yes," Harry confirmed with a grin.

He moved forward quickly darting in towards Dracka's left then skipped to his right. He brought his sword around and smashed it into Dracka's sword putting the vampire off balance but it wasn't enough as Dracka recovered quickly. The vampire's hand darted out grabbing Harry's wrist and twisting it. Harry cursed loudly about vampire speed as his sword clattered to the ground. Dracka just grinned and pulled him forward with his added strength. Harry crashed to the ground with a yelp as he landed hard on his right side.

"Yield," Harry gasped, his leg blazing in pain.

He panted as he let the pain wash over him until it was just a throbbing as he silently cursed. It looked like his leg was getting worse again or he was just pushing himself too much.

"Blake?" Dracka asked softly from beside him.

"All good," Harry replied, as he pushed the pain to the side.

Working through pain had become his life after that snake had bitten him.

"How long have you worked with that bite?" Severus asked softly as he passed him a bottle of water.

"About forty years," Harry said casually as he looked up at Severus. "It used to be a lot worse."

"The Hallows?" Dracka said softly.

Harry barked a laugh.

"Is a curse," Harry spat as he sprawled out on the stone floor. "It loves pain. At its core it's still dark magic but at least it likes me."

"This is it liking you?" Dracka hissed and Harry looked over at him.

Harry gave him a lopsided smile.

"It healed me enough to walk and saved my life, Dracka." Harry said softly. "Others were not so lucky. We lost two people that day."

Harry saw a shiver pass down the vampire's back at his words.

"Is there lead in that sword of yours?" Harry asked instead.

Dracka barked a laugh and picked up the two swords. There was a big size difference between the two. He looked at the writing on Harry's katana.

"What does the writing say?" Dracka asked.

" _'The Dragon who chases the Sun'_ ," Harry replied with a grin as he sat up. "My master was being a smart ass."

"Blake Sun," Severus said softly.

Harry gave him a grin and a wink.

"That's the one," Harry agreed. "Master Asahi Sun."

Harry took the sword in his hand and looked down at it. Feeling the spell work under his palm as he looked at it fondly.

"They were not happy when I turned up on their doorstep to study there," Harry commented.

Harry smirked at the memory.

"You changed their minds?" Severus said with a smirk of his own.

"They realised I wasn't going to take no for an answer," Harry retorted with a grin and Dracka barked a laugh. "I went back there after the snake had bitten me and they helped me relearn how to work with the sword again."

"You must have impressed them," Dracka said softly. "Having a Master Swordsman take you on, when you are not Japanese."

Harry gave the vampire a smile.

"My reputation had preceded me," Harry explained with a smirk. "Plus, I did a lot of warding work around their village and houses."

"Blake Sun," Severus repeated and Harry looked over at him.

"Me or my Master?" Harry asked in amusement.

Dracka barked a laugh.

"You took his name after he died?" Severus clarified.

"Correct," Harry replied. "His family was happy for me to take his name and make it mine. My last name had run its course."

Both men shivered slightly at that and Harry frowned.

"Is that what will happen one day?" Severus whispered.

Harry stilled as he looked up at the two men.

"One day," Harry admitted softly. "People will notice, that I am not aging. Takes longer when I'm around wizards, but people will notice and then they will ask why. That's when the trouble starts."

"They have worked it out before?" Dracka commented.

"Yes," Harry confirmed. "The chance of an immoral life is a strong pull. Even if they don't understand the curse that it is. For what it gives, it also takes."

"I can understand that," Dracka smirked. "They come to us for the same reason."

"Yes," Harry agreed softly. "I imagine they do and leave disappointed or a few pints lighter in blood. They don't understand the price they have to pay."

Dracka barked a laugh as Harry gave them a grin and pulled himself to his feet with the help of his sword as Severus picked up his cane and passed it over. He could feel the dark power of the hallows working in his leg and grinned up at Severus as he held out the sword in return.

"I'm sure Dracka would be happy to give you a couple of lessons," Harry said with a smirk. "I've already given him a warm up."

Dracka barked a laugh as he held his sword up and Severus paled.


	45. Chapter 45

"No, no, stop." Harry called out and the third year Gryffindor stopped the spell. "You have the hand movement all wrong."

Harry gently took the boy's hand in his and flicked it to the right then down then to the left.

"Now try again," Harry said calmly.

They were working on defence charms but the boy before him, Callum Genger, was struggling. Normally he was quick to pick up any spell or charm that Harry wanted to teach him but not today. Everyone else in the class had picked it up easily but not Callum. The boy tried again.

"No, stop." Harry called. "The Rest of the class is dismissed. Please practise your spell work, thank you."

Everyone else filed out until it was just Harry and a very nervous Callum left behind. Harry moved to the classroom door and closed it before he turned back to the young student.

"Have a seat on the table, Mr Genger." Harry offered as he moved back to the boy.

The small third year looked at him with wide eyes as he sat on the tabletop. Harry didn't keep chairs in his classroom so the bench at the back of the room was the only place to sit. He looked the boy over; he was small for his age, shy and an average student. Harry knew that was a front. Callum had talent and a very dark magical core that had caught Harry's attention and the attention of the crows. One day Callum would be a very powerful wizard. Today, he just looked like he wanted to hide away and it raised Harry's concern.

"Is there something wrong?" Harry asked softly, giving the boy space as he leaned on his cane.

Callum opened and closed his mouth a couple of times and Harry sighed, there was fear in the boy as well.

"You're smart and talented," Harry continued. "You have never had trouble with these kinds of spells before?"

"Sorry, sir." Callum whispered.

"Is it the spell or something else?" Harry prodded gently.

The boy jerked and wouldn't meet his eye and Harry silently swore. He knew those signs.

"Callum," Harry said slowly, drawing the boy's name out. "If there is anything wrong, you can tell me or your Head of House."

The boy looked up at him with wide blue eyes before he focused on the scaring on Harry's arm and his stomach dropped. Yes, he knew what he was dealing with.

"Who?" Harry asked, not moving.

Callum looked at the floor and played with his hands. Harry waited him out.

"My father," The boy whispered, his voice breaking.

"Do you give me consent to call a Doctor?" Harry questioned.

Callum looked up at him with big blue eyes as Harry made the offer. Harry looked back at him as the teenager slowly nodded. Harry gave him a soft smile as he pulled his phone from his pocket. Callum suddenly lunged forward and grabbed his arm in a steel grip.

"Please," Callum cried. "He said he would kill me if anyone knew, please."

"Sh," Harry whispered as the boy cried and held his arm tightly. "Don't worry, we'll take care of it."

Harry shifted him slightly as the boy cried into his shoulder, his own eyes hollow. Harry gently steered him back to the table and Callum retook his seat. Harry gave him a soft smile as he called a tissue box from across the room to his hand and held it out. There was fear in the boy's expression but also steel. Harry stepped back and called Doctor Greenburg as he kept Callum in his sights.

"Blake!" Albert's booming voice came down the phone in German. "How are you?"

"I'm well," Harry replied also in German, watching Callum carefully. "Are you able to spare a couple of hours?"

" _Ja_ , are you injured?"

" _Nein_ , I have a child abuse victim here."

The man was silent for a second. "I will be there as quickly as I can."

"Thank you, Albert."

Harry hung up the phone and called Albus.

"Headmaster Albus Dumbledore," The man answered cheerfully.

"Albus," Harry said softly and Callum stiffen. "Could you come down to my classroom please?"

"Of course, Blake." The Headmaster replied. "Is everything okay?"

"I have Callum Genger here," Harry said carefully and laid a hand on the boy's shoulder. "I have called Doctor Greenburg to meet me."

"Ah," Albus stuttered. "I'll be down soon."

Harry slipped his phone into his pocket as he looked down at the small boy. He kneeled down so he was looking up at the child. Callum watched him carefully and Harry's gut clenched. This would not be a simple case.

"We can do this one of two ways," Harry offered and Callum nodded. "You can tell me what has happened or I can look into your memories. If I look into your memories I can use those in any court case against your father or anyone else that has hurt you. The choice is up to you?"

Callum sat there with silent tears, dripping down his face as Harry waited him out.

"Would I have to face him?" Callum sobbed.

"If I look at your memories, no." Harry replied with a soft smile. "I will stand in for you."

Callum nodded and Harry stood back up. He held a hand out to the boy and he took it in a hard grip. A knock sounded at the door and they both looked over. Harry could feel Callum shaking slightly and he tightened his hold on his hand.

"Come in," Harry called and the Headmaster came into the room with a soft smile.

"Mr Genger," Harry stated stiffly. "Has decided to share his memories with me of any abuse that he has suffered to be used in court."

Albus froze as he stared at Harry. His blue eyes wide and face pale before steel came into his expression.

"Doctor Albert Greenburg will be conducting an examination when he arrives," Harry continued. "And will compile a report."

"Thank you, Mr Sun," Albus stated formally.

"After I look into his memories. We'll decide what needs to be done," Harry commented as he looked down at the small boy. "Did you want me to file the paperwork, Albus?"

Albus nodded as a knock sounded at the door and Albert poked his head around the door. The big man gave a grin and Callum shifted slightly behind Harry.

"Callum," Harry said softly. "This is Doctor Albert Greenburg, he's a very good friend of mine and is part bear."

Albert rumbled a laugh as he came into the room.

"But is as gentle as a kitten," Harry added with a smile. "I'm just going to step out with the Headmaster while he looks you over, okay?"

The boy looked around with wide eyes before he focused on Harry and slowly nodded his head. Harry knew that it was too much but this needed to be done. He could trust Albert to help calm him down.

"I'll be right outside the door," Harry encouraged. "Just call out if you need me, okay?"

"Yes, sir." Callum whispered and released his hand.

"We will be okay, Blake!" Albert said loudly with a big grin. "We will become great friends! I have many tales to tell the boy about how many times I've had to patch you up!"

Harry groaned and ran a hand over his head as Callum gave him a small smile.

"He came to me with arrow in his side, one time!" Albert announced as he turned to the boy. "An Arrow with feathers and all!"

Harry clapped a hand to the big man's shoulder as he walked the Headmaster to the door. He shut it behind him, cutting off Albert's booming voice. Albert had a talent when it came to children.

"This is not going to be a good afternoon," Harry muttered as he pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Child abuse case?" Albus asked.

"Yes," Harry confirmed. "His father. He was looking at my scars, so I would think physical abuse. I'll know more once I look at his memories.

Albus paled. "That was generous of you to offer him that."

"Nothing I haven't seen before," Harry replied softly.

Albus frowned and laid a hand on Harry's shoulder. Harry looked up at the man beside him.

"Were you a child of abuse?" Albus asked.

"Yes," Harry confirmed and Albus paled even more.

"That would mean I…" Albus trailed off and Harry looked him over and nodded.

"Would have left Harry Potter with child abuses?" Harry finished the question, without any sugar-coating. "Yes."

Albus paled even more as Severus made his way towards them.

"Did I hear Albert?" Severus asked with a frown.

"Yes," Harry confirmed and nodded at the Headmaster before turning to Severus. "He is here to see a student. He is telling him stories of when I was injured by an arrow."

"An arrow?" Severus deadpanned.

"In my defence," Harry remarked. "I didn't know it was hunting season."

"Right," Severus drawled with a smirk.

"I'll have to go to the Ministry," Harry muttered, changing the subject. "We have a child abuse case."

Severus paled and his eyes hardened.

"I could cancel my classes," Severus offered.

"No need," Harry replied.

"I'll be going with, Blake." Albus said at the same time.

"Thank you, Albus," Harry said, with a smile. "I'll probably be a couple of hours looking over his memories anyway. Severus, do you have a calming potion?"

Severus sighed loudly as he took his potions pouch out and passed a couple over.

"Anything else?" Severus purred.

"Nope," Harry replied with a grin and held up his pill bottle. "All good."

The Headmaster coughed and looked away just as Severus smacked Harry's bum. The man yelped and stepped back.

"Hey!" Harry cried.

"Blake, _sie Dummkopf_!"

Severus snorted as Albert's voice floated through the door. Harry was sure that his voice would be able to get through a silencing spell.

"I'll see you tonight, Severus." Harry said softly. "Albus, I'll call you when I'm ready."

"Alright, my boy." Albus smiled and clapped a hand to his shoulder. "I'll be in my office."

Harry slipped through the door to see Albert sitting next to Callum on the table. The boy was pale but smiling as Albert spoke to him.

"Blake!" Albert cried loudly. "I was just telling Callum here about the time you made mistake on potion and had red hair for a month!"

Callum giggled which covered up Harry's groan.

"Hey!" Harry yelped. "I'll have you know that I passed that potion along to the Weasley twins!"

Callum held a hand to his mouth to stop the laughter.

"One of their best sellers that one!" Harry continued with a wink to the boy.

Albert laughed, his whole frame moving with the belly laugh.

"See, Callum!" Albert said. "He is well worth the laughter. Good man."

"Will you have the report done today?" Harry asked in German. "I'll be going to the Ministry after looking at Callum's memories."

" _Ja_ ," The big man agreed in German. "I'll sit down and write it out now."

" _Danke_ ," Harry replied softly as Callum looked between them.

"Is that German?" Callum asked, shyly.

"It is," Harry replied with a smile. "Albert is from Germany. They grow them big over there."

" _Dummkopf_ ," The man barked and slapped Harry on the back, making him stagger forward. " _Auf Wiedersehen_!"

Harry got his feet back under him as Callum giggled and the big man left the classroom.

"I swear he's going to break my back doing that one day," Harry muttered as he took a seat next to the boy.

"What did he call you?" Callum asked with a small smile.

" _Dummkopf_?" Harry asked.

"Yes."

"Roughly means, idiot." Harry replied and rubbed his head. "I get that a lot."

"You're not like the other teachers," Callum stated as he looked up at him.

"God, I hope not." Harry moaned with a shiver.

He stood and held a hand out to Callum.

"Come on," Harry said quietly. "We'll do this in my office. I have seats in there at least."

The boy grew pale but took his hand as Harry led him out of the classroom. It took an hour, a calming potion, and a couple of painkillers to view the memories. Harry felt sick and had a pounding headache by the time he was done. He sent a note to Professor McGonagall and handed Callum over to her with a smile and a pat on the shoulder as he finished his report for the Ministry.

Once he was done he called Albus and the two men walked side by side down to the gates of Hogwarts. Harry went to apparate when Albus grabbed his arm, stopping him. Harry turned to the man in question and stilled at the look in his eyes.

"I want to apologise," Albus said softly.

"For what?" Harry asked in confusion.

"For leaving you on the doorstep of your Aunt and Uncle's house," Albus cleared up.

"That was a very, very long time ago," Harry replied in amusement. "A few lifetimes you could say."

"Did anything get done about it?" Albus questioned, his blue eyes intense.

"No," Harry said shortly. "Nothing, but this boy we can do something about."

Harry held up the file in his hand and Albus released him. Harry smiled and apparated to the Ministry of Magic. It was going to be a long day.

xXx

Harry had a smashing headache by the time they made it back to the school later that night. Albus now had the lovely job of contacting the boy's mother and informing her that her husband would be arrested soon. Albus clapped a hand to Harry's shoulder as he moved off and Harry stood on the front steps of the school for a while.

He sat down on one of the seats and looked up at the crescent moon and stars above him. Just enjoying the chill on the air and the quiet of the night. He felt Severus's magic brush against him and smiled at the feel of it. The man was getting a lot better with that. He was sure that with time, he would be able to teach him how to reach out with his magic without using the link in the ring.

He looked out into the night and frowned when he noticed a man walking across the lawn of the school from the front gates. Harry watched the man in interest as he leaned his elbows on his knees. The man's blonde hair clear to see in the moonlight flittering down and his figure lit up by his wand as he came closer. Harry stood and stepped down the stone steps when he recognised him.

"Blake!" The blonde-haired man cried when he saw him.

"Conner," Harry replied, shaking the man's hand with a smile. "How are you?"

"Good, good." Conner answered.

"What are you doing here?" Harry asked in concern. "Did something happen?"

"No, nothing has happened." Conner Fritz replied with a smile. "I have that file you were after. I was in the country and the Ministry said you were here."

Conner took a small file from his pocket and held it out and Harry slipped it away.

"Thank you for bringing it," Harry replied. "Did you want to come in for something to eat? I'm sure Albus could find you a room for the night."

"Yes," The man answered with a big grin. "Thank you."

xXx

Severus watched as Albus walked into the Great Hall without Blake and frowned. He brushed across the link and the man brushed back and he relaxed. Dracka took a seat next to him.

"Did something happen?" Dracka asked, leaning close.

"Blake had to go to the Ministry," Severus replied. "I'll tell you the details later."

The two men focused back on their meals until Dracka elbowed Severus. The other man looked up to see Blake, with another man, walk through the doors and he frowned. Blake moved to the Ravenclaw table and swatted one of the students on the shoulder and they shifted down the seat at the table so that Blake and the man could sit down. The two men sat close together and by the looks the students were giving them, Severus was sure they weren't talking in English.

"Who's that?" Dracka asked.

"He looks familiar," Severus answered. "German Ministry, I think."

"Oh," Dracka exclaimed as the man turned slightly. "It's Conner Fritz."

Dracka grinned and a glint came into his eyes. Severus groaned and sat back in his seat.

"Oh, god," Severus cursed. "That's a Blake look!"

Minerva snorted on the other side of Dracka as the vampire smirked. He slipped out of his chair and moved towards Blake and the blonde man.

"He's going to get cursed," McGonagall whispered.

"I'm not taking that bet," Severus drawled.

The woman laughed as Dracka silently made his way down the Ravenclaw table towards the two men. They had their heads close together over something on the table. As he got close he threw his arms around Blake's shoulders and looked over at the other man. Severus smirked when the blonde-haired man yelped and fell from his seat in surprise. Dracka no doubt showing his red eyes and fangs.

Blake just elbowed the vampire and whacked him with a report from the table. Dracka stood back and took the file from Blake's hand. Conner pulled himself to his feet to the giggling of the students around them.

"You should have taken that bet," Minerva remarked in amusement.

Severus snorted as the vampire took a seat next to Blake, so close they were touching. Conner climbed back into his seat and they spread out the file again. It looked like there was no hard feeling and Severus was sure that Conner had had to deal with Dracka before.

"You let him get away with a lot Severus," Minerva commented as she moved to sit next to him.

"What do you mean?' Severus asked, then frowned when the woman placed a silencing charm around them.

"With Blake," Minerva added.

"What do you mean with Blake?" Severus drawled.

"The way they are together," Minerva hinted as she pointed out the two men sitting so close.

"Where are you going with this?" Severus demanded, sitting back in his seat.

The woman sighed.

"I taught you, Severus," She said stiffly. "I saw the way you were with Lily Evans and James Potter."

"What?" Severus remarked with a smirk. "You think I should be concerned about Blake and Dracka?"

Minerva blushed as she looked down her nose at Severus.

"No," The woman snapped. "I meant the way that you allow the vampire to sit close to Blake and the way they are so close in general and the nights out…"

"Minerva," Severus purred. "You think I should be locking Blake up?"

The woman blushed an even deeper shade of red.

"No!" Minerva squeaked. "I just meant, I know how jealous you were of Lily and James and you are in a relationship with Blake and…"

Severus barked a laugh and grinned at the woman.

"What, you think I should be cursing the vampire?" Severus laughed. "Because he is close to Blake?"

"Well…" Minerva muttered, looking embarrassed.

"Wow," Dracka cried suddenly from beside the pair as he broke the silencing charm. "And I thought I was the only one to make a woman blush that much!"

Severus smirked in amusement as Minerva looked even more flustered.

"We were talking about your love affair with Blake," Severus purred, with a glint in his eyes.

Dracka stilled.

"What's that?" Dracka asked with his head titled to the side.

Minerva went a new shade of red and buried her head in her hands.

"Minerva thinks I should be locking Blake up," Severus said sweetly. "To keep him away from you and your love affair with him."

Dracka barked a laugh and threw his arms around Severus's neck.

"That sounds like fun," Dracka purred with a leer at the woman.

"That's it!" Minerva cried as she jumped to her feet. "You two are hopeless!"

She turned on her heels and stomped off. Dracka laughed and kissed Severus on the cheek before walking off still chuckling. Severus barked a laugh and turned and for just a moment, he looked over at Blake and saw an odd look on the man's face before Blake turned back to the man beside him.

"What did you two do?" Albus asked, diverting his attention.

Severus smiled over at the old man.

"I don't think Minerva will be talking about my love life with me again," Severus stated calmly.

Albus's laughter rolled over him as he grinned and went back to his dinner.

xXx

Harry leaned his head back against the lounge, later that night with a sigh, his head pounding. He had happily palmed Conner's file off to Dracka to read through as he relaxed back on the lounge. He turned his body until he was spread out on his stomach. He had already taken some painkillers but it wasn't doing much good and he was sure he was going to have a migraine by tomorrow. Seeing Dracka kiss Severus didn't help his mind either, the words of Bella were still ringing in his mind.

He pulled a cushion under his head and tried to relax with his eyes closed. He had ducked down to the Department while Albus was making his report and caught up with a few people down there before meeting Albus in the foyer. He sometimes missed working on projects in the Department but facing his office was always a trial by fire, not to mention Dylan. Luckily the man hadn't been there or else he would have been forced to work on the piles of stuff that had gathered in his office.

He woke some time later with someone sitting beside him on the lounge and a hand on his shoulder. He opened an eye and peered up at Severus.

"What are you doing out here?" Severus asked softly.

"Must have fallen asleep," Harry muttered, not moving.

"Are you coming to bed?" Severus asked.

Harry's head pounded and he felt a little sick.

"I'm good here," Harry replied. "Have a headache."

Severus frowned and nodded.

"Okay," Severus said softly. "Do you need anything?"

"All good," Harry said softly.

Severus rubbed his shoulder and moved off towards the bathroom. Harry closed his eyes and was soon asleep again.

xXx

"Where's Blake?" Dracka asked as he came into the Great Hall the next morning.

Severus frowned.

"I don't know. He was gone when I got up." Severus replied then whispered. "He slept on the lounge last night."

"What, why?" Dracka asked as he pulled his seat close to him.

"He was asleep on the lounge when I came in," Severus whispered. "He said he had a headache and that he was going to sleep there. Then he was gone when I got up."

"Is that odd?" Dracka asked.

"Sometimes he sleeps on the lounge," Severus replied in concern. "But this was different."

"I'll keep an eye on him," Dracka offered then looked around the hall. "Well, if I see him."

Severus smirked and they finished their breakfast before classes would start.

xXx

Harry sat in an unused classroom on the second floor with a copy of Callum's file in front of him. He'd already spoken with him that morning and was working on taking snaps of the boy's memories to use in the case against his father. Luckily, his mother had never known what was going on and had sole custody of him until his father could be brought to trial.

Harry rubbed his head, still feeling the headache as he finished off the report. It had taken him a while to get everything in order. He placed everything back into the file to give to Albus before pulling out the one on Simpson and looked down at the photo. He sighed, this was not going to be pleasant. He placed his wand against his temple and pulled the memory that he was after into the stone bowl in front of him and just stared at it.

He tapped his cherry wand against the bowl in thought and with sigh touched the silver strand. Tumbling into the memory of the time he was tortured. He looked at the brown-haired man in front of him and shivered feeling his headache peak. He quickly took an image of the man before pulling out of the memory, the sound of his own screams in his ears. His hands were shaking slightly as pulled back from the bowl and he grabbed up the crystal on the floor. He transferred the image from the crystal to a piece of photo paper and set it aside.

He sprawled back on the stone floor of the classroom for a few minutes, head pounding. He looked up when the classroom door opened and Severus walked in.

"Hey," Harry said softly as he laid his head back on the floor.

Severus calmly walked over to him and folded his arms over his chest as he looked down at him.

"What are you doing?" Severus asked.

"Taking photos," Harry replied with a smirk.

Severus looked around the classroom before crouching down beside him.

"Nice place for it I suppose," Severus replied dryly.

Harry snorted, not moving as Severus picked up the photo that he'd taken of the man that tortured him. Severus picked up the photo they had of Simpson and compared them. They were different enough but essentially the same person.

"It's the same person," Harry confirmed. "There's a large age difference but they are the same person."

Dracka suddenly opened the door and stepped inside, looking around. He gave him a smirk as he looked at him on the floor.

"Do you two have Blood Hound blood or something?" Harry asked as he placed his arms under his head.

"Just plain old vampire blood," Dracka replied mildly. "We are better than Blood Hounds!"

"Don't let the muggle customs department hear you say that," Harry quipped with a grin. "Unless you are looking for a new job?"

Severus passed the two photos to Dracka as he moved over. He took them in his hand as he looked down at Harry on the floor, his eyes dark as he looked at him.

"Conner Fritz," Harry continued, ignoring the look. "Has reported that a few people have 'resigned' lately from the Ministry as his men work through and are weeding out anyone working for Simpson. The man isn't marking his followers. So, it's been a little harder to sniff them out. They could use your help with that Dracka. Being part Blood Hound and all that."

Harry smirked as the vampire growled at him.

"We have reports of Simpson moving towards Hamburg," Dracka reported as he picked up Simpson's file. "He has been quiet since that attack after we left the country."

"Feels a little like a cold war," Harry muttered, with a frown.

"Have you had any luck with the older files?" Dracka asked.

"Nope," Harry replied. "Nothing so far."

Dracka grabbed up two chairs and moved them over to Harry and placed them down. The two men took their seats as Harry stayed sprawled out on the floor on his back.

"I'm more concerned about his support in France," Harry replied. "He's been working in Germany for a while so I can understand his support there, but not France. It also raises questions about his support here?"

"Do you think he might have support in England?' Severus asked.

"I haven't found anything yet," Harry remarked. "Most of the wizards here are still picking up the pieces from Dark Lord Voldemort but Simpson has shown he doesn't mind using muggles to get what he wants. I'm not really sure what the man's end game is, in all of this."

Harry sat up and took a notebook from his pocket he flicked through it before tossing it across the room. Dracka and Severus shared a look as Harry took his wand out.

"Okay," Harry announced, looking over at the notebook.

He focused on the notebook and connected it to the spell he was forming at the end of his cherry wand. With a whispered spell a map of the world appeared in front of them. The two men beside him started.

"Let's have a look at this," Harry said as he pulled himself to his feet.

He focused as he whispered the spells under his breath and the map zoomed in on Germany.

"These were my movements when I was in Germany," Harry stated and a green line appeared on the map.

Dracka moved to his feet and stepped closer to the map in interest.

"Um, I wouldn't touch it," Harry warned. "Light magic."

"I can see that," Dracka snapped and Harry gave him a grin.

The green line curved around the map and would break off and reappear in other places as he'd made his way through the country.

"These are the villages I have warded," Harry added and gold dots appeared on the map.

The green line didn't go near any of the gold dots on the map.

"I was here when I noticed the tail," Harry explained and a red dot appeared on the map. "Ben was staying in a muggle neighbourhood. He said he couldn't sleep if he could hear the buzzing of magic."

"The village Simpson attacked would have been the closest to this mark," Dracka commented.

"Correct," Harry agreed. "He looked at this from a wizard's point of view and went to the first place that had wards and magic."

"The men that were after you…" Severus said then trailed off.

"I managed to shake the tail at Ben's apartment," Harry answered. "I then headed towards the Border. I apparated closer, that's when they picked up on me again. My use of magic alerted them."

Two more dots appeared on the map getting closer to the Border. Harry added a blue light for Severus and Dracka.

"The blue dot is where you found me," Harry explained as he stepped back to look at the map as a whole. "Simpson came to the battle at the German village himself. That in itself is odd and concerning."

Simpson didn't go to the battles. He stayed behind and gave orders to his men from the sidelines. It was frustrating to men like Dracka and Harry who believed that Commanders had to be at the battles to understand them. Harry would not be able to sit back and order his men from the different location. He liked to look his men in the eyes before sending them out. He had to know they were going to follow through with his order and for them to know that he had their backs. That he was willing to fight beside them if it came to that.

Severus got up from his seat and just stared at the map. The green lines that showed how far his lover had moved in the country and was amazed. He focused on a collection of lines near Hamburg.

"What happened here?" Severus questioned and pointed to the spot on the map.

Harry moved over to the spot and focused the map in, blowing it up so he could see it better.

"They mentioned a compound, I was trying to find evidence of one," Harry replied as he looked at the green lines as they crossed back and forth around the large city. "I couldn't find anything that stuck out. I came across a few magical signals and other things but nothing that looked like what I had been told."

"Simpson's last location has been recorded here," Dracka said and pointed to an area outside the city.

None of the green lines came close as Harry added the mark to the map, knowing it would appear in the notebook on the ground for him.

"I only spent two days looking, before moving on." Harry told them. "Nothing pointed me in this direction or any direction really, but there were a lot of magical signals in the city. I didn't want to stick around too long and draw attention to myself."

Harry zoomed the map back out and focused on France. The map came into clear focus and gold lights flicked on around the image. A lot more spots than on the German map.

"Again, the places I've warded." Harry muttered as he looked them over, one of the gold marks had a red circle around it. "That one is your Coven, Dracka."

A blue light appeared next to the gold mark with the red circle around it and a few others on the map.

"These are the villages that Simpson attacked," Harry explained.

"Why are they so spread out?" Severus asked.

Harry cocked his head to the side and frowned. He focused in on the first village then the next before waving his wand. The map reached from ceiling to the floor, showing the map of France in more detail. His eyes moved from one to the next before he felt a chill.

"He used the lay lines, the sneaky bastard." Harry cursed. "That's why we couldn't work out where all his forces came from. Severus, you're brilliant!"

Harry stepped forward and with a wave of his wand, silver lines sprung up on the map. Like a spider web in silver, spreading out over the image.

"Fuck," Harry swore. "This man knows his stuff! Or he has someone that does!"

"Lay lines, Mr Sun?" Severus drawled. "For the rest of the class."

Harry spun back around and looked at the two men, his eyes wide as his head reminded him about his headache.

"Lay lines," Harry explained as he tapped his wand on his leg. "Are natural lines of magic running under the earth. It's possible to tap into them. You have seen me do it before, there is a lay line that runs under Hogwarts."

"Let's just say, yes we did and move on," Dracka drawled.

"Um…yeah, right." Harry stumbled on his words. "If you are skilled enough you can tap into them and move people to places quickly. Portkeys work off similar magic and apparation as well. That's why it's easier to get to some places and not others."

"So, Simpson." Dracka said slowly. "Tapped into these lines to get his men into France?"

"It's possible," Harry replied in thought. "And we would not have noticed! He probably did it in the weeks leading up to the battle. It would have involved a lot of skill, time and magic to do this though. To grab a lay line, you have to know what you are doing or you would drown in the magic."

Harry turned back to the map and looked at the glowing silver lines for a few minutes. Before he waved his wand and a map of England appeared, his head pounded as he changed the map over but he ignored it. He quickly brought up any building or village he had placed wards at with a gold dot and marked in Hogwarts then brought up the lay lines. Thin silver lines sprung up, there weren't as many in England as there were in the rest of Europe. They also weren't as thick, except under Hogwarts, where it seemed to pool.

He tapped his wand against his leg for a second before adding over twenty blue lights to the map of the properties he had and a red dot for the Black house, where the Order met. None of his properties sat on or near lay lines. He didn't trust them. He frowned as he looked at the map. With a flick he added green lights for the wizarding areas and the Ministry.

"Nice light show," Dracka commented from behind him. "You could have a career in firework displays."

"Ha, ha." Harry said dryly as he looked the map over.

"These lay lines," Severus stated softly. "They run under the oceans?"

Harry frowned at the question before replying, "Yes."

"Then could Simpson transport his people straight into the country?" Severus asked. "Or would the Border spell stop him?"

Harry's hand froze and his eyes widened as Dracka cursed. Harry felt coldness in his stomach at the thought.

"I don't know," Harry replied softly. "I would have to look at the Border spell and where a lay line passes over it, to know for sure."

"That's a sobering thought," Dracka added.

"And is it possible that Simpson moved his men under the Border spell from Germany to France," Harry agreed and then frowned. "Don't you two have classes?"

Harry turned back to the other two men who cursed when they looked at the time. Harry barked a laugh as the two men rushed out of the classroom, leaving Harry alone with the map. He focused back on the map of England and his eyes roamed over the coloured lights.

He looked at the silver lines and felt fear for the first time. Using lay lines was not an easy task and if what they thought was true than either Simpson or one of his people was a very powerful witch or wizard. Harry shivered at the thought. They had only just killed one Dark Lord and were now facing another. What scared him the most was if Simpson used the lay lines, or someone else did, he did it before he got the extra power from the Dark Ritual.

Harry sighed and rubbed his head. This could turn into a world war if he couldn't stop it in time. He flicked his wand and cancelled his spell and the classroom fell back into darkness. The soft light coming through the curtains the only light in the room.

xXx

Severus frowned when he looked around the Great Hall and couldn't see Blake. He looked over at Albus.

"Have you seen Blake?" Severus asked.

"He went to the Ministry," Albus replied as he cast a silencing charm around them. "He had the rest of the file for Mr Genger case and had to make a statement. He also said something about the Department of Mysteries."

"Alone?" Dracka asked as he took a seat.

"No," Albus replied. "He rang Kingsley to have an Auror with him."

Severus sat back in his seat, he didn't like it but at least Blake was taking his own advice but he would normally tell them if he was leaving. Blake hadn't said a word and that alone concerned him.

"How's he doing, Severus?" Albus asked softly as if reading his thoughts.

Severus sighed and ran a hand down his face.

"It's Blake," Severus replied. "It's hard to tell sometimes. He's still having nightmares but…"

"What is it, my boy?" Albus asked.

Severus frowned and even Dracka looked at him in concern.

"I'm not sure," Severus remarked. "I'm not sure if it's what happened to him or something else. Or just what's going on with Simpson. He's been a bit distant lately."

"Did he talk to you about what happened?" Albus asked softly.

"Yes," Dracka answered. "He told us."

"I don't think this abuse case with Mr Genger is helping him either," Albus added softly.

"What do you mean?" Dracka demanded and looked between the men.

"Ah," Albus muttered, embarrassed. "He hasn't told you?"

"Blake was a child abuse victim," Severus stated softly.

Dracka started and his eyes flashed red. At that moment the man in questioned walked into the Great Hall with a gold ball in his hands.

"Oh, god." Severus groaned. "The Department gave him a new toy."

Albus laughed as he broke the silencing ward around them. Blake moved through the tables until he stood next to Callum Genger. He placed the gold ball, about the size of a soccer ball, onto the table in front of him. The boy took it into his hands and Blake made the students shuffle around until he could sit down so he could have something to eat.

"He should be barred from going down there," Severus muttered as he eyed the man.

Albus laughed.

"Just remember that this is your school he could destroy!" Severus remined him with a smirk.

Dracka and Minerva snorted as Albus grew pale, his eyes locked on the other man. Blake suddenly stood up on the bench seat.

"Okay everyone," Blake called and the hall went silent. "I have a little surprise for you from the Department. Mr Genger, when you are ready?"

The boy got up from his seat nervously with the ball in his hands. The students started whispering as Callum gave himself some room. He smiled up at Blake and the man nodded. The boy threw the gold ball into the air and as it touched the ceiling it exploded into coloured lights. The students gasped as the coloured lights started to rain down towards the tables but before they could touch anything. The lights went streaming off around the room. Slowly each light started to change shape as they zipped around.

Severus watched in amazement as the lights morphed into coloured birds, reptiles and animals. Even magical animals; dragons, phoenixes, hippogriffs and kits ran around the room. They settled amongst the students and noise erupted as they students passed their hands through the lights. The animals danced along the tables and the birds winged around the hall.

A blue bird landed near Severus, everything perfect about it as he reached out and touched it. It fell to mist as his hand passed through it and he pulled back. It reformed its shape and hopped down the table. He looked up to see Blake grinning widely and looking down at the amazed face of Callum Genger. He patted the boy on the shoulder as he hoped down from the bench and walked out of the Hall.

Albus laughed and clapped Severus on the shoulder as a dragon tried to attack Dracka. The vampire dodging to the side as he cursed about light magic as Severus smirked at him.

"He is something," Albus whispered to him as a golden phoenix landed on his shoulder and tried to peck at his beard as an orange cat stalked along the table in front of Minerva.

"And how are you going to get rid of all of these?" Severus remarked with a smirk.

Severus sat back in his chair as a snake slithered over his plate.

"Ah," The Headmaster paused as he looked around. "Damn that man."

Severus barked a laugh, his black eyes shining. Trust Blake to make a mess and walk away.

xXx

Harry had his arm over his eyes as he lay sprawled out over the lounge on his back, when Severus came into his rooms. He peeked out from under his arm at the man as he came to stand over him.

"Very nice display," Severus purred. "There's a little dragon still following Dracka around. You might want to avoid the vampire for a little while."

Harry grinned up at him, his headache had turned into a migraine on the way back to the castle. He was silently cursing that he couldn't apparate to a chemist to get some painkillers. He could have made a pain potion but couldn't be bothered.

"They should fade soon," Harry replied.

"Your work?" Severus asked, sitting in the armchair across from him.

"Ah, no." Harry replied and pulled himself into a sitting position. "One of the witches down in the Department made it. I was sure to give her the Weasley twin's number. It's right up their alley."

Severus shivered at the thought.

"You look tired," Severus pointed out softly.

"Um, yeah." Harry replied. "Bit of a headache."

Severus pulled out a pain potion and passed it over to him. Harry took it in his hand but didn't take it.

"Are you making these in bulk now?" Harry asked with a small smile.

"Someone always seems to be in need of them," Severus countered.

"I might need to make a trip to London if you're up for it?" Harry said carefully. "Maybe make it a lunch trip?"

Severus frowned.

"Also, we'll have to have a look at the Border spell sometime soon." Harry went on without waiting for an answer. "The trial for Callum's father is next Monday, so I'll be out most of the day. I've already spoken to Kingsley and he will have an Auror keep me company. Can't be any worse than the man I had today. I swear he only knew two words and the rest were just in grunts, one of the languages I don't speak."

Severus reached out and grabbed Harry's hand, stopping it from tapping his leg.

"You are rambling," Severus pointed out.

Harry stilled and looked at their joined hands. Severus's long and elegant fingers covering his short stubby ones.

"I do that," Harry replied and fiddled with the ring on his finger.

"I'm working with Dracka on a potion for the next two days but Friday is free," Severus replied to the man's earlier question.

Harry's hands stilled.

"I don't have any afternoon classes that day, so we can make an afternoon of it." Severus continued, his sharp eyes picking up the other man's body language.

"Sounds good," Harry remarked with a grin, but it didn't reach his eyes.

He stood up and slipped the potion into his pocket.

"I'm beat," He announced as he looked down at Severus. "I'm going to have a shower and head to bed."

Harry moved towards the bathroom, leaving a confused and concerned man behind.

xXx

Harry woke with a start for the fourth time that night and quickly looked over his shoulder but Severus slept on. He gently wiggled out of the bed and pulled on his shirt and pants in the dark and stepped into the other room. He flicked on a light and looked at the clock, it was only two in the morning. He ran a hand over his head and picked up his coat and slipped it on.

He patted his pockets down. He'd forgotten his wands on his bedside table. He frowned but couldn't be bothered as he slipped out of his rooms. His cane making light taps as he made his way along the hallways of the silent school until he walked out of the main doors.

It was a full moon that night and Harry tilted his head back to look up at it as it shone down on him. He always felt that little bit calmer with the moonlight on his skin as he headed out onto the grounds of the school. His steps silent as he walked and let his mind drift.

He cast his mind out and gently touched on Dracka somewhere out in the forbidden forest, probably hunting. The man was staying within the boundaries of the wards so Harry wasn't that concerned. The vampire could take care of himself. Thoughts of the man, had the image of him kissing Severus on the cheek flashing back to him and the grip on his cane tightened. The veela's words floating back to him again and he felt frustrated at himself at the thoughts.

He didn't know why this was bothering him so much and that just annoyed him even more. Severus and Dracka were just as close as Dracka and himself so he didn't know why his mind kept throwing up that image. He seemed to just chalk it up to the veela planting the idea in his head and he sighed.

What Bella had done to him was hitting him harder than he thought it should. Not that Bella would lose sleep over it. What she had done was just the way veelas worked. They found a power they wanted, then would tie themselves to it to increase their own magic. Harry had worked with them a lot over the years and he'd never had any trouble. The thought of her nails digging into his skin had a shiver running down his back as the Hallows burned in the back of his mind. He stopped walking.

"What are you doing out here, Blake?"

Harry turned and looked at the vampire, Dracka must have picked up on his scent. The man was frowning at him as he moved closer. His dark curse flowing around him in the silver moonlight and Harry pulled back on his magic sight so he could look at the man and not his magic.

"Couldn't sleep," Harry admitted.

Dracka moved close, his eyes dark in concern.

"Nightmares?" Dracka asked softly.

Harry ran a hand over his head.

"If they are," Harry admitted softly. "I don't remember them."

"Severus could give you something to help you sleep," Dracka said quietly, sniffing the air.

Harry stilled.

"I don't like taking them," He said simply in reply.

Dracka frowned but didn't push. Harry moved off and into the forest with the vampire falling into step with him. A silent and dark presence beside him as they moved deeper into the forest.

"Where are we going?" Dracka asked, after a few more minutes.

"Just walking," Harry replied.

None of the inhabitants of the forest bothered them as they walked. Harry stopped when they reached the edge of the wards and he looked out at the forest before him. One more step and he would be over the wards. He didn't take it.

"Albus told us about your childhood," Dracka said suddenly.

Harry turned to him and raised an eyebrow.

"Are they still alive?" Dracka questioned.

"As far as I know they are," Harry said carefully. "Are you feeling a little peckish?"

Dracka barked a laugh and flashed his fangs.

"I could do with something a little richer," Dracka replied with a smirk.

Harry turned and swung an arm over the other man's shoulders and steered him back towards the castle.

"Their blood would probably poison you," Harry purred in the other man's ear. "Too many fatty meals and hatred in their veins."

Dracka settled against his side for a second before shaking him loose and they made their way back to the school.

"I'm sure I could make some time for us to head out to a pub," Harry offered with a smirk. "For something a little better on the menu, perhaps?"

Dracka gave him a leer and leaned close and gave him a sniff. Harry gave him a look of amusement, before giving the vampire a push in the shoulder.

"Why go out," Dracka suggested. "When I can eat in?"

Harry felt a chill at those words but didn't let it show.

"Yes," Harry drawled. "You need a trip away from the school. Before Minerva starts to look like a meal on legs."

Harry barked a laugh at the look on Dracka's face.

"You know how to hurt a man, Sun." Dracka muttered.


	46. Chapter 46

Severus was very happy when Friday rolled around that he didn't even mind that students were staring at him as he stood waiting in the entrance hall for Blake. He brushed his hands down his dark grey shirt as he flicked his long black jacket to the side as he slipped his hands into the pockets of his black jeans. He'd brushed his hand back into a neat tail at the back of his head as his looked around the hall at the students moving around him. He casually leaned back against the wall behind him and ignored the glances in his direction as he waited.

"Well," A voice purred next to him. "Don't you look muggle?"

Severus smirked and turned towards Blake. He took in the image of the man as he stood leaning on his cane in dark blue jeans, a black shirt and with a black jacket over the top. He was a slim man and what he lacked in height he made up for in presence. His green eyes were in contrast to his short dark hair as he gave Severus an easy smile. His eyes looked him over and Severus could feel himself responding in more than one way to the man beside him as his lips curled up.

"Should I take offence at that?" Severus questioned with a smirk.

"Only if you want to, love." Blake purred. "Shall we?"

Severus smirked and pushed off from the wall with Blake at his side. Students whispering around them as they moved out of the castle. Even after all this time it still amazed Severus that the students would still whisper about them. Blake slipped his hand into his as they walked and Severus felt a tension in his shoulders ease as he looked down at the shorter man.

"I got a phone call from Ry," Blake remarked as they walked. "He's having fun in the Auror Program."

"Made for it that boy," Severus muttered. "He had a good teacher."

"He still complains about his potion teacher at school though," Blake joked and bumped his shoulder.

"He was lucky he passed," Severus purred. "It was touch and go for a while."

Blake barked a laugh.

"Hey!" Blake squeaked. "I did everything I could to help!"

"Sleeping with the Professor marking his papers doesn't count." Severus purred in the man's ear, making a shiver run down his back.

"Damn," Blake mused, looking up at him with big green eyes. "And I thought that's what got him over the line!"

Severus grinned down at him as Blake gave him a wink. The man still looked tired but otherwise was looking better. Blake's eyes flicked to the side and Severus turned his head but didn't see anything and he frowned. They stepped over the wards and Blake apparated them. Severus looked out on the busy London street before them in interest. He could see the money in the townhouses around him and the way the well-dressed muggles' eyes would skip over them. He could feel the wards settling on his skin as he glanced at the three-story town house behind them.

"Another one from your property profile?" Severus asked.

"Do you want to have a look around?" Blake offered with a wink.

The man's voice went straight through him and his eyes darkened. He pulled Blake close to him, ducked down and captured his lips in a soft kiss.

"Is that a yes?" Blake questioned, when he pulled back.

Severus chuckled as Blake placed a key in the lock and opened the door. They had only taken two steps into the house when Severus grabbed Blake's hips and pulled him close as he ran his hands up his sides. They hadn't been this close since before the man left to go to Germany and he'd missed it.

Blake grabbed his ass and pulled him closer as he deepened the kiss. When they pulled back the man's eyes were dark as he looked up at Severus with a soft smile on his lips. Severus cupped the man's face and looked down into those green eyes.

"Love you," Severus whispered.

The man's eyes darkened further as a shiver ran down his back. Blake brushed his magic against him and Severus shivered at the feeling.

"Love you too," Blake returned as he took his hand and pulled him through the house.

Severus followed behind the other man in amusement as he looked around in interest. The place was money in house form. Everything was gold glint and white and the furniture all top of the line and well set out. It was like he was looking into a magazine and it kind of surprised him. Since, it wasn't Blake's style.

"What is this place worth?" Severus asked and Blake chuckled.

"Not as much as Hogwarts," Blake replied evenly.

Severus didn't know what to say to that as Blake led him to a bedroom that was as big as the downstairs area of his old house at Spinner's end.

"Flashing your money at me, Mr Sun?" Severus purred in the man's ear as he took him in his arms.

Blake barked a laugh and pulled his head down for a kiss as Severus worked on his belt. The man kicked his shoes off as Severus unbuckled his pants and let them fall. Blake pulled his shirt off and sat on the bed fully naked and very interested as his eyes roamed over Severus's form. Severus grinned and slipped his shirt off and stalked towards him.

xXx

missing scene.

xXx

He watched Blake as he panted, taking in the sight before casting the cleaning charm. He could feel their mixed magic on his skin as Blake looked at him with a smile. Severus quirked a smile of his own as he moved to curl into Blake's side. The other man wrapped an arm around him. He could see the magic around them but he pushed it to the side as he took in the feeling of Blake's skin against his own. He turned onto his side and Blake tangled his legs with his as he settled in.

Severus leaned forward and kissed him, taking his time as his hand ran down his side before it settled on his hip. He had missed this. Blake had been so distant lately and with everything else happening around them. They had both needed time together which was hard to find at Hogwarts. Severus watched in both surprise and concern as Blake closed his eyes as he settled into him. Which only grew as his breathing evened out into sleep. He hadn't realised how tried Blake was as he looked at the magic shimmering on their skin.

He could just faintly see the last of the scratches healing on Blake's skin from the veela and ran his finger along one of the marks. For some reason his normal healing balm had not worked on the scratches and they had had to let them heal normally. He still felt rage flow through him at the thought of what the veela had tried to do as he gently laid his hand over the red lines on the other man's skin.

He was sure that if he had known what the veela had done, at the time, he would have killed the woman and he was sure that Dracka would have done the same. In a way, it was probably a good thing that they hadn't known until they were far enough away. Otherwise, they may have attacked the woman which would have probably led to their deaths. He could still remember the way that Blake had stood between them and the veela. Protecting them, even after what he'd been through.

Severus sighed and flicked his wrist and the blanket fell around them. He curled up with his lover and joined him in sleep.

xXx

Harry woke to the feeling of someone lying along his back as he lay on his stomach. He relaxed back at the feeling of Severus and his magic on his skin and the man's soft breathing in his ear. He felt content and complete, in some way, as he lay there just enjoying the feeling of the man's body on his.

"Hey," Severus whispered into this ear and ran a hand down his side.

"I think we missed our reservation," Harry muttered as Severus kissed down his back.

He shivered as Severus hit on a sensitive patch of skin and he took interest in what the man was doing.

Severus chuckled, sending a jolt down his back and Harry could feel his magic taking an interest as much as the rest of him. Severus nibbled down his side and ran his hand over his ass. Severus worked back up his back and Harry moaned as he kissed his throat and gently bit down.

"Oh, god," Harry gasped and Severus did it again.

Severus eased back enough for Harry to roll onto his side as he moved into place. Harry moved his leg to hook over the other man's.

…

Severus gentle rocked his hips in the same way and Harry panted harder as their magic swirled around them. He was careful to keep a hold of that power but every now and again it would slip from his hands as Severus hit the right spot again and again.

He could feel himself losing his grip on the magic as it started to tangle with Severus's magic. He could feel Severus reaching out to him with more than his hands as Harry lost his hold on his magic and he groaned and felt a slight pull in his chest.

"Out," Harry hissed.

Severus pulled back instantly and turned him onto his back. Dark eyes looked at him in concern.

"Sorry," Harry panted. "Was slipping."

Harry pulled Severus down for a kiss as he wrapped his legs around his waist and pulled him forward. They picked up speed as Harry grabbed their magic and pushed it to the side as he groaned. Severus grunted slightly as he came and Harry followed him. Severus gently lay on his chest as he panted. They just lay there with Harry's arms wrapped around him as they got their breathing back under control. Harry grabbed the magic around them and flicked it off without a thought as he cast the cleaning charm.

"Holy fuck," Severus swore, his eyes wide.

Harry grinned over at him as Severus looked at him with wide eyes.

"You've never seen that before?" Harry asked.

"No," Severus whispered.

Severus had seen the man just grab the magic, like it was a real thing, before flicking it off. The magic moving to the man's wishes eagerly.

"Sorry about before," Harry said softly. "My hold on the magic was slipping. It should get easier in time. You have a powerful core."

"Do I?" Severus asked.

Severus had never thought he had that much power behind him. Yes, he was talented in potions and spell work but never thought of himself as a powerful wizard.

"Oh, yes." Harry remarked. "Makes it difficult to hold them apart sometimes, especially when you reach out across the link during sex."

Severus suddenly paled as a thought occurred to him.

"Blake," Severus whispered.

Harry looked up at him and frowned.

"What's wrong?" Harry questioned.

"I couldn't accidently…" Severus trailed off.

"What?"

"Bind you to me?" Severus questioned faintly.

Harry's hand stilled on Severus's back before he continued to run his hand up and down.

"The possibility is there," Harry admitted. "But I am used to your magic now and the feel of it."

"But it could happen?" Severus questioned, feeling faint.

"You would have to make the connection at the same time as me losing control, Severus. Plus, remember that once a connection is made, it can be broken. It would only be a problem if you pulled on the power." Harry explained. "I'm guessing you haven't been with someone with light or dark magic?"

"I don't think so," Severus admitted. "Haven't had too many partners. I started working at the school right after I got my masters in potions. Magic in sex was just something to ignore. Most of the time I didn't even notice it."

Harry relaxed back against him, his head on the man's chest as he listened to his heartbeat. Severus ran a hand over his head as they lay there.

"What time is it?" Harry asked.

"About nine," Severus replied, looking over at the clock on the side table.

"Did you want to stay here or head back to the school after I pick up a few things?"

"Might as well stay here," Severus purred. "We can make a weekend of it."

"Sounds good," Harry said softly. "I think there is some coffee in the kitchen…if I can remember where the kitchen is."

xXx

Dracka reeled back from Severus when he saw him at the Head Table on Sunday afternoon. Severus looked up at him with an eyebrow raised and a smirk on his lips. Dracka fell into his seat and stared at him, a slight red tint to his eyes.

"I don't have to ask what you have been up to," Dracka drawled.

Severus smirk widened. Damn the man!

"Where is he?" Dracka asked, looking around.

"With six hundred files scattered across his table in his rooms," Severus replied evenly, the glint of amusement not leaving his eyes. "Is it really that bad?"

Dracka relaxed back in his seat and leered at the other man.

"For a vampire? Yes," Dracka remarked. "No one else would notice."

Severus sat back in his seat smugly, looking over at the vampire. Dracka whacked him in the arm, making him bark a laugh.

"Smug bastard!" Dracka snapped and stalked off.

Minerva giggled into her tea as Albus glanced over.

"Are you two fighting again?" Albus asked sweetly.

"Us?" Severus questioned. "Never."

Minerva snorted.

xXx

Harry looked up as Dracka came through his door in a swirl of his long black coat as he stalked towards him with his nose flaring. Harry smirked and sat back in his seat as he stared at the vampire.

"Yes?" Harry asked sweetly.

Dracka's eyes turned red as he stepped forward and Harry scrambled to his feet as panic spiked through him. Dracka froze and his eyes widened, then he paled and stepped back. The two men stared across the room at each other. Dracka stepped forward and Harry held his ground against his better judgement. The vampire moved another step closer and Harry curled his hands into fists. He was ready, if the man attacked him as he braced his feet on the ground.

Dracka's eyes faded back into his normal black as he stared at him.

"You would think I…" Dracka started to say.

Harry held still, his body relaxed and balanced ready to move just in case.

"That I would…" Dracka tried again.

Harry unclenched his fists slowly, his eyes wide.

"You're an idiot," Dracka finally settled on.

"As people keep telling me," Harry said roughly.

"How could you think?"

Harry wanted to look away but knew he couldn't. He had to hold in the position he was in.

"This is what's been bothering you?" Dracka asked, stepping forward.

Harry tensed.

"Blake," Dracka drew his name out. "Why didn't you say anything?"

Harry's hands shook and he curled them back into fists. He would fight this out if he needed to. Dracka cocked his head to the side.

"The veela," Dracka snapped in rage, his eyes turning red again and Harry took a quick step back. "She planted this idea in your head!"

Harry nodded his head sharply. Dracka was on him, moving as quick as he could. Harry cried out as he hit the floor and tried to bring his knee up but Dracka's hands curled around his wrists as his legs clamped around his waist. Dracka held him down with his body as Harry tried to wiggle loose without any luck. Dracka lowered his head and Harry quickly tilted his head to the side and waited. He couldn't fight back against a vampire, making a claim.

They froze in that moment as both men panted softly.

"Blake," Dracka said slowly but Harry kept his head tilted to the side. "Please look at me."

Harry's body shook and Dracka released his hands and pulled back still saddling his waist. Harry could feel the vamire's eyes on him he as he kept his hands where they were as he panted slightly. Dracka reached down and gently turned his head to look him in the eyes.

Harry looked into Dracka's dark eyes filled in concern and his own eyes widened. The vampire wasn't making a claim.

"I would never take him away from you," Dracka uttered softly.

Dracka rolled off him and held out his hand to the other man. Harry took the hand and the vampire pulled him to his feet and pulled him into a hug. Harry could still feel himself shaking as Dracka held him.

"Never!" Dracka hissed in his ear. "Damn that veela bitch!"

Severus walked in at the moment and paused before shutting the door behind him quietly. Dracka made eye contact with the man.

' _Take him_ ,' Dracka mouthed to Severus.

Severus moved forward and Dracka palmed the man off to Severus. Harry curled into the taller man, a familiar magic flowing around him. He could still feel Dracka close by but his presence came second to the man wrapped around him. Severus walked him back to the lounge and pushed him down. He looked up at the man with wide eyes. Severus just looked confused as he looked between them. Dracka snorted and moved over to make tea.

"That veela bitch!" Dracka spat. "Planted a stupid idea in Blake's head."

Severus paled and sat down next to Harry and grabbed his hand and kissed his fingers. Harry just looked up at him.

"What idea would that be?" Severus purred and Harry looked away.

"That we were sleeping together," Dracka snapped and clinked the spoon against the mug in front of him loudly and Harry flinched at the sound.

"What?" Severus whispered, looking over at Dracka.

"I walked in here," Dracka explained. "Not in the best mood because of a certain someone. Blake thought I was coming here to challenge him. To make a claim on you, Severus."

Severus paled and looked down at the smaller man. Harry tried to make himself look smaller, feeling like the biggest idiot.

"Blake," Severus whispered.

Harry couldn't look at him, couldn't face the look that would be in Severus's eyes.

"Harry."

Harry's head shot up as he looked at Severus with wide eyes. The man just smirked at him. Damn him!

"You are an idiot," Severus drawled, but the soft smile he gave him took the heat out of the words.

Dracka walked back over and placed the mugs of tea on the table before holding one out to Harry. Harry took the mug in his hands with a slight nod. Taking it for what it was, a peace offering.

"Sorry," Harry apologised.

"Wasn't your fault," Dracka pointed out. "Was that veela bitch! How's your head?"

"Reminding me that I'm an idiot," Harry replied softly.

"Sorry about that," Dracka remarked.

"What did you do?" Severus muttered with a sigh. Dealing with these two men did his head in sometimes.

"Vampire took over for a second there," Dracka expanded.

Severus paled.

"Deserved it," Harry muttered.

Dracka placed his mug on the table before he moved over to him. He kneeled down so that Harry had to look at him. Dracka placed a hand on his knee and Harry looked him in the eyes.

"Yeah, yeah." Harry uttered. "I'm an idiot."

Dracka grinned up at him and looked over at Severus. They shared a look, knowing if either of them ever saw that veela again, they wouldn't be able to be hold themselves back from killing her.

xXx

Harry woke early Monday morning feeling like crap. He could feel Severus's back against his and just laid there looking at the clock on his bedside table. He had two hours before he had to be at the Ministry for the Callum Genger case and he really didn't feel up to it.

He carefully wiggled to the edge of the bed and sat there for a minute as his head pounded. He started when Severus placed a hand on his back and glanced over his shoulder at. He leaned back gently and rested his head on Severus's stomach. The man ran a hand over his head and Harry just enjoyed the feeling of Severus's hand running over his head for a while.

"Head still bothering you?" Severus asked into the silence.

"Yeah," Harry agreed. "Bloody vampire."

Severus snorted as he ran his hand through Harry's hair and he closed his eyes.

"You know I could cancel my classes," Severus offered, not for the first time.

"Nah," Harry replied. "You have to give the students something to complain about- Ow!"

Severus smirked as Harry held the ear that he'd flicked before he pulled himself out of the bed and dressed. He pulled on his black suit pants and socks with a long sleeve white dress shirt.

"No robes?" Severus questioned.

"Recommended but not enforced," Harry threw over his shoulder as he ran a comb through his short hair and pulled out a dark blue tie.

"You really don't like robes?"

"Not in the least." Harry replied as he picked out his black suit jacket out of the cupboard and slipped into it. "What do you think?"

Severus looked him over.

"As long as you don't open your mouth," Severus said silkily. "You look very professional."

Harry grinned and bowed to the man on the bed.

"At you service, sir." Harry said with a thick British accent.

Severus smirked as Harry tied the tie and set it right.

"I contacted my lawyer to meet me at the court house," Harry continued. "I doubt he'll be needed but it's always good to have a friendly face in the crowd."

Harry walked over to the bed and leaned over to give Severus a kiss. The man reached up and Harry pulled back sharply before Severus could grab him.

"Don't muck up the tie," Harry warned with a wink. "I'll see you tonight."

"Good luck, Blake."

Harry gave him a smile as he moved out of the room.

xXx

"Please state your name for the record."

"Blake Sun."

"You are a Professor at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry?"

"Incorrect, sir. I am on contract from the Ministry of Magic, the Department of Mysteries and Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry to teach advanced classes in charms and other subjects," Harry replied to the judge. "I am not a Professor at Hogwarts."

Whispers sounded in the room as the Judge paused.

"You work for the Department of Mysteries?" The Judge asked in surprise.

"Correct," Harry confirmed, ignoring the whispering. "I have my badge with me if you need it."

The Judge nodded. "Please pass it to the man to your left."

Harry handed over the badge to the security wizard whom passed it to the Judge.

"Please state your accusations," The Judge requested as he wrote down the information from his badge.

"I have information from memories shared with me by Mr Callum Genger," Harry stated for the record. "To accuse his father, Mr Peter Genger of child abuse. I have filed all relevant files to the court and photos of images from Mr Genger's memories. I have also filed Doctor Albert Greenburg's medical examination of Mr Genger after he confided in me about the abuse."

Harry looked over at Peter Genger as he spoke. The man glared at him from his place beside his lawyer. Pure hatred in his blue eyes as he sat in his well-tailored robes and his brown hair perfect. Callum's mother sat on the other side of the room and her eyes were red from crying.

"We have the files here, Mr Sun." The judge replied, passing his badge back to the security wizard whom gave it to Harry. "Mr Genger, do you have anything to say to this accusation?"

Peter Genger jumped to his feet.

"I deny all accusations!" The man snapped. "I also accuse Mr Sun for slander against my name."

Whispers sounded through the room and Harry nodded to his lawyer who stood up. The man was of average height with average brown hair and soft brown eyes. He was a man that you wouldn't look at twice and could disappear in a crowd.

"Permission to speak, your honour?" Mr Boulder requested softly.

"Granted," The Judge sighed.

"I am Mr Sun's lawyer." Mr Boulder stated, making Mr Genger pale. "Michael Boulder for the record. I stand as his representation against Mr Genger."

"Granted," The Judge said blandly and made a note of it. "Mr Sun, please take your seat. We'll have a short moment for Mr Genger's lawyer to file his paperwork with the court."

Harry stepped back and moved to the table to the left of the courtroom while Mr Genger's table was on the right. Michael Boulder came to sit next to him and placed his briefcase on the table.

"Thanks for coming," Harry whispered to him.

"No problems," Michael replied. "I hope your case is sound. Mr Genger is a rich man and a pureblood."

"It's sound," Harry confirmed with a hard look in his eyes.

"Blake!" A voice hissed behind him.

Harry looked over his shoulder at Tonks who was looking after him today.

"Give us a look at your badge," The woman whispered.

Harry passed the item over to the witch. Not many people got to see one, the Department was still very much a mystery to those that weren't a part of its workings.

"Brilliant," The woman gushed and showed a couple of other Aurors around her.

Harry turned back to the front as Peter Genger glared at him from his side of the room. Harry gave the man an even stare back.

"Okay," The judge announced. "We'll start with Mr Sun's accusations…"

Four hours later and Peter Genger was led from the courtroom in handcuffs after being found guilty of child abuse and defamation against Harry. Mr Boulder was very happy as he shook hands with Harry and walked away. Harry looked around the courtroom and felt satisfied.

"Mr Sun?"

Harry turned and was faced with Mrs Genger's brown eyes. The woman stood taller than him with long dark hair, her eyes were red rimmed as they looked at him.

"It's Blake, Mrs Genger." Harry replied softly.

"Mary," The woman countered. "Thank you."

"No problems, Mary." Harry said as Tonks bounced from foot to foot behind the woman. "If you need any help with a lawyer, here is my lawyer's card."

"Thank you so much," The woman cried and threw her arms around his neck crying. "I had no idea!"

Harry rubbed Mary's back and mouthed to Tonks, ' _Do you have to pee_?'

Tonks nodded sharply.

' _Go_ ,' Harry mouthed.

Tonks dashed off as Harry shook his head. Mary pulled back and looked down at him. Harry snagged a couple of tissues off the table and held them out as the room emptied around them. A man in the back row caught his eye and he frowned when the man looked away but didn't leave the room.

"Do you have family that you can stay with?" Harry asked quietly to the woman and she nodded.

"My brother," Mary confirmed as she sniffed. "I'm staying with his family. They are waiting outside."

Harry held out his lawyer's card and she took it and tucked it away.

"Thank you again," Mary sobbed.

Harry smiled at her as she turned and walked away. The dark-haired man in the back row stood up and walked towards him. Harry waited as he leaned on his cane. He could sense out the wand the man had on his belt and could pick out the gun in the man's pocket and was surprised that he'd been able to get it into the courtroom. He would have to talk to Kingsley about putting something into place to stop that from happening again. The man was on the lean side and walked with the grace of a solider as the moved towards him.

"Mr Blake Sun?" The man questioned in a smooth voice.

"Yes?" Harry confirmed, he could feel the dark magic of a beast in the man's veins.

"My name is Simon," The man introduced without offering his hand. "I believe we have a man in common."

"And who would that be?" Harry questioned, already knowing the answer.

The man just held out a piece of paper to him. Harry stretched out with his magic but couldn't feel any spells on it. He took it from the man's fingers.

"Have a good day," Simon said.

He turned on his heels and walked out of the courtroom just as Tonks ran back in.

"Sorry," Tonks huffed. "There was a line and they wouldn't let me cut and-what's that?"

"Nothing," Harry replied as he slipped the paper into his pocket. "Shall we go have some lunch? I know some nice restaurants in London and you can tell me all about your son."

"Oh yes," Tonks cried and took Harry's arm. "Little Teddy, boy is he keeping Remus busy and Sirius is no help at all!"

Harry smiled as the woman chatted away as his mind turned to the piece of paper in his pocket.

xXx

Severus started badly as Dracka let out a loud wolf whistle next to him that night in the Great Hall. Severus glared at the vampire before looking over at the doorway to see Blake standing in his suit. The man bowed to the hall to the laughter of the students.

"Warning next time would be appreciated, Mr Dracka." McGonagall drawled as she rubbed her ear. "This is the Great Hall not the Quidditch pitch."

Severus smirked as Blake made his way between the Ravenclaw table and the Gryffindor table stopping just long enough to clap a hand on Callum Genger's shoulder. He passed him a letter before moving towards the Head Table. The man moved behind them and stopped behind Dracka and Severus's chairs, his green eyes guarded as he looked around the hall.

Severus sat up straighter as the man brought up a silencing charm around them. He dropped a piece of paper on the table between him and Dracka.

"That was given to me today." Blake stated, his voice holding no emotion, which put Severus on edge.

Dracka opened the piece of paper and laid it flat on the table.

' _I know who you are and what you are. I want them_.' Was written on the piece of paper in sloppy handwriting.

"We don't need to go to Simpson," Blake said coldly. "He will come to us."

Severus felt his stomach drop as he looked over the words. Blake turned on his heels and walked through the silencing charm and out of the hall. Severus looked after him and picked up the note and passed it to Albus. The Headmaster brought up his own silencing charm as he read the note before passing it back to Severus who gave it to Dracka.

"I hate it when he's right," Dracka muttered.

"I believe," Albus remarked softly. "That this is one time that Blake was hoping he would be wrong."

Minerva picked up the note and looked it over.

"What does it mean when it says; ' _I want them_?'" Minerva asked and looked at the men.

Severus and Dracka looked at the Headmaster.

"He holds the Deathly Hallows," Albus explained calmly.

"What!" The woman yelped. "That's just children's story, Albus!"

"Tell that to Blake," Dracka laughed.

Severus smirked as the woman looked between the three men in disbelief.

"Albus, you can't be serious?" Minerva snapped, looking down her nose at the old man.

"I am indeed, my dear." Albus replied with a twinkle in his eyes.

"I think I've heard enough," Minerva stated as she stood. "Good night, gentlemen."

The three men watched the woman walk off in amusement, before Albus brought up the silencing charm again. Dracka slipped the note away into his pocket.

"At least we have confirmation now that they were after Blake," Dracka admitted as he rubbed his chin.

"You call that a good thing?" Severus sneered.

"Well it's better than speculation," Dracka pointed out. "We can plan now."

"Albus," Severus said, turning to the Headmaster. "We are going to need time to look at these lay lines."

Albus sat back in his seat.

"Of course," Albus said with a smile. "How long do you think you will need?"

"Not sure," Dracka replied. "Blake would be able to give a better answer."

"Would a week do?" Albus suggested. "At this rate I might need to look for a temporary potions and defence professors."

Severus smirked as Dracka barked a laugh.

"I'm sure the potion's students would be happy with that!" Dracka exclaimed with a laugh.

Severus glared down his nose at the vampire as Albus chuckled.

xXx

Harry smiled as Severus magic brushed against him and brushed the man back as he stood in front of the open window of a second-floor classroom. He always wondered why Hogwarts had so much room for such a small a population of students. He supposed that the founders had hoped that the school would be full of students as the magical population grew over time but with amount of magical wars they had been through. Not to mention the opening of other magical schools and home schooling. Meant that the number of children attending couldn't grow as much as the founders had hoped.

Arms wrapped around his stomach as Severus rested his head on Harry's and the shorter man leaned back slightly in the man's embrace. They looked out at the night with the moonlight bathing the landscape in front of him. The two men enjoyed the quiet for a while.

"Court case went well," Harry reported, breaking the silence. "Needed Mr Boulder in the end. Peter Genger accused me of slander against his name. He was not happy to know I had my lawyer waiting for him with paperwork."

Severus snorted.

"He was even more unhappy to be led away in handcuffs," Harry smirked. "I don't think I'll be getting a Christmas card from him."

"You seem to have that effect on some people," Severus rumbled.

"Part of my charm," Harry remarked. "You either love me or hate me."

"Or love to hate you," Severus added. "I think Black suffers from that."

Harry snorted.

"At least he's annoying Tonks and Remus now and not me anymore. Only have to see him at Christmas time." Harry pointed out. "Had lunch with Tonks today, their little one is giving them trouble."

"He'll be here soon enough," Severus said softly.

"Something to look forward to," Harry smirked then he paled. "Oh, god."

"What?"

"That means more Weasleys," Harry uttered in horror.

Severus chuckled.

"At least you didn't teach the whole lot of them!"

Harry turned in Severus's arms and looked up at him, his hair was loose around his shoulders. Harry tugged on a few strands and Severus gave him a smirk before leaning down and giving him a kiss.

"Albus has given us a week to look at the lay lines and the Border spell," Severus told him, when he pulled back. "Will that be enough time?"

Harry frowned.

"Should be," Harry replied. "Is Dracka coming as well? If he is I'll have to make another daylight pendant for him. I should start charging him for them. They are not cheap to make."

Severus smirked.

"How are you feeling?" Severus asked, his eyes intense.

"Ah," Harry stuttered. "A lot better. I suppose the vampire is good for one thing. It may be pointing out my stupidity, but he is good at it."

Severus snorted and rested his forehead against his.

"And ruining touching moments," Dracka's voice sounded from the doorway of the classroom as he slipped into the room.

Harry snorted as Severus pulled back but didn't release him. Harry grinned up at him before stepping back and letting Severus's arms drop to his sides as he stepped away. He turned to the vampire. Dracka kept his distance as he looked at the two of them.

"Are you coming with us?" Harry questioned.

"If you want me too," Dracka replied, unsure.

Harry cocked his head to the side and looked the man over, reading the man's body language.

"Can't have Severus carrying all my bags," Harry retorted with a grin.

Dracka growled and Harry raised an eyebrow. Dracka lowered his head as Harry stepped forward.

"Severus can you give us a minute?" Harry requested, without moving.

Severus sighed and walked towards the door.

"I'll be in your rooms with the first aid kit ready," Severus said as he closed the door behind him.

"Do you want to take the first swing or should I?" Harry asked, once he was sure Severus was out of earshot.

"I don't want to fight you, Blake." Dracka retorted.

"But your demon does," Harry said simply. "You think I can't feel it's dark presence?"

Dracka reel back from him in shock.

"You think that the darkness in me doesn't reach out to it?" Harry asked, stepping forward and forcing Dracka back. "You think it doesn't brush against me?"

Dracka stepped further back as Harry stepped forward.

"Dark power, pulls dark power." Harry hissed, his eyes darkening.

Dracka's eyes turned red as he looked down at Harry as the demon came forward in his mind. The man that had killed his brother and yet one of his best friends stood in front of Dracka. They were so that they could almost be lovers. The one man that wasn't a vampire and yet understood his nature so well.

Harry pushed forward until he stood with only a couple of inches separating them and looked into Dracka's red eyes. His heart pounding and knowing the other man could hear it. So much and yet so little between them.

"If this is going to be a problem between us," Harry said softly. "We'll work it out, whether that's with words or fists, Dracka."

Dracka flashed his fangs and Harry lowered his head slightly. Looking at him with shining green eyes, not stepping back. He was pushing into dangerous territory and he knew what could happen better than anyone else. They needed to resolve this and they both knew it.

Dracka growled low in his throat and Harry let his cane fall to the floor and took a stance ready for any move the man made. Knowing the demon was looking at him as dark magic swirled around them. Dark mists twisting on the edge of Harry's vision as he looked up at the taller man.

Harry reached out and grabbed the dark power around them and pulled. Dracka snapped forward and Harry twisted to the side and pushed the man as he passed him. The vampire stumbled before turning on his heels. His red eyes flashing as he crouched. Harry stood calmly, legs spaced out as he slipped out of his coat.

The vampire lunged and Harry slipped to the side again and Dracka growled as he turned and swung a fist at Harry's head. Harry threw up an arm, coating it in dark magic and deflected the blow before landing one to Dracka's stomach and skipped back as the man recovered.

Dracka looked up at him with dark eyes and grinned as he stepped forward. Harry lunged this time, tackling the man around the waist and taking them down to the floor. Dracka hitting hard as they rolled. Dracka lashed out and Harry's head rang as the vampire's fist glanced off the side of his head, dazing him slightly. He brought his knee up into Dracka's side as he recovered. The man rolled to the side from the knee as Harry launched himself at him. Dracka yelped as he was pushed to the floor and twisted his leg around the smaller man, flipping them.

Harry brought his elbow up into the man's ribs and he grunted at the impact and tried to grab the man's wrists. Harry grabbed the man's hands and wrenched them up, pulling them to the side with all his weight and strength. Harry quickly gained the upper hand.

Dracka growled as Harry held his wrists above his head in an iron grip. He managed to get a leg free before the man could pin him down and brought it up into Harry's stomach. The man grunted but didn't release his hold. Dracka growled and brought his knee up again, harder.

Harry gasped and his grip relaxed. Dracka broke the man's hold and rolled them but Harry was ready and got his feet up. His planted his feet into the vampire's stomach and he flipped the man. He used his dark power to add power to his legs.

Dracka yelped as he flipped over and landed on his back hard. He lay there for a minute and looked up at Harry looking down at him with a grin on his face and his green eyes shining. Harry sat down next to Dracka as the man panted.

Dracka started laughing, the sound rolling over Harry and the man pulled his dark magic close. He grinned down at the vampire.

"Better?" Harry asked.

"Much," Dracka agreed. "You?"

"I'm going to pay for it in the morning but better." Harry said with a laugh, then hissed and grabbed his ribs. "Forgot how good that can be."

Dracka grinned as his demon felt satisfied for the first time in a long time. Harry sprawled out on the floor next to the vampire.

"You are forgiven," Dracka uttered softly.

Harry started at the words and looked over at the vampire.

"Thank you," Harry whispered, feeling a burden lifting off his shoulders at the soft words.

The burden of the death of Dracka's brother had always sat heavy on his shoulders.

"I guess you aren't the only idiot," Dracka laughed.

"You do know that Severus is going to call both of us idiots, right?" Harry countered as he lay there.

"This is one time I'm glad you understand vampires so well," Dracka remarked.

"If I didn't," Harry drawled. "I would have taken offence at this."

Dracka laughed and patted the other man's stomach gently, the only part he could reach. They lay there for a while longer, the night quiet except for their breathing.

"Come on," Harry said as he sat up. His body protesting and reminding him just how old he was. "Until Severus gets concerned that we have killed each other."

Dracka snorted and took Harry's hand as the man pulled him to his feet. Harry picked up his cane as they made it to the door.

"You know," Dracka commented. "If it weren't for that leg of yours. You probably would have finished that quicker."

Harry flashed him a grin as he wiped away the blood from his split lip.

"Where's the fun in that?"

xXx

Severus looked up from his coffee as the two men moved into the room. Blake gave him a grin, his lip spilt and a bruise already coming up on the side of his face. Dracka didn't look as bad but was walking stiffy as he came in. Severus raised an eyebrow as he looked the pair over, no broken bones and they were both alive at least. Taking note of the dirt and dust covering them. He was sure that Blake would have to buy a new dress shirt and suit.

"First aid kit is on the table," Severus drawled. "If you bleed on the floor, you clean it up."

Blake barked a laugh then held his ribs.

"He's learning," Blake remarked and nudged Dracka with his elbow. "That book must be teaching him something."

The vampire winced at the elbow.

"I'm going to bed," The vampire drawled.

He then crashed on the lounge, much to Severus and Blake's amusement.

"Are two flights of stairs too far, Mr Dracka?" Blake drawled with a smirk as he leaned on his cane.

"It is when there's a comfy lounge right here," Dracka mumbled into the cushions.

Blake moved over, looking a little stiff himself and eased himself down onto the edge of the lounge. Severus closed the book in his hands and placed it next to the armchair he was sitting in.

"I'll just be heading to bed then," Severus drawled.

Blake just grinned at him.

"I'll just take a shower then join you," Blake said. "Can't be bleeding on the sheets, now can I?"

Dracka snorted.

Severus stopped and looked down his nose at the two of them.

"Idiots," He snapped. "The both of you."

Blake's grin only widened as Dracka huffed a laugh. Severus gave them a smirk and felt like everything was falling back into place again as he looked into the shining green eyes of his lover.

xXx

Harry was not in a happy mood when he woke the next morning as he forced his body to uncurl with a moan. God, did he feel his age as he slowly wiggled his way to the side of the bed and tumbled out to land on all fours before using the bed to get to his feet. He was too old to be wrestling vampires, he may look like he was in his late forties but his body held the scars of a lot older man.

Severus was no help as he just smirked at him from the bed as Harry braced himself on the wall with his hand.

"Don't look so smug," Harry snapped.

Severus's rumbling laughter was his only answer.

"That's going leave some nice bruising," Severus commented. "What did he use? A chair?"

"Um, a knee." Harry remarked as he looked down at the bruise marring his ribs and stomach. "A couple of times."

"How's your head?"

"Ringing," Harry grumbled. "Loudly."

Severus frowned, he did feel concerned for the man but he only had himself to blame.

"Do you know what's worse?" Harry muttered as he looked at Severus.

"What would that be?"

"Damn vampire healing," Harry spat and limped out of the room to Severus's laughter.


	47. Chapter 47

Harry shoved another shirt into his bag as he slowly filled it with their gear for the week. He had a couple of extra things to go into Dracka's bag when the man finally arrived but had fit everything else without a problem. He placed the last item into the bag before limping out to the main room and taking a seat at the table next to Severus. He placed the bag on the table.

He still felt a little stiff after his fight with Dracka but he felt a lot more like himself. His nightmares had settled down over the last few days and he was able to get sleep once again. He hadn't realised how much he'd needed that fight until he was dancing around the vampire. From the way that Dracka was acting, he felt the same.

"There are a few more things on the bed to put into Dracka's bag when he gets here." Harry reported to Severus as he leaned back in his seat. "Where is he anyway?"

Severus smirked at him.

"Catching up on his tan?" Severus suggested.

Harry grinned, he'd placed the daylight pendant around the man's neck earlier that morning before they'd came back to his rooms to pack.

"Had to pick up a few things," Dracka stated as he came through the door with a grin.

"Well hurry up," Harry snapped. "I've left what won't fit in our bag on the bed."

Dracka flashed his fangs at him before moving through to the bedroom.

"Remind me again why we are not just shrinking our bags?" Dracka called out.

"I don't want anything on us that can be tracked," Harry called back.

Severus snorted and pushed the coffee mug in his lover's direction. Harry sighed and grabbed the mug in both his hands. It was still early and Harry was hoping to be gone before the students started to wake for breakfast on a Saturday.

"Do you really need this shirt?" Dracka asked, holding up one of Harry's shirts. "It won't fit."

"Just leave it then," Harry answered as his hands tightened around the mug. "Could you fit everything else?"

"And these socks?" Dracka said with a smirk.

Harry gave up as he picked up his bag and stalked from the room. He could hear Severus's voice through the door as his cane tapped away on the stones. He made his way out of the school with only a few students for company at such an early hour on a Saturday.

He started to relax as he made his way out of the school and out onto the front lawn. There was a cool breeze on the air but the sun was warm on his back as he slowly made his way to the front gates of the school. He placed his bag on the ground as he leaned back on the fence. He idlily reached out and touched on the wards he could feel at his back.

They hummed down his back and the presence of Hogwarts filled his mind as he looked out at the castle. He could see the mists and colours floating around the school as he opened his mind to the magic. He picked up the strands of the wards gently in his hands and ran them through his fingers. He strengthened the ones that needed and fixed any that were frayed but most of them he just flicked to the side. He tapped along the line to make sure they were sitting right and there were no broken connections.

He pulled back from the wards, still seeing the magic as Dracka and Severus appeared walking towards him. Both men were coated in dark mists but Severus had a wizard's core and the shimmering of rainbow colours mixed in with the dark magic the man held. Dracka on the other hand didn't have any wizard magic since he was born a vampire and the dark mists swirled around him like a cloak.

If Harry had wanted to he could have easily reach out to that dark power but he didn't. He brushed against Severus softly and the man stumbled on a step as Dracka laughed at him. Harry grinned and looked down and caught a glimpse of his own magic. Light, dark and rainbows twisting and swirling together.

He was still held concern for that part of his magic that just didn't sit right, but so far it hadn't caused any trouble and most of the time he forgot about it. He knew he would have to address it at some point but until he knew what was wrong, he wasn't too concerned. He had a few ideas about what it could been and had been trying to narrow it done.

He picked up some of his wizard and light magic and gently pushed the magic down. He slowly spread it out across the grounds and under the two men as they moved closer. He could feel Hogwarts taking the magic in and he felt a slight brush against him as he cut off the magic.

"What are you doing?" Severus questioned.

"Keeping myself busy," Harry replied with a grin. "Well, should we go?"

"Before Albus can find you?" Severus drawled. "He hasn't yelled at you for a while."

Harry quirked a smile as they stepped over the wards and he grabbed the two men and apparated them. They landed in a small village on the edge of the sea and Severus grabbed his arm as he stumbled. Dracka flinch back as the sun hit his skin but quickly relaxed as he looked at the sun on his skin. Harry patted the vampire on the shoulder before passing the bag he held to Severus.

"I'll going to hunt out the lay line," Harry reported. "I might be a little out of it for a while as I try and pick it up. The lay lines here are a lot thinner and harder to find than in the rest of Europe."

"Why is that?" Severus asked as he shouldered the pack.

"No idea," Harry replied with a shrug. "The one that runs under Hogwarts is thick but it's had over a thousand years of magic soaking into it."

"What about the Border spell?" Dracka asked.

"Unless you want to go swimming," Harry smirked and pointed out to sea. "It's about a kilometre that way. We won't be able to look at it until it touches land."

"Why are we starting here then?" Dracka asked, looking around. "There's nothing really here."

"This ley line runs straight to Germany," Harry replied then amended. "Well, mostly to Germany."

Harry slipped out of his shoes and socks and palmed them off to Severus, who sighed in resignation. Harry gave him a grin before he stepped out onto the rocky beach. He closed his eyes and centred himself as he listened to the soft waves and the birds calling in the morning light. He slowed his breathing down and relaxed his body. Feeling the rough sand under his feet and the two men at his back. He tuned out their magic and focused on the earth under him.

He slowly reached down into the sand with his mind then the soil as he felt the phantom touch of water running over his hands. They weren't real sensations but as he worked, they felt that way. He slowly spread his awareness out to his right trying to pick up on the thin line of the lay line. He frowned as he stretched further but couldn't find anything. He pulled back and stretched the other way. He didn't have to go far until he touched on the lay line and felt a jolt of electricity touch him.

He hissed and pulled back slightly. He hated working with lay lines, they always wanted to hurt him for some reason. It was like working with live electricity, always waiting for the shock of a live wire. He pulled back slightly and opened his eyes. Magic swirled around his vision and just seeing the sand under his feet was hard enough. If you looked hard enough you could find magic in everything and that was what he was seeing. The world of magic coming to the forefront of his mind.

Harry stumbled slightly as he looked around and tried to filter through everything he was seeing. Severus and Dracka stayed back and he knew his eyes were shining as he focused in on where he was going and the thin line of magic he'd touched. He set off down the beach, the sun feeling warm on his back as the cold wind chilled him. Those sensations grounded him to reality.

He followed the shore for a while until they had to work back up onto the road to get around some rock outcropping. Harry would stumble every now and again as something would rush by him as he looked into two worlds. The one of magic and the other real as he followed the signal of the lay line.

He stopped suddenly and Severus's magic nudged him to the side. Harry grinned over at the man when he realised he'd stopped in the middle of the road. He moved in the direction Severus's magic pushed him. He carefully picked up the lay line and swore when it sparked in his fingers. Severus nudged him again and he moved that way until he stood with his back to a wall.

Harry focused in on the lay line and he was surrounded by light. It poured in from everywhere and the street and everything else disappeared around him. He felt like he was high or drank a hundred cups coffee at once. He was buzzing with that much magic and he understood how wizards had been lost to that feeling. He curled his hands and felt brickwork under his fingers and the feeling of rough ground under his feet. He grounded himself to reality with those feelings as the magic overtook his sight.

This was why most wizards wouldn't dream of using the wild magic of a lay line. It was too easy to just fall into the magic and be lost, swept away with the flow. Once he was cantered and had a firm grip on the ground under him. He turned towards the Border spell, he could feel in the distance, and followed the flow of magic. He kept the feeling of earth close to him as he followed it with his mind. He didn't want to physically move along the line.

When he came up against the Border spell he stopped. He gently touched the spell then strengthened it where the lay line passed through it. The magic of the lay line passing through easily, he'd never looked at the Border spell this way and it fascinated him. He looked it over once again before focusing on the earth under his feet and the bricks at his back.

He shook his head as he came back to awareness and rubbed his eyes. He was crouched down on a sidewalk with the stone wall at his back with Dracka and Severus on both sides of him. He looked up to see some of the early morning shoppers giving them strange look from the other side of the street. His head pounded and he held it for a second before sliding up the wall as he stood.

"Back with us?" Severus purred and held out a pain potion.

Harry took it and downed the whole thing before passing the empty vial back. He felt like he'd had a night on the town and was now paying the price. Dracka slid an arm around his shoulders and Harry leaned into the man as the potion worked through his system.

"Thank you," Harry said to Severus. "I could feel you give me that push."

"Was the only way to get you off the bloody road," Severus muttered, unimpressed. "That wasn't a 'little out of it' that was 'riding high on drugs'."

Harry barked a laugh and looked around as his headache eased off.

"Why do you think curse breakers work in teams?" Harry asked with a smirk.

"To stop the others from doing something stupid," Dracka quipped and stepped back from him.

"Well," Harry admitted. "That too."

Harry looked around the small village centre that they were standing in, getting more than a couple of odd looks.

"So," Harry announced after a moment. "Coffee?"

Severus smirked as Dracka swung an arm around the smaller man's shoulder and tugging him towards a café that was open in answer.

xXx

"So," Blake said once he was settled with a cup of coffee in his hands and they waited for their breakfast order. "It looks like it will be easier to follow each lay line and place a barrier there for foreign magic then to change the Border spell itself."

"Would that mean you would have to go to each line?" Dracka asked, sitting back in his seat.

"Yes," Blake answered. "It would take a lot more time but Simpson won't know until he tries to use a lay line that the pathway is blocked. Hopefully with a group of men behind him when he tries. That would give them one hell of a good shock."

Dracka shivered at the dark smile curving up Blake's lips. The man could be as bloody thirsty as a vampire sometimes.

"We'll work on the ones coming directly from Europe now," Blake said fiddling with his ring. "Then we'll work on the others when school breaks for Christmas."

"You want to do all of them?" Severus asked in surprise.

"Yes," Blake answered. "That way no one will be able to use the lay lines to get onto British soil. Um, I may have to file that with the Department as well."

Dracka barked a laugh as their meals were served.

"You didn't inform the Ministry of Magic that you were going to change the Border spell?" Dracka asked.

"I filed the paperwork in the Department," Blake remarked. "They laughed at me. They laughed harder when I said I was going to change it where the lay lines sit."

Severus smirked as Dracka laughed.

"No faith," Blake said with a smirk. "You would think they should know better by now."

"Have you blown anything up down there?" Severus purred.

Blake's fork paused in mid-air for a second as he ate.

"Not lately," He replied with a wink.

Dracka grinned as they finished off their breakfast and sat back enjoying the sea breeze and more coffee. He ignored it when Severus slipped his hand onto Blake's knee under the table but he did notice a couple other people around the café giving them disapproving looks. He gave one woman, that had been staring, a leer and she turned away with a blush.

They worked through two more lay lines along the coast until Blake said he'd had enough. The man looked wrung out and Severus was giving him concerning looks as they booked into a hotel for the night. They booked a large room and Blake handed over a small plastic card to pay for it without question. The lady behind the counter gave them the look over but then plastered on a fake smile, putting Dracka on edge.

Blake just smiled back at the woman and took the key and ordered breakfast to be sent up to them in the morning. The man laying on the charm a bit thick as he spoke to the woman until her smile turned more true and she happily started chatting away about what was going on in town and how the hotel had been busy. It still amazed him the talent that Blake had to get people to talk and he swore it was magic but Blake had been able to do it even with his magic held tightly to him. Even now he could only faintly feel the man's magic.

He brushed his hand against Blake's and the man cocked his head slightly as he spoke to the woman. The man knew what he was doing and Dracka felt better when he could feel his magic brushing against him. The woman giggled and slipped a pad of paper and pen towards Blake and he pocketed them as she gave him a smile.

The three men walked away from the counter towards the lifts with Blake in the lead as they made their way to the top floor. Blake laid his back against the side of the lift and raised an eyebrow at Dracka.

"Yes?" The man drawled.

"Nothing." Dracka smirked, leaning back on the other side.

Severus just sighed and leaned beside Blake as the lift went up. They piled out and Blake opened the door to a huge hotel room which was more of an apartment than a room.

"There should be coffee," Blake muttered and wondered off.

Severus and Dracka looked after him before turning to each other and shared a look.

"Do you think one day," Severus said slowly. "He may just overdose on coffee?"

Dracka barked a laugh and slapped the man's shoulder.

"If anyone can do it," Dracka smirked. "It would be Blake. Death by coffee, I bet the Deathly Hallows wouldn't see that one coming."

xXx

Severus watched as his lover stood on another beach on the third day of working on the lay lines. He just couldn't hold back the question that had been burning in him as he'd watched Blake.

"What does he see?" Severus muttered and Dracka snorted next to him.

"What's that?" Blake asked over his shoulder, the slight glow to his green eyes fading back to normal.

"What do you see?" Severus repeated.

Blake turned around to face him and walked the few steps back to the two men with an easy smile on his face and a glint in his eyes. Dracka groaned at the look and took one step away from Severus.

"Do you want to see?" Blake asked.

Severus felt a spike of fear and uncertainty run down his spine at the words. He glanced at the vampire but he was no help. He straightened up and nodded. Blake gave him a smile and took his hand and stepped back, pulling him away from Dracka. They stood for a second while Blake looked him in the eyes.

"Are you sure?" Blake asked softly.

"Depends," Severus drawled. "Will this involve sex? Because this is a public beach."

Blake barked a laugh and pushed Severus's left sleeve up. He pulled a silver knife from his pocket and held the edge to Severus's skin. The taller man held still but he trusted Blake.

"Ready?" Blake asked.

"Yes," Severus replied.

Blake nicked his skin, just a slight sting on his arm and tucked the blade away. He placed his thumb on the cut, making it sting even more.

"Close your eyes," Blake requested softly.

Severus closed his eyes.

"Okay, just focus on your breathing." Blake intoned. "Just feel the breeze around you, the sounds of the birds, and the ground under your feet. Let the sounds roll over you and just open your mind to everything you can feel and hear and sense."

Severus relaxed as he followed Blake's directions. Slowly he felt the man's magic beside him, brushing against him and he reached out instinctively. Blake grabbed a hold of his magic and gently brushed his own over his skin. Their magic tangling together slightly, similar to when they had sex but not quite the same.

Severus followed the magic but a sharp pain on his arm pulled him back again as Blake's magic surrounded him.

"Don't drift away," Blake purred, he wasn't sure if the man spoke or if it was in his mind and he focused back on him.

He could feel the familiar presence of the man. His magic a comfort around him as they stood there as the birds called loudly and the surf crashed.

"Okay," Blake whispered. "Open your eyes."

Severus did and almost lost his concentration but Blake had him. His magic curled around him and Severus could see that his own magic was swirling with Blake. Everything around him was too bright or too dark as shadows and rainbows took over his vision. It was similar to what he saw after they had sex but more vivid. He could see less of the real world and more of the magic.

"Focus on the earth beneath you," Blake suggested. "Makes it easier to focus. Since it is more stable."

He looked down and could see the solid earth beneath his feet. He could see mists rolling along the surface but the ground was the same. Once he was cantered, he slowly raised his head and looked out at the ocean. Rolling waves lapped at the shore curling with mists both light and dark. He could see things moving out there and tried to look closer.

Pain in his arm drew him back and he glanced over at Blake. The man's magic and green eyes a comfort and he centred on the man's presence. He glanced over his shoulder and flinched back. A dark figure stood behind him with red eyes and a cloak made of darkness draped around his shoulders which flowed to the ground.

"Sh," Blake cooed. "That's Dracka."

Severus focused in on the man and could see him standing there. Calmly wearing the darkness like a second skin as he looked closer but the sharp pain drew him back again. He could understand how this could be so dangerous for someone without a guild as he looked around with wide eyes.

Suddenly something brushed passed him and Blake's hand clamped down hard on his arm and his concentration slipped away completely. Blake gently untangled their magic and Severus blinked his eyes a few times as the world came back into focus. Blake released his arm and slipped the bag off his shoulder and handed up a bandage for the cut.

Severus took it as Dracka moved closer and Severus could still see the slight darkness around the vampire. Severus stared at him with wide eyes.

"Bit of an eye opener?" Dracka asked and Blake snorted.

Dracka took the bandage from Severus's hand and gently wrapped it around his wrist after cleaning the blood off with a cloth.

"Um," Severus stuttered, his eyes still wide.

"I think you broke him, Blake." Dracka muttered to the shorter man.

"He'll be alright," Blake smirked. "He'll be back being snarky in no time."

Severus smacked the man in the shoulder with his other hand as Blake chuckled.

"Is that what you see all the time?" Severus uttered.

"God, no." Blake exclaimed. "I'll go mad if I saw that all the time."

Dracka tied off the bandage and patted the man's shoulder before stepping back.

"Oh!" Blake cried and held his hand out. "Let me show you something else."

Dracka laughed as Severus held out his arm with a sigh. Blake took in his hand gently and wrapped his hand around the spot he'd cut.

"You can see Dracka's dark magic?" Blake asked, looking over at the vampire.

Severus nodded and Dracka leered back at him which sent a shiver down his spine.

"Okay, see the dark magic?" Blake said softly.

Severus felt Blake's power around him again and felt him grab his magic and stretch it out towards the vampire. He touched on the man's magic and Dracka shivered but held his eyes. It felt odd and yet familiar as he touched on it.

"That is dark magic," Blake explained. "Whether you are touching Dracka's magic or someone else's that is the feel of dark magic. When you dip into your core Severus, it will also feel the same. Just remember if you pull on it to make a spell, it can slip from your control more easily than wizard magic. I wouldn't recommend playing around with it until you understand it more."

Severus nodded and allowed Blake to pull him back. The man released his hand and stepped back, he could still feel the man's magic around him, guiding him but it felt different. He turned to look at him and could only see light mists swirling around him. He stepped back from that magic, instinctively.

"It's okay," Blake said quickly. "Just focus on me, okay."

Severus stepped forward and Blake grinned. He gently reached out with his magic and touched on the other man. His magic felt unfamiliar and yet familiar at the same time as he focused on him.

"Light magic," Blake confirmed. "It should feel a little strange to you."

Dracka snorted.

Severus ignored him as he felt the magic, it was sharper than the dark magic. He also had an odd feeling that it didn't like him as he ran his magic over it and Blake shivered but held still.

"Have you got the feeling of it?" Blake whispered.

Severus nodded and Blake's magic changed back to what he was used to. He cocked his head to the side as he looked at him and could see and feel the different strands. Something he hadn't been able to see or feel before, he could also still feel that slight wrongness as well and he frowned. He focused on that and could feel that it felt darker somehow.

"Have you worked out what that is?" Severus asked.

"I'm not completely sure," Blake replied evenly. "I think it may have something to do with the Horcrux that was in both Ry and myself. A residue perhaps."

Dracka shifted and they both looked over at him. Severus went to pull back from the magic but Blake grabbed his wrist.

"Hold on," Blake said quickly. "I want to show you one more thing."

Dracka chuckled and muttered something under his breath.

"Problem vampire?" Blake asked.

Dracka grinned, showing off his fangs in answer. Severus rarely felt fear around the vampire but since he could see the curse around the man and the red eyes. It was a clear reminder of what lay just under the surface of Dracka's skin. The demon of a vampire.

"Ignore the idiot and close your eyes, Severus." Blake stated calmly.

Severus smirked at Dracka before doing as instructed.

"This is going to feel strange."

Suddenly Blake's magic surrounded him completely. He felt himself tangling with the other man's spirit as Blake grabbed a hold of him and his mind seemed to see everything and nothing at the same time. He could feel Blake whispering into his mind and he calmed down and relaxed.

He opened his eyes and felt like he was seeing a ghost town around him. Just shadows of the land, trees, oceans, houses and cars around him. Blake nudged him to the right and he drifted that way 'seeing' dark, light and rainbow colours in the distance. Understanding and yet not understanding what he was seeing.

He moved towards them, feeling something stretching out behind him and knew it was the anchor that Blake had placed. He landed on a street and looked around at the ghost town as people passed them without seeing them. He could see their magical cores shinning in rainbow colours. Every now and again dark or light mists would swirl around him.

He tried to reach out to one of the people but Blake blocked him. He could feel the man's amusement and love around him and he focused on that instead. Blake's amusement increased but Severus frowned when he could also feel slight pain and wariness to the man. He was tired and he could feel an echo of a headache and a phantom pain in his side. He brushed against the man's magic then grabbed it slightly.

Suddenly he was back on the beach and Blake as kneeling on the ground before him, panting.

"Sorry," Severus said quickly as he knelt in front of him, unsure what he'd done.

"All good," Blake muttered as he tried to get his breathing under control.

Severus slipped a pain potion out of his pocket and passed it to him.

"What happened?" Dracka demanded.

Blake pulled himself to his feet instead of answering.

"Severus needs more practice," Blake replied and smiled but Severus could see it didn't quite reach his eyes. "I'm done for today. We'll finish this lay line tomorrow."

Blake patted Severus on the shoulder and moved up the beach.

"What did he show you?" Dracka asked as the two men followed behind.

"I think he cast our magic out," Severus replied. "You know when he says he senses people out?"

"Yes."

"I think he was trying to show me how to do that but something went wrong."

"What did you do?"

"I'm not sure." Severus said in reply, a frown marring his brow.

xXx

Harry was sprawled out across the bed on his back as he tried to get his headache under control. He hadn't been prepared for Severus to grab a hold of his magic while he was guiding him. The man had been going so well until something within Harry had distracted him and before Harry could direct him away, the man had grabbed a hold of him.

He had to quickly cut off the connection before Severus could do anything else and it had made his head spin. He'd never taught a lover how to do his kind of magic before. Only apprentices and he had always kept a barrier up while doing it but the familiar feeling of Severus's magic mingling with his own had him lowering his barriers instinctively. Working it like they were having sex and not teaching.

He started slightly when Severus sat on the bed next to him and ran a hand over his head.

"Roll over," Severus ordered.

Harry peered up at him, before slowly rolling over and onto his stomach. Severus run his hands under his shirt and up his back and Harry slipped out of it. He groaned as Severus worked his fingers into his shoulders, kneading the tight muscles as he worked slowly down his back.

Harry relaxed into the bed as his headache eased off. Severus worked on the tight muscles in his neck, shoulders and back. He took great care around the bruises still healing on his side as he worked. The man knew how to work each muscle to release the tension and Harry was soon boneless under him as his mind drifted.

"I did something wrong?" Severus questioned.

"No," Harry answered. "Well, yes but no."

Severus snorted.

"I'm glad we cleared that up," Severus drawled.

Harry huffed a laugh then groaned as Severus touched on a knot in his lower back.

"I let my barriers down too far," Harry expanded.

"You felt tired," Severus remarked. "I could feel how tired you were."

Harry didn't know what to say to that as he lay there while Severus worked.

"I could feel you had a headache," Severus continued softly.

"Yes," Harry agreed, letting the other man work through it.

"I shouldn't have been able to feel that?"

"No."

Severus's hands stilled for a second before running over his shoulders.

"I wanted to look closer," Severus said softly.

"Yes," Harry whispered. "You grabbed a hold of me. I broke the connection."

Severus's hand stilled again and silence descended as the taller man saddled his legs.

"And if you hadn't?" Severus inquired

"If I said bad things would have happened, would you let it drop?" Harry asked in amusement.

Severus smacked his shoulder in answer.

"It's fine, Severus." Harry said softly and wiggled until he could look up at the other man "I just wasn't expecting it. Next time I'll be more careful and keep a better barrier up."

Severus looked down at him with soft black eyes. Harry sat up and took the man into a kiss and pulled him down onto the bed as he deepened the kiss.

"Dinner is here!" Dracka yelled and banged on the door loudly.

Harry snorted as he pulled back and Severus looked down at him fondly.

"He has timing at least," Harry smirked.

xXx

Harry sat on the beach looking out at the waves crashing further out, just enjoying the sun on his back. He closed his eyes as the breeze cooled his skin. It was their last day before heading back to the school the next morning and he just let his thoughts drift as seagulls called out loudly.

He had managed to block the direct lay lines to Britain and just had the less direct ones to go. He would make his way back during the Christmas holidays to finish the rest of them. He idlily picked up a stick and wrote a couple of runes on the sand in front of him.

Dracka flopped down next to him with a huff and Harry looked over at him in amusement as the man sprawled out on the sand in the sun.

"How's the tan going?" Harry asked in amusement.

Dracka snorted before the two men looked over to see Severus waiting in line to get food. They waved when he looked over at them and he glared back.

"How are you feeling?" Dracka asked when the silence stretched.

"This has helped," Harry admitted as he rubbed his head. "Always feel better when working with links and connections. Like wards. They are easy to understand."

"Easy for you maybe," Dracka muttered.

Harry grinned over at the vampire in amusement.

"Give me this kind of magic any day." Harry remarked as he watched Severus. "I would rather be doing this than dealing with Dark Lords and battle plans."

Dracka looked over at Severus as well.

"Blake?" Dracka said softly and Harry turned to him. "You have started to teach him."

Harry stilled at the words, knowing the vampire was referring to Severus.

"If you say apprentice," Harry growled. "I will hit you."

Dracka flashed his fangs at him and Harry gave him a smile before his eyes drifted back to Severus.

"I have had apprentices before, Dracka." Harry said softly. "None of them were lovers."

"Really?" Dracka asked in surprise. "That is uncommon."

Harry looked the vampire over as Severus moved towards them with the food.

"And Severus?" Dracka asked.

"I don't know," Harry answered. "He has the talent and power but isn't sensitive to magic. He is young though so that could change."

"Who is young?" Severus asked as he sat down on the sand next to Harry with a plastic bag with sandwiches and bottles of water.

"You are," Dracka replied with a smirk.

Severus glared over at the vampire.

"Compared to you two old men?" Severus sneered.

"Blake's older than me!" Dracka snapped back. "He's ancient!"

Twin dark eyes landed on Harry as he started on his sandwich and he raised an eyebrow in amusement.

"How old are you, Blake?" Dracka asked and Severus snorted.

"I was born on the thirty first of July 1980," Harry replied with a wink. "You do the math."

Severus snorted as Dracka growled.

"So," Harry announced with a leer. "Going off birth dates. I'm the youngest one here."

"Oh, god." Severus moaned. "Don't say that!"

Harry laughed and pushed the man's shoulder as he stretched out his legs.

"So," Harry said with a smirk. "That makes you about twenty years older than me, Severus."

Dracka barked a laugh as Severus glared at Harry.

"So that makes Dracka the old man," Severus drawled.

Dracka leered at the both of them. Harry leaned back on the sand with his hands under his head as he let his thoughts drift as he listened to the birds and the surf and just enjoying the company before they had to head back to the school.

xXx

It was a week before the Christmas holidays and Harry was holding his last class. He had students from every year around him as they stood on the front steps of the school. A few other students had gathered as he'd waited for all his students to arrive. Severus and Dracka were watching him and even Albus and Minerva had come out to watch.

"Okay everyone," Harry called to his class. "If everyone could move down to the front lawn and we'll get started. Everyone else take a seat on the front steps."

Harry moved down to the lawn with the rest of his class and pulled his dark wand and a few students shifted when they saw it.

"What?" Harry asked. "Why do you lot always do that?"

No one answered him and he let it drop. With a whispered spell a large griffin appeared in front of him and swung its head around as it turned towards the class. Students gasped and stepped back.

"Today," Harry called. "We'll be working on conjuring animals. These can come in handy as a distraction in a fight or as an amusement at children's birthday parties."

A couple of students giggled as the griffin stretched its wings wide.

"The biggest problem with conjured animals is the fact that you have to order it to do everything you want." Harry instructed.

Harry dismissed the griffin and it disappeared. Suddenly another griffin flew over their heads and Harry looked up in amusement.

"Unless you add dark or light magic to it," Harry remarked as the griffin dipped and dived in the air. "As the Headmaster has demonstrated with his light magic."

The students gasped as the griffin winged around before landing in front of the students and Harry. It was in perfect detail as its sharp gold eyes looked the class over in interest.

"Now the spell is _Partum,_ " Harry called, drawing the attention of the class back. "You have to have a clear idea in your head of the animal you want to conjure."

A black cat prowled along the grass and Harry looked up to see Minerva smirking at him.

"Thank you, Professor McGonagall." Harry called as the cat wound through the kids and they giggled. "As I was saying you have to have a clear idea in your head of what the animal should look like when you cast the spell."

A few squeaked when a large green snake appeared on the ground and made its way towards the cat which hissed at it. He was sure that Severus was responsible for the animal as the cat took off with the snake behind it. Then there was a small white rabbit skipping around.

"Oi!" Harry shouted over to the other teachers as the students giggled. "I'm trying to run a class here!"

"Problem, Mr Sun?" Severus drawled.

"Just interfering teachers," Harry muttered and a couple of his students laughed. "Now, it's easier to conjure an animal you know well. Like a pet or an animal that you have studied."

A hawk appeared in the air as Madam Hooch grinned and the griffin took to the air to chase the bird. The students gasped as the two animals twisted in the air.

"Okay everyone," Harry called. "The spell. _Partum_ and flick of your wand with a clear idea in your head of the animal."

Harry flicked his wand as he voiced the spell. A large black dog appeared in front of him and it ran off after the rabbit which took off at speed. Another gold coloured dog appeared and crashed into his dog and Harry grinned over at the seventh-year student who'd cast it.

Very soon the lawn was filled with all sorts of animals. Harry moved from student to student as laughter filled the air and Harry looked around in amusement. Once everyone had the spell going, he moved back towards Severus and stood next to him as they watched the students and animals.

Albus looked over at him with a twinkle in his eyes as they looked around. One of the students had conjured a very good giraffe which was swinging its head around and watching the owl flying around its head. Albus's griffin wasn't alone and someone else had conjured a good example of it and they twisted around each other.

"Looks a bit like all the animals escaped from a zoo," Harry remarked in amusement as two dogs danced around each other.

"You are good at turning this school into a zoo," Severus muttered.

Harry grinned over at him before turning back to the giggling students. With a flick of his dark wand he had an elephant stomping off across the grounds. Severus grinned and a large tiger appeared snapping at the elephant's heels and Harry grinned. The elephant swung its trunk around and battered the tiger away to the student's giggles.

"Bully," Severus muttered.

"Ha!"

xXx

"Blake?"

Harry looked up to see Dracka in his doorway with Bradon by his side.

"Hey, come on in." Harry greeted with a smile. "How are you Bradon?"

"Well," The vampire replied.

"Fantastic," Harry said with a grin, as he looked the two men over. "Look after Mr Dracka for me. I still have a need for him."

Bradon flashed his fangs at him in answer as Dracka growled. Harry just sat back in his seat.

"Will you be okay?" Dracka asked as he moved into the room with Bradon as a silent shadow behind him.

"Sure," Harry answered. "Severus will be busy here, making potions for St Mungo's and I will have strike team three with me. Couldn't be safer."

Harry was heading out to finish off the lay lines while Dracka went back to his Coven and Severus would be safe behind the wards of Hogwarts. Harry was hoping to be back in time for Christmas and was a little sad that he wouldn't be seeing Ry this year for Christmas due to him being in the program.

"We are planning on going to France to look at the Border spell after that," Harry reported as he took a sip of coffee. "I can come to your Coven and look at it there, if you want? Your Coven isn't far from the Border. I would have the strike team with me though."

"We won't mind," Bradon added. "We could do with the practise."

Harry barked a laugh.

"I'll run it past them," Harry replied in amusement. "And let you know."

xXx

Severus watched Blake with dark eyes as he sat on the top step of the school. He'd been there a while now and Severus was sure that he was doing something with the wards. He turned slightly as Albus came to stand beside him. They both looked at Blake.

"Is he working on the wards?" Severus asked, turning to the Headmaster.

"Yes," Albus agreed. "I'm not sure what he's doing but yes."

"Does he do that a lot?"

"Every now and again. I don't think he can hold himself back really. He sees a ward or something that isn't right and he has to fiddle with it."

Severus turned his eyes back to Blake until four people moving onto the grounds from the front gate caught his attention.

"That would be Sergeant Miller and his team," Severus assumed as he watched the team of four.

Severus wasn't happy about being left behind but St Mungo's had sent him an urgent plea for potions, which he couldn't ignore. He knew his lover would be safe with Miller and his team which had helped ease the concern he felt as he watched them getting closer. Blake looked up suddenly and pulled himself to his feet and moved out to greet the team.

"He'll be okay," Albus offered from beside him.

Severus smirked as one of the men swung his arm around Blake's shoulders, making the man stumble. Blake flicked out his cane, hitting the man in the leg and Severus could hear the laughter and yelp from where he stood.

"It's not Blake I'm concerned about."

xXx

Harry sighed as he pulled back from the last lay line and felt his head pound as he let the magic go. He stumbled slightly and Robbie quickly grabbed his arm.

"Right there, Blake?" Robbie asked in concern.

Harry shook his head, that last lay line had been the thickest and trickiest line to fix up and he'd left it as the last one for a reason. His head swum from holding the power and he could feel himself coming down from the high of holding so much power but he felt that something was wrong.

"Whoa," Robbie yelped as Harry's legs gave out. "Bob!"

Harry felt the other man get under his arm and he wasn't sure if he was going to pass out or throw up. He had pushed himself too far and too long and something just felt wrong.

"Blake?" Miller said softly. "Right there?"

"Going to throw up," Harry muttered and Miller helped him to his knees.

Harry threw up everything he'd eaten as Miller knelt next to him. His head was spinning and he could still see the magic around him. Miller's magic brushed against him and he threw up again.

"We'll set up camp here," Miller ordered as Robbie placed a bottle of water next to Harry.

"Yes, sir."

Harry rested a hand on the ground as he tried to pull back from the magic. He'd used too much of his energy to block the lay line as mists rolled over his hand. He threw up until it was only bile as his head swum as darkness crept into his vision. Those mists pushing at him, dragging him down.

"Blake?" Miller asked softly.

Harry tried to say something but the world was sliding away from him as he fell into the darkness.

xXx

"Robbie," Miller called over to the younger man. "Give me a hand."

Robbie moved over in concern when he realised that Blake was out cold.

"Did he pass out?" Robbie asked as he got under the man's other side.

Blake was limp between them.

"I think he pushed too far," Miller guessed as they moved him towards the camp they were setting up.

"Should we call Severus?" Robbie asked as he laid a hand to Blake's forehead. "He's hot."

"We'll give him time to rest," Miller ordered. "That was the last lay line anyway."

"What about the vampire then?" Robbie suggested. "We were going to head there next?"

They moved Blake into the tent that Sarah and David had already put up and placed him down on the camp bed. The man looked pale and Miller quickly conjured up a bucket and placed it on the floor next to the camp bed. He laid his hand on the man's forehead to feel the heat. He could already see the sweat on his brow as David moved over with his wand out.

"Call the vampire," Miller ordered. "Give him the heads up."

"Yes, sir." Robbie answered and pulled out his phone.

"Dracka," The man answered smoothly.

"Mr Dracka," Robbie said into the phone. "It's Robbie Milton from the Depart-"

"Is Blake okay?" Dracka cut in.

"He had a problem with the last lay line," Robbie explained. "He's out cold."

A string of swearing answered him.

"Miller wanted me to call you and give you the heads up," Robbie explained, when there was a break in the swearing. "We are headed your way as soon as Blake is able."

"The bloody idiot," Dracka cursed. "How long has he been out?"

"Not long," Robbie replied. "He doesn't look good."

"Have you called Severus?"

"No, should we?"

"Unless you want him to find out another way, call him."

"I'll pass that on to Sergeant Miller," Robbie commented. "We still have our orders to come to you, Mr Dracka."

"Not until Blake is able to," Dracka snapped. "Call me when he wakes up."

"Will do," Robbie replied. "Good afternoon, Mr Dracka."

"Thank you for calling," Dracka said before hanging up.

"He wants us to call Severus," Robbie reported to Miller.

David was beside Blake and running his wand over him. He was their medic so was magically trained. He had a frown on his face as he looked down at Blake.

"I'm not sure what is wrong." David remarked, as he ran the wand over him. "His magic levels are a little down but nothing to be concerned about. He has a fever but I'm not sure why."

"Robbie," Miller ordered. "Go to Hogwarts and talk to Severus."

"Yes, sir."

Robbie stepped out of the tent and apparated to the front gates of the school, not looking forward to facing the ex-death eater.

xXx

Harry woke slowly with the bed rocking under him as someone ran their hand over his head and he wasn't sure if he was going to be sick again. He felt too hot and he wondered what was going on. He leaned over the bed and grabbed the bucket and threw up, only bringing up bile as he spat into the bucket as a hand rubbed his back.

"What did you do this time?"

Harry started as Severus's voice but didn't have the energy as he curled back up on his side.

"Blake?"

A hand ran up and down his back as he focused on his breathing. His body limp and heavy, he blinked his eyes open but closed them again when all he could see were mists. He felt Severus magic brush his back and he shivered as he floated for a while.

xXx

Severus looked down at Blake in concern. He knew the man was awake but he was completely limp and unresponsive which was very unlike him.

"How is he?" Miller asked as he moved into the tent.

"He's awake," Severus said softly.

Miller frowned as he moved closer and placed his hand on the man's forehead. Blake didn't react which concerned Severus.

"Are you sure?" Miller inquired with a frown.

"Yes," Severus replied shortly. "He is awake."

"I'll get David," Miller said before leaving.

Severus moved around in front of Blake and laid a hand on his too hot forehead as he held the link between them gently.

"Blake?" Severus asked quietly.

Blake flicked his eyes open, then shut them quickly.

"Can't pull back," Blake slurred.

"Sh," Severus crooned quietly as he rubbed a hand over his head. "Just relax."

Severus picked up the man's hand as David entered the tent and kneeled down next to Severus and pulled his wand.

"Blake can you hear us?" David questioned as he ran the wand over him.

Blake nodded slightly.

"Can you open your eyes?"

"No," Blake whispered.

"You're running a fever," David told him.

"K," Blake uttered and Severus snorted.

"Why can't you open your eyes, Blake?" Severus asked softly.

"Seeing magic," Blake muttered. "Too much."

"Okay, Blake." Severus stated softly. "I'm going to give you a potion to help with the fever and a sleeping potion."

"K," Blake agreed.

"David can you help him?" Severus requested as he pulled out his potion's pouch and selected the potions he needed.

David helped raise Blake's limp form and Severus quickly gave him the potions. Blake's eyes flicked open briefly, until the potions worked into his system and he was out. Severus grabbed the man's hand as David covered him up with the blanket.

"What did he mean?" David asked.

Severus looked up at the other man. He was a dark-skinned man with an easy smile and dark eyes and hair. He stood a few inches shorter than him and had power in his body. A man in his prime with short hair and the air of the military in his stance and eyes.

"He's having problems pulling back from seeing the magic," Severus answered. "He probably pushed himself too far. He should be fine once he wakes up again. Just have coffee waiting for him."

Severus gave the other man a smirk before getting to his feet and rubbing a hand over Blake's short hair.

"You speak his language," Miller joked as he moved closer.

"I wouldn't say that," Severus commented with a smile. "I believe that you would need a degree to speak his language and I think he even gets lost in what he's saying."

Miller and David barked a laugh.


	48. Chapter 48

A/N: I've tried to proof read this 3 times. I give up. You can have it as is. Next chapter is ready to go, just have to proof read it. :-/ Fun times. Enjoy.

xXx

Harry woke feeling groggy but the world had stopped moving under him, at least. He sighed when he opened his eyes and the mists were gone and his head felt clearer. He stretched out and could hear other people snoring around him as he sat up on the camp bed and looked around. He could hear a fire crackling as he pulled himself to his feet and limped out of the tent to see Severus seated on the ground before the fire with Miller next to him.

Both men looked over as he moved closer and Severus gave him a small smile.

"About time you woke up, Mr Sun." Severus drawled.

Harry didn't answer as he eased himself down beside Severus and the other man wrapped his arm around his shoulders. Miller looked away slightly as Harry leaned into Severus's side and closed his eyes.

"Feeling better?" Severus asked.

"Yes," Harry said softly. "Thank you."

"Did something go wrong?" Miller asked.

"No," Harry replied and looked over at the other man. "Just pushed too far. It was a thick lay line and I had trouble holding it. It's fine now but I want to double check it before we leave."

Harry felt Severus magic brush against him as the fire warmed him up. He started to feel sleepy as Severus held him.

"Are we still heading to France?" Miller questioned.

"Yes," Harry replied. "We'll push on. Just give me another day here."

"We can do that," Miller said with a smile. "Are you staying Severus?"

"Yes," Severus drawled. "You'll need a buffer between your team and the vampire."

Harry snorted with his eyes closed.

"Ah," Miller stuttered. "Should we be concerned?"

"I'll just push Blake in front of your team," Severus suggested with a smirk. "And he can take the blame."

Harry sniggered as he looked over at Miller and gave the tense man a wink.

"I would say that he's joking," Harry told him. "But he probably will do just that."

Severus tightened his hold around the other man as he smirked at Miller.

xXx

Miller looked over at the two men as Blake leaned into Severus. The other man just held him as he looked at the fire and he could see that Blake was starting to fall asleep again. It was unlike him, he normally had energy to burn. Whatever the lay line had done, it had stripped the other man's energy completely.

It amazed him how much one man had changed so many people's minds about not only Dark Wizards but also social issues within the magical communities as well. The two men were very comfortable about curling up together which was something that would have been unheard of, especially in the military, which Miller was sure that Blake had served in at some point in his long life.

"How long have you known Blake?" Severus asked suddenly.

Miller started at the question and looked over at the dark-haired man. He wouldn't have asked unless he knew Blake was out and Miller looked the former Death Eater over. He knew the man's background, of course, but also knew that Blake trusted Severus with more than just his life.

"Seems like a long time," Miller replied as he leaned back on his hands in thought. "He was assigned to our team when we needed a curse breaker. I thought for sure that we were going to have to split our attention between the mission and looking after him."

Severus snorted making Miller smile.

"He quickly changed our minds," Miller continued. "About a lot of things really. We realised quickly that he had better skills than any of us. He was happy to take orders as well even if he didn't fall directly under us."

"He came in and took over, didn't he?" Severus remarked with a smirk.

"Yes," Miller agreed. "We had a mission go wrong. I was out of action and he stepped forward and took command. That was outside of protocol since Robbie is my second, so he should have taken command. Blake took over control of five teams that day and we would have all been killed if he hadn't. It wasn't until then that we realised the training he'd had. Not to mention the dark magic he threw around."

Miller shivered as he remembered the feeling of that dark magic brushing against him as Blake stood calmly in the middle of the chaos. He was happy to hand over his command to the man after that day. Not that Blake would take it. He would only step in as commander when the situation called for it.

"Yes," Severus conceded as he held Blake close. "He has a way of doing that. He has no concept of his own mortality."

Miller snorted and added, "That's putting it mildly."

xXx

Harry casually walked back to the lay line that he'd been working on two days before with Severus at his back and the strike team around him. He wanted to make sure that he'd completed the block, now that he had rested and was in the right state of mind.

"Are you sure, Blake?" Severus asked softly as they stopped.

"Yes," Harry replied. "I'm going to connect to you and use our link as a grounding point."

Harry glanced at Severus and could tell the man wasn't happy but he didn't say anything. Harry turned back and slipped out of his shoes and felt the earth under his feet. He could feel the Border spell just in front of him and he moved forward until he could rest a hand on it. This was the only lay line that crossed the border spell on land and may explain why it was also the thickest.

He closed his eyes and picked up the connection between Severus and himself. He strengthened it and could feel the annoyance and concern Severus felt along the line and he frowned. He opened his eyes and looked over at the man.

"Yes?" Severus drawled, with an eyebrow raised.

"Ah, nothing." Harry muttered and turned back to the Border spell.

He was a little concerned about the connection and how he could start to feel the other man's feeling along it but he pushed that to the side as he calmed his breathing. The wind stirred his hair as he stood there and he could hear small birds calling to each other from his right. He relaxed his body and breathing before opening his mind and magic to the Border spell and the lay line under his feet.

He could hear it pulsing as he grabbed the connection to Severus to stabilise him before following the sound to the thick line of white light. He couldn't pick this line up since it was too thick and he had learnt his lesson about grabbing it. He took a look at its connection point and he was glad that he had come back because he could see that the work he'd already done wasn't complete.

He took his time as he looked at the magic and the spells. He brushed against the lay line and felt the hair rise on his arms and his heart beat faster. It was a rush working with this kind of magic and he knew how some wizards would go mad or become addicted to the feeling. He carefully strengthened the Border spell so that no other magic could pass through it as he completed the work he hadn't done the other day.

Suddenly the line pulsed and the magic washed over him. He felt his knees hit the ground and Severus's fear spike through him as the magic rolled over his mind. He gently pushed it along the line as he took in the buzz. Wild magic was so much harder to work with due to how unpredictable it could be. He felt Severus nudge him and he sent back that he was fine as he focused in on the magic again to make sure that everything was correct before pulling back.

He blinked his eyes as the world came back into focus with mists swirling around the edge of his sight. He rubbed his eyes as he felt Severus's hand on his shoulder as the man knelt beside him.

"What was that?" Severus whispered.

"That was the wild magic of a lay line," Harry explained as he opened his eyes again. "It's a bit unpredictable. I'm done now."

Severus helped him to his feet and Harry slipped back into his shoes.

"Now it's time to face the vampire," Severus remarked with a smirk.

xXx

It was late afternoon by the time that they got to Dracka's Coven and Harry was starting to feel tired again. He could tell Severus was keeping a close eye on him as they moved through the village towards Dracka's mansion. Miller and his team were behind him and Harry had to smirk at that.

They paused at the main gates of the mansion as the hellhounds rushed out towards them, barking loudly. A large male snarled at Harry and showed its teeth as the others milled around the fence line, eyeing them off. Miller moved up next to Harry as Severus eyed off the beasts.

A young boy of about six ran out towards them with a hellhound jumping around him as the child giggled. The other hellhounds looked over in interest as the child skittered to a stop at the main gates. The boy them pushed the gates open. The hellhounds pushed through and Miller and his team tensed, they had seen first-hand what the beasts could do.

Most of the hellhounds disappeared into the village but a few sniffed around the team and Sarah squeaked when one licked her hand. Harry looked over with a grin as Robbie laughed at the look on Sarah's face.

"Blake!" The child cried as he grinned up at Harry.

"Hello, little one." Harry cooed in French as he knelt down and looked the child over, he could see a dark curse on the child's skin so probably a werewolf and not a vampire. "Did you get loose from your nurse?"

The boy grinned up at him before turning on his heels and running after the hellhounds. Harry watched the child in amusement as one of the hellhounds fell into step with him and he squealed.

"Should he be running around alone?" Sarah asked as she rubbed the head of a hellhound that had taken a liking to her.

"He'll be fine." Harry said as he got to his feet. "His nurse will yell at him when he gets back though. Just another stray, the hellhounds and the villagers will look after him."

"Stray?" Sarah asked as they walked through the gates and Harry closed them firmly.

"Children with a dark curse or orphans," Harry explained. "Dracka and the village will take them in. There are a few Covens around here that will. I wish more of the ones in the UK would as well. The English vampires are a lot more isolated than the ones here. They will still take in the fledglings as long as they stick to the rules of the Coven."

Severus looked over at him with interest since Dracka had never mentioned that to him before. He could understand more why the vampire was so good with children and also why the Minister had called him about the Defence position. Harry caught his eye and gave him a grin then frowned when he spotted Dracka in the shadows of the mansion with Bradon by his side. The way the two vampires stood put him on edge.

"Just wait here," Harry said to the group.

Harry moved forward towards the vampires and stopped at the bottom of the steps leading up.

"Does my team have safe passage?" Harry called with a grin.

"They have safe passage, Blake." Dracka drawled as he made his way down the steps. "As they did when they helped save this village."

Harry frowned when Dracka looked him over with dark unreadable eyes before he looked over his team. Bradon gave him a nod as he walked passed them and towards the team and Harry focused on Dracka.

"What's wrong?" Harry asked, stepping forward.

"We have matters to discuss," Dracka replied. "Bradon will settle everyone in."

Harry stood up straighter at the look in Dracka's eyes. Something had rattled the man. Harry went to turn but Dracka grabbed his arm.

"Without Severus," Dracka added.

Harry's eyes hardened at the words as Severus and the team came closer with Bradon leading them. Harry held Dracka's eyes but the vampire was giving nothing away.

"Has something happened?" Severus asked as he got closer.

"Dracka needs to talk to me," Harry explained, turning to his lover. "Bradon will get everyone settled in."

Severus's eyes flicked between the two men before he nodded and followed the rest of the team. Dracka stepped back and Harry followed him into the house.

"How are you feeling?" Dracka asked as they walked side by side.

"Tired," Harry admitted, running a hand over his head. "Working with the lay lines took more out of me than I was expecting. It's been a long time since I've worked with that kind of magic."

"Robbie called to say that it laid you out cold," Dracka remarked mildly but Harry could see the concern in his eyes as he glanced over at him.

"Um, yeah." Harry agreed. "It did."

Dracka stopped in the hallway and turned to him, his dark eyes resting on him.

"What?" Harry questioned.

"You haven't been right since the battle with the Dark Lord," Dracka said softly.

Harry looked away.

"Was it something I did?" Dracka questioned. "When I drained off your dark magic?"

Harry looked around the deserted hallway and Dracka nodded. He led him further down the hallway and opened a door to a large room. Harry stepped inside and looked around. There was a large wooden table in the middle of the room and a couple of doors leading off from it on both sides. Harry took a seat and Dracka sat next to him.

"I learned to have a balance between my light and dark magic," Harry said after a few minutes.

"More towards the dark," Dracka added with a smirk.

"Yes, to a degree." Harry replied. "When you drained off the dark magic it unbalanced it all."

Harry paused as he tried to gather his thoughts as Dracka waited him out. He ran his hand over his head and wished he had a coffee to try and wake his brain up.

"I ran out of both types of magic that day," Harry admitted after a few minutes. "But I took back some dark magic from Ry."

"So, it's still unbalanced?" Dracka asked in interest.

"I don't know," Harry said evenly and Dracka tensed. "The Hallows gives me access to dark magic, but the dark magic I took from Ry wasn't the same. There is something wrong with it."

Dracka paled and his eyes widened.

"What was it?" Dracka questioned.

"I don't know," Harry repeated. "We are the same person so that power I took from Ry would have already been in me, but it doesn't feel right. Like it shouldn't be there. It starts getting confusing once you start adding in the Deathly Hallows then time magic and not to mention the types of magic that I have held over the years. However, something just doesn't feel right."

"Could I drain it off?" Dracka asked. "Or would it just come back?"

Harry stilled, he hadn't thought of that. It could be the easy solution to the problem. He had taken the magic from Ry, so if they weren't supposed to hold it, Dracka should be able to take it from him. He looked into Dracka's dark eyes, he trusted the man. But could he trust Dracka to hold back the demon in his mind.

"Could you hold yourself back?" Harry uttered.

Dracka flashed his fangs at Harry but that didn't ease the tension in his shoulders.

"We would have to talk to Severus," Harry added. "I would have to break the connection between him and Ry for you to do that."

Dracka's eyes turned red and Harry knew he was looking at the demon as the man lifted his nose slightly.

"I can feel more light magic around you," Dracka mentioned. "More than I could before the battle."

Harry nodded and ran a hand through his short hair.

"Is this what you wanted to talk to me about or something else?" Harry asked instead of addressing that problem.

"Simpson moved on a Coven in Germany," Dracka reported as he moved to his feet.

He led Harry to a room at the back of the one they were in. Dracka pushed open the door to a tasteful office and picked up the file on the table and passed it over to Harry. Harry opened it up as he took a seat and Dracka made up coffee for them and placed one cup in front of the wizard.

"He used his dark power to sway the vampires that he could," Dracka explained as he took a seat behind the desk.

"Is this the first time he's done this?" Harry questioned as he read through the file.

"To a Coven, yes." Dracka replied. "We have reports of him recruiting but not walking up to a Coven directly. He just walked straight in."

Harry paled at the words.

"Did he challenge the leader?" Harry asked and looked up at Dracka.

"No," Dracka stated. "He gave them an offer."

"They wouldn't have taken kindly to that," Harry mused. "He would have gotten more support if he challenged the leader then taken the Coven."

"Yes," Dracka agreed. "He doesn't know vampire culture…um, you know…you could have taken this Coven the day you killed my brother."

Harry sat back in his seat and smirked at Dracka, making the vampire pale.

"You knew that!" Dracka accused.

"Yes," Harry confirmed. "It wasn't a direct challenge but it was a clean kill of the Coven leader."

Dracka eyed him off for a few minutes as Harry sipped his coffee.

"We should be grateful that Simpson didn't know what he was doing," Harry said softly. "But the more vampires he sways, the bigger the chance that one of them will inform him of how to take a Coven. Then it will just be a matter of if he would be able to hold them."

Dracka nodded and added, "I've already sent the warning out."

"Is he only going after dark creatures?" Harry asked. "Has he worked out that he can use his dark power with light creatures as well?"

"Veela," Dracka spat. "We are getting reports of him working with veelas."

"I'll have to call Bella then," Harry replied mildly as Dracka hissed. "She can get the warning out to the other veela settlements quicker than we can."

"Blake?" Dracka questioned softly and Harry looked over at him.

"I'll call her later," Harry stated and held Dracka's red eyes. "I'm too tired now."

Dracka's eyes bled back to black as the vampire looked him over.

"You don't look well," Dracka admitted.

Harry held up his cup of coffee with a lopsided grin.

"Nothing coffee can't fix."

xXx

Harry moved out into the night as he pulled out his phone and called Bella.

"Blake," The woman answered and Harry shivered at the tone.

"Bella," Harry greeted shortly. "We have had reports of Simpson moving on vampire Covens and veela settlements."

"Is that so?" Bella purred. "That is odd behaviour."

"Yes," Harry agreed, as he took a seat on the front steps of the mansion. "He's using his dark power to sway the veela."

Bella hissed at his words and Harry couldn't agree more.

"We are unsure at this stage what his aim is," Harry reported as he picked up a stick and tapped it against the stones under him.

"Where are you, my dear?" Bella asked instead, throwing Harry.

"France," Harry replied.

"You really must come and see me, Blake." Bella crooned and Harry felt his stomach roll.

"That would not be a good idea, Bella."

"Come now, Blake." Bella tutted. "Don't let what happened before get between us. I know you are bound now, it was just a misunderstanding."

Harry sighed and rubbed his head.

"They would kill you, Bella." Harry stated softly.

Bella's twinkling laughter greeted him and Harry gritted his teeth at the sound.

"The dark wizard or the vampire?" Bella asked.

"Both," Harry answered. "And I'm not too pleased with you either."

"Come now, love." Bella stated. "You know our nature."

"I do," Harry replied. "Doesn't mean I have to like it, Bella. You forget that I am a wizard and do not hold any light or dark creature blood."

Bella's laughter came down the phone again. She would have no concept of what she'd done to him and not much remorse either. It was just in their nature of being a veela to bind themselves to more power. He always wondered why wizards feared dark creatures when light ones could be just as terrifying, just in different ways. Much like Light and Dark Wizards, both capable of great or terrible acts.

It was at times like now that Harry was more aware of the power he held and the line he walked.

"I will get the word out. Blake." Bella promised, "Thank you for calling."

"Good night, Bella."

Harry hang up and cupped his head in his hands as his light magic swirled around and he pushed it down harshly. It brought just as much trouble as his dark magic did and yet wizards were not concerned about light magic use, only dark. Both were just as deadly. Like fire and ice; both were capable of destruction.

xXx

 _Fingernails dug into his sides as light magic brushed against his arms and panic spiked through him. Lines of fire down his sides and he gasped as he felt like he was drowning._

Harry started awake, jolting Severus behind him and the man's arm tightened around him. He gasped as sweat run down his face.

"Blake?" Severus muttered sleepily.

"Just a nightmare," Harry gasped. "Go back to sleep. I'm going to have a shower."

Severus ran a hand down his side before turning away as Harry pulled himself from the bed, feeling shaky. He knew his call with Bella would bring back the memories as he stepped into the shower. He let the cold water run over him until he was shivering before he turned the hot water up. He laid his forehead against the tiles, just letting the water run down his back as he relaxed.

"Blake?"

Harry started and looked over to see Severus standing there, naked and looking at him in concern.

"Are you okay?" Severus asked as he moved closer.

"Yeah," Harry replied as he stepped out of the shower and picked up the towel.

Suddenly Severus grabbed his hips and pulled him close and looked down at him with dark eyes. Harry felt a tingle run down his spine at the look in Severus's eyes. He pulled the man down for a kiss as he wrapped his arms around him. Severus pulled him tighter as the towel fell to the floor as Harry dug his nails into Severus's back, making the man gasp and Harry deepened the kiss.

Severus grabbed his ass as he pushed him into the wall with a growl. Harry wrapped his legs around Severus as the man pulled him higher as he attacked his neck and Harry moaned.

xXx

Missing scene.

xXx

Harry panted as he went boneless as Severus held him and ran his hand up and down his back. He eased back until he was sitting with his back to the tiles and looked at Severus as the man knelt before him.

"What brought that on?" Harry gasped when he could breathe again.

Severus just chuckled.

"Seeing you," Severus purred.

Harry shivered as Severus held him, feeling their magic settling on his skin. His head was spinning slightly and he felt drained. He'd been working with magic too much lately and it was taking a toll as he closed his eyes.

"Are you okay?" Severus whispered.

"Hmm," Harry replied.

Severus chuckled and cast a cleaning charm as he helped Harry to his feet. Harry winced at the pain and Severus looked at him in concern but Harry just waved him off as they moved back to the bed. Harry collapsed to the bed and was asleep quickly with Severus curled up along his back.

xXx

Severus left Blake sleeping the next morning as he went looking for Dracka. He had surprised himself last night when he had seen Blake stepping out of the shower and by the way Blake responded he was a little concerned. He knocked on Dracka's door and pushed it open when the man called out.

He looked around the room in interest, it was similar to Blake's rooms back at the school. With a living room, bathroom and bedroom separate. The vampire sat at the table in the room and was alone. The man's eyes burned red when he saw him.

"I wouldn't go walking around here, smelling like that." Dracka remarked with a smirk. "We all know that you are Blake's partner but you don't have to lord it over us."

Severus gave the vampire his own smirk as he took a seat at the table.

"Blake wasn't awake to take care of it," Severus said mildly. "I'm sure he will when he wakes up."

Dracka frowned at the other man with dark eyes.

"I think something is wrong," Severus stated. "He woke up a few times with nightmares last night."

"He had to call Bella," Dracka explained and Severus hissed.

"Ah," Severus stuttered. "Then I think I might have fucked up then…he didn't say anything, but…"

Dracka sat up straighter as Severus looked away.

"Has he spoken to you about his magic?" Dracka questioned instead.

"The dark magic?" Severus countered.

They looked up when a knock sounded at the door and Blake peeked around the corner.

"Hey," Blake greeted as he came into the room.

Severus looked at him in concern when he noticed the man was limping more heavily than normal. He looked tired as well.

"Is there coffee?" Blake asked, looking around.

Dracka got to his feet and clicked on the kettle as Blake took a seat next to Severus with a slight wince. Severus took his hand and Blake looked over at him in question.

"Are you okay?" Severus whispered.

"All good," Blake replied with a tired grin.

"We were just talking about your magic, Blake." Dracka called over as he made coffee for them.

"Ah, yes." Blake muttered as he sat back in his seat. "I want Dracka to drain off that part of my magic that feels wrong but I have to cut through the connection with you and Ry to do that."

Severus reeled back at the statement and looked between the two men, his face pale.

"Why?" Severus demanded, a hard glint in his eyes.

"Why do I want Dracka to drain the magic off or cutting the connections?" Blake asked mildly.

"Both," Severus snapped.

"That dark magic I showed you that felt wrong." Blake explained mildly. "I believe that it is unbalancing my magic and that's what went wrong when I was working with the lay lines. Whether it's a type of magic that I shouldn't hold at this time or something left over from Ry being a horcrux, it is not right. Dracka suggested that he could drain it off. I'll have to cut the connections with Ry and you because I need to for Dracka to drain the power off correctly."

"And you think Dracka taking that magic will balance it up?" Severus questioned as Dracka moved back to the table with the coffees.

"I'm not sure," Blake admitted. "Can't hurt to try, if it doesn't work we can always try something else but I haven't had much luck finding a way. I'm sure that Dracka won't mind."

Dracka snorted as he took a seat.

"Doesn't bother me," Dracka remarked with a leer.

Severus glared over at him.

"You can't do it a different way?" Severus questioned as he looked Blake over.

"This is a simple answer," Blake pointed out as he looked up at him. "He can take any magic I give him."

"You do know, Blake." Dracka drawled. "That wizards don't normally have much of a choice when a vampire feeds off them about their magic."

Blake smirked and had a glint in his eyes that had the vampire shifting.

"That's what separates me from other wizards," Blake remarked. "Before when you took magic away from me, I was not prepared for it. Wasn't in the right state of mind either."

Dracka shivered as he looked at the other man as he remembered that day and the dark magic he'd taken. It had felt like a drug to his system and he'd had to hold himself back from draining all of it. To stop himself from killing the other man or as close as he could get with him holding the Deathly Hallows. He wasn't sure how far that magic went and Blake did not speak of it.

"When did you plan to do this?" Severus asked, as the other two stared at each other.

Blake looked over at Severus, his eyes slightly guarded which put him on edge before turning to Dracka.

"Is now okay?" Blake stated. "Probably best to get it out of the way, while it's just starting to cause problems."

Severus felt a spike of fear at the words and even Dracka looked startled.

"I'll probably be out for a couple of days after," Blake added. "Then I should be right to look at the Border spell. Miller and his team can stay until after then, then head back to the Ministry while we head back to the school."

xXx

Harry looked at the two men and could see the shock and uncertainty in their eyes as they looked back at him. He was going to be putting a lot of trust in them for this to work. He finished his coffee and stood from the table and looked at the other two as his leg throbbed.

"Well," Harry said with a grin. "Shall we?"

Harry turned on his heels and limped from the room and back to the one that he was sharing with Severus. The two men hissing at each other behind him. He wouldn't admit it but the thought of what he was going to do chilled him but it was a simple answer to the problem but he would be lying if it didn't scare him. Since the dark magic also held the power of the Deathly Hallows.

He walked into the room he was sharing with Severus. He moved to the bedroom and cast a spell to clear the air and as Severus came through the door he flicked the magic off his skin, making him shiver. He did the same to his own as Dracka snorted.

"I'll have to show you how to do that," Harry muttered as he shared a look with Severus. "Another lesson."

He slipped the ring off his finger and held it out to Severus, his eyes locking with the other man's.

"Take care of that," Harry whispered, as he sliced through the connection with the man and Ry. "Ry will probably call you as well."

Severus's hand wrapped around the ring as he looked at him with heavy eyes. Harry felt his heart clench in his chest at the look. He held his hand out to the side and his sword appeared and he sliced through that connection as well. He held it out to Severus to take.

"Now," Harry said with a small grin. "No killing the vampire, now that you are armed with a silver sword."

Dracka snorted as Harry moved up the bed and Dracka kneeled next to him. Severus watched the two of them with unreadable eyes and Harry had to look away.

"Ready?" Dracka aske,d his eyes shining red.

"Not yet," Harry replied. "Just give me a minute."

Dracka sat back on his heels and waited. Harry closed his eyes and relaxed back as he dived into his core and picked through it. He focused on the dark magic and the connection to the Hallows first and picked up any magic not related to it. He could feel the wrongness even stronger than it had been at the start of the school year. Whether it was due to him working with the wild magic or he just hadn't noticed. That wrongness had corrupted more of his magic while he hadn't been paying attention. He shivered at the thought.

He was even more sure that the magic's origins were of the dark arts. The thought that he may have pulled a part of the magic of the Horcrux from Ry, chilled him. That if he hadn't then it could have corrupted Ry's magic and also his mind. Harry had a barrier, in a way, due to his connection to the Hallows. Ry didn't have that, he had only light magic.

"Okay," Harry said softly, without opening his eyes.

He gasped at the pain in his neck and pushed the magic he had gathered forward. He felt it drain off as the pain increased and he dug his nails into Dracka's back. He quickly grabbed what he could, including light magic as Dracka pulled and the pain slowly built. He struggled slightly in response and could feel his grip slipping. The Hallows burned and he pulled that magic closer as Dracka drew the other magic away until his head spun. The vampire was taking more of his magic and not as much as his blood as he focused on that.

His grip on the vampire started to slack as he started to drift. He went limp as Dracka pulled back quickly and he felt a hand at his throat.

"Blake!"

He jolted slightly as Dracka healed the bite mark. He could hear his own slow heartbeat in his ears as his head throbbed to beat of it. His magic just a slight burn in his veins.

"Did you take too much?"

"Blake?"

Someone was shaking him but he wasn't sure why. He just wanted to sleep.

"Blake?"

Someone was shining a light in his eyes and he could feel hands on him. The Hallows raced up his spine as he released that magic and it flooded into his body.

"Blake? Can you hear us?"

"Is this meant to happen?"

"No. Blake?"

xXx

Dracka's hands shook as he looked down at the glazed over eyes of Blake as fear spiked through him. Severus was pale and his hands shook as he grabbed Blake's shoulder. The man was completely out of it and not responding. The magic he'd taken from the man sitting heavy in his stomach. He didn't know if he had taken too much or not enough. Blake had not told him to stop and that sent a bolt of fear through him again.

"Blake?"

He placed his hand on Blake's neck and felt the pulse under his fingers and could feel the man's magic under his skin. He just wasn't responding and he had been careful when he fed for this not to happen.

"What do we do?" Severus asked, his eyes wide.

"I don't know," Dracka replied. "This is different, he shouldn't be reacting like this. Blake?"

Blake's eyes rolled up as he passed out. Dracka's stomach dropped. He rested a hand on his cheek, he wasn't sure if something had gone wrong. He looked up with wide eyes at Severus and could see the fear reflected there.

Suddenly Dracka's stomach rolled and he was rushing across the room. He made it to the toilet just in time as he threw up. The blood he'd taken from Blake coming up like poison, burning his throat slightly.

He threw up until his stomach was empty then rinsed his mouth out and spat into the sink.

"Poison," Dracka uttered, turning to Severus. "His blood."

Severus paled even more.

"You think someone tried to poison him?" Severus asked softly.

"Not sure," Dracka replied, as he washed out his mouth again. "Something was wrong with the magic or the blood. I'm not sure which."

Dracka moved back into the bedroom and looked down at the other man. Severus placed a hand on his shoulder before moving to the bed and resting a hand on Blake's forehead.

"He's not hot," Severus remarked. "Hopefully what you did helped."

Dracka sat on the edge of the bed and looked at the other man.

"He knows how to scare the shit out of us," Dracka muttered with a shaky smile.

Severus looked over at him and smirked.

"That he does."

xXx

Harry woke feeling warm with Severus wrapped around him and an arm around his waist. He wiggled closer, feeling the man's body along his back. He linked his fingers with Severus's as brushed his magic along his back. He settled as Severus tightened his grip around him and pulled him close. Harry could feel Severus's hard on behind him and he wiggled slightly.

"Awake?" Severus purred in his ear and kissed his shoulder.

Harry wiggled in answer and Severus chuckled, sending a shiver down his spine.

"You have been out for two days, Blake." Severus whispered as he held him close.

Harry shifted around until he faced Severus. He pulled him forward for a kiss as the man grabbed his ass and pulled him until Harry was lying sprawled out over the other man.

"Hey," Harry greeted as he looked down at the man below him.

Severus pulled his legs up on either side of him as Harry settled into a comfortable position. Harry rested his hands on either side of his head and looked down at him.

"Feel better?" Severus questioned softly.

"Yes," Harry replied before kissing Severus's neck.

Severus reached up and grabbed his side and pulled him close as his other hand slipped between them. Harry gasped and pulled back as Severus smirked up at him. Severus reached over and snagged the lube off the bedside table and held it out.

Harry pulled back until he was kneeling between Severus's legs.

xXx

Missing scene.

xXx

His magic was still soft on his back as he moved until Severus tipped over the edge and he followed as Severus clenched around him and he went boneless. Panting and gasping as Severus held him close. Their magic settling on them but not as strong as normal as Harry tried to get his breathing under control.

"I can't see the magic?" Severus whispered.

Harry nodded as he panted.

"Blake?"

"Give me a sec'," Harry gasped.

Harry rolled to the side as Severus cast the charm to clean them up and looked over at him in concern.

"Seeing the magic comes from me," Harry explained, once he got his breathing under control. "Levels too low to pass to you."

Harry rested his head back on the bed, still breathing hard.

"Are you okay?" Severus asked, his voice soft.

"Yeah," Harry replied. "Just took it out of me."

Severus curled up along his side and rested an arm over his chest. Harry tangled his fingers with his and drifted slightly.

"Did it work?"

Harry jolted at the question.

"Wha'?" Harry slurred.

"What Dracka did?" Severus clarified as he watched him carefully. "He threw up your blood."

"What, why?" Harry asked, more awake now as he rolled towards the other man.

"He said it was poisoned," Severus whispered.

Harry frowned and said, "I'll talk to him tomorrow."

Severus ran a hand over his head and Harry's eyes slipped closed as he relaxed.

"You scared us," Severus whispered.

"Didn't mean to," Harry whispered back, without opening his eyes.

Severus snorted as he ran a hand up and down his side.

"Why rough?" Harry asked as he opened his eyes and looked at Severus.

"Rough?"

"Sex," Harry said. "Why?"

Severus looked away and Harry frowned.

"Wha'?"

"I didn't know that you had called Bella."

"What are you talking about?" Harry asked, feeling confused.

Severus sighed and laid his hand on Harry's hip.

"I didn't know that you had called Bella," Severus explained. "Then I hurt you when we had sex in the bathroom."

"No, you didn't," Harry disagreed, with a frown. "Was fine, just my bloody leg."

"You were limping," Severus whispered.

Harry smirked and rested his own hand on the man's side and rubbed his thumb over his soft skin.

"I always limp," Harry remarked with a smile. "Needed it Severus. Why did you want it before?"

Severus smirked and said softly, "Needed it."

Harry snorted, feeling sleep pulling at him. Severus pulled him close as Harry fell asleep with the other man wrapped around him.

xXx

Severus started and stumbled to a stop when Dracka growled at him. He'd only taken two steps into the main hall when the vampire had appeared in front of him. His eyes grew large as the man stalked towards him with red eyes. More than a few other vampires looked over in interest.

The vampire grabbed his arm in a tight grip and pulled him out of the hall with Miller and his team racing over but they were quickly blocked by the other vampires. Dracka pushed him back into the wall and looked at him with red eyes. Severus felt a bolt of fear go through him. He wasn't sure what had set the vampire off.

"What did you do?" Dracka hissed.

"What do you mean?" Severus snapped as he grabbed the vampire's wrists as his hands were tangled in his shirt.

"That's not Blake's magic on you," Dracka hissed.

"Yes, it is." Severus insisted.

Dracka pulled back as his eyes bled back into black. The man leaned forward and sniffed his neck and Severus held still. There were only a few times that Severus feared the vampire and this was one of them.

"What are you two doing?"

Dracka and Severus looked over to see Blake standing there looking at them with unreadable eyes.

"He shouldn't smell that much?" Blake remarked as he moved closer, limping heavily and looking a little pale.

Dracka released Severus, like he'd been burned and stepped back sharply.

"He didn't smell like your magic," Dracka defended.

"Of course not, you idiot." Blake said with a smirk. "Your magic was still on me."

Dracka blushed and looked away while Blake laughed. He clapped Severus on the shoulder as he removed the joined magic on his skin and gave him a smile. He walked into the hall and paused.

"Ah, Dracka." Blake called over his shoulder.

Dracka cursed and rushed passed them to see Miller and his team and a few of his vampires glaring at each other.

"Stand down!" Dracka barked as he moved in. "Sorry, Miller."

Blake barked a laugh and moved to the closest table with food and sat down next to a young vampire with a sigh. Dracka could see the man was still tired and hurting but otherwise he looked better. Severus moved over and sat next him as Dracka moved back up to the table at the front of the room.

The vampires still awake wandering away or took seats at the tables for some food. His Coven didn't just have vampires but all kinds of people with or without the vampire curse as a few children ran around and a few hellhounds ran after them. He had set times for food and he made sure that everyone got their share.

He watched in amusement as a hellhound eyed off Blake and he called it off before it could do anything. The animal glared over at him with red eyes before running after one of the children. He didn't know why the beasts didn't like the man, he would have thought with the dark magic that Blake held that the beasts would warm up to him. He had been wrong.

"Was there a problem?" Bradon asked as he took a seat next to him and glanced over at Severus and Blake.

"Just a misunderstanding," Dracka replied.

Bradon flashed his fangs at him in amusement.

"The soldiers have expressed interest in taking us on?" Bradon stated with a grin. "Do they have permission?"

"Yes," Dracka conceded and leered over at Miller and his team. "They are welcome to it. I think they will be here for a while yet."

Bradon frowned over at Blake and Dracka felt the demon prowling at the back of his mind at the look in the other vampire's eyes and he growled. Bradon looked over at him mildly and tilted his head to the side with a smirk.

"I wonder if we could get Blake to show off," Dracka mused as he rubbed the short hairs on his chin.

"He doesn't look well," Bradon pointed out.

"I suppose you're right," Dracka conceded then a glint came into his eyes. "What about Severus then?"

xXx

"Tell me why you threw up?"

Dracka looked up from his paperwork to see Blake standing in the doorway, leaning on his cane heavily. The man moved into the room and shut the door behind him before he lowered himself down into the seat on the other side of his desk.

"Are you okay?" Dracka asked.

Blake waved off his concern but he still didn't look well.

"All good," Blake replied with a grin. "Won't take long for the levels to come back up. You didn't take as much as I first thought."

"You didn't tell me to stop," Dracka pointed out as he sat forward in his seat.

"Ah, yeah." Blake muttered and rubbed his head. "The magic slipped away from me."

Dracka paled at the words as the demon took notice.

"Blake?" Dracka drew the man's name out.

Blake looked up at him and raised an eyebrow in question.

"Could you have stopped me?" Dracka asked.

"Do you want me to answer that?" Blake countered with a lopsided grin.

The silence stretched between then and Blake looked away first.

"Why did you throw up?" Blake repeated.

"Either your blood was poisoned or the magic you gave me was," Dracka replied, watching the man carefully.

"Could you tell anything else?" Blake asked, his green eyes intense. "Could you pick one over the other?"

"No," Dracka stated.

Blake sat back in his seat and ran a hand over his face.

"Dammit," Blake cursed softly. "Oh well. It's done now. Thank you."

"Anytime," Dracka said with a leer then cringed. "Just not the throwing up part."

Blake barked a laugh and gave him a grin and Dracka returned it as the demon settled down in the back of his mind.

"I'll be sure to let you know," Blake offered with a wink. "But I don't think Severus will be letting me do that again in a hurry."

xXx

Harry looked around the hall two weeks later with interest. The tables had been pushed to the side of the room and Miller walked out in just his shirt and pants. Harry looked over at Dracka but the man just flashed his fangs at him in amusement. He was feeling better now than he had in months. His magic had settled and he felt like he had more energy. Whatever that magic had been, it looked like it wasn't a problem now. He would keep an eye on it though, just in case.

"Really?" Harry asked as he rested his back against the table behind him.

"They wanted to," Dracka replied as Severus smirked over at the two of them.

"But do they know what they are getting into?" Harry questioned with raised an eyebrow.

Dracka just leered over at him.

Miller stepped forward with his sword and swung it around a little as a vampire stretched out before stepping up with a sword of his own. The vampire was only young as he stepped forward and the two men tapped swords before stepping back.

Miller moved quickly as he flicked the sword forward and the vampire blocked with a grin and twisted to the side. He flicked his sword out which Miller blocked and pushed forward. The vampire skipped back, light on his feet as the two men danced around. Testing each other as they looked for a weakness.

The two men clashed together and Miller tried to push the smaller vampire back but the other man had strength and was pushing Miller back with a grin. Miller grinned and dropped the sword to the side and the vampire stumbled as Miller pulled a knife in the other hand and slipped under his guard and placed it against the vampire's ribs.

"Yield," the vampire said softly and stepped back.

Harry grinned and got up from his seat and moved forward and Miller looked over at him in surprise. Harry flicked his wrist and his silver sword appeared as the vampire moved back and Harry fell into stance before Miller. He knew he wouldn't be able to hold his own for long but he needed to move.

The younger man looked him over as Harry flicked the sword towards his left side. Miller danced back with a grin and a light in his eyes. It had been a while since their last bout.

"Decided to get me after I've already warmed up?" Miller smirked.

"I thought you might take it easy on me, if you had already had a play around." Harry replied as he moved his sword to his left hand as flicked it out.

The two swords rang out as Harry moved. Before pushing forward with the sword. Miller blocked but Harry kept going and lashed out with his leg and caught the man on his side.

Miller grunted as Harry followed it up with his other leg and danced forward as he dropped the sword and got inside the man's guard. He pushed Miller's arm away before getting his foot behind the other man's foot and pushed forward. Miller crashed to the floor with a yelp as giggling sounded around the hall. It was a dirty move and Harry grinned widely as Miller glared at him.

Miller suddenly lashed out with his leg and Harry danced back with a grin as the man rolled to his feet. Miller moved closer as Harry held his fists up and waited. He balanced on his feet carefully.

"Lucky shot," Miller muttered with a grin.

Miller lashed out with a fist and he quickly blocked. Harry flicked out with his other fist but Miller grabbed his wrist and pulled him off balance and before he knew it he was on flat out on his back as the air was knocked out of him. Miller grinned down at him and Harry groaned.

"I'm too old for this shit," Harry muttered and took Miller's offered hand.

Miller snorted and helped him up, Harry called his sword to his hand and leaned on it as he looked Miller over. He was in the prime of his life and had enough experience behind him to be dangerous. There was also an amused glint in his eyes as he looked at him. The Department had been quick to pull him from the military when he started to show promise.

"Not too bad for an old man," Miller smirked.

"Ha," Harry laughed and moved back towards Severus and Dracka. "What about you two?"

Harry stopped in front of the two of them and Severus and Dracka shared a look.

"I'll be happy to cast the barrier charm if you want to duel." Harry offered with a grin and a wink. "I'm sure the vampires haven't seen a magical duel for a while."

"What do you say Severus?" Dracka questioned with a flash of his fangs.

Severus smirked and pulled himself to his feet. Harry grinned as he settled in his seat and dismissed his sword as he pulled his cherry wand. He cast a barrier charm around the two men as he leaned back on the bench seat. Bradon came to sit next to him as Severus and Dracka pulled their wards and moved back before turning.

"How did you manage that?" Bradon questioned.

"Sexual tension," Harry remarked with a wink at the other vampire.

Bradon barked a laugh as Dracka threw the first spell and Severus sneered at him as he moved to the side. Severus threw three spells in a row before skipping to the side and casting a fire lash. Dracka grinned as he hit the ground and cast a quick spell which Severus sidestepped. Then a large dog was lunging towards Severus and he quickly brought up a shield.

The dog smashed into the barrier and Severus smirked. He curved a spell around the barrier charm and Dracka yelped. Severus had just enough time to smirk before Dracka's spall smashed into his shield and brought it down. The dog lunged at him and Severus yelped as he was taken down under its weight.

"Yield," Severus gasped as the dog snarled above him.

Harry smirked and looked over a Bradon. The vampire was looking at him with an intense look in his eyes.

"What?" Harry asked with a frown.

"I hope you don't plan to hurt him?" Bradon stated, a slight redness to his eyes.

"What are you talking about?" Harry asked. "Severus?"

"Rolf," Bradon clarified.

"Why would I hurt Dracka?" Harry asked confusion as he dropped the barrier spell.

"You know how he feels about you," Bradon remarked and Harry stilled.

He looked over at the vampire with wide eyes and Bradon's own eyes widen. Both men stared at each other.

"Ah," Harry said intelligently.

"You didn't know?" Bradon whispered.

"I can be a bit thick sometimes," Harry admitted.

Harry rubbed his head as Severus and Dracka moved back, grinning at each other.

"Severus wants a rematch, he believes that I cheated." Dracka exclaimed with a leer when he got closer.

He crashed into the chair next to Harry and swung an arm around him. Severus glared down at them as he crossed his arms.

"Maybe next time we are here," Harry suggested. "We should be leaving soon."

Dracka frowned and looked over at Bradon but the man just grinned at him and moved off. Severus took his seat as Dracka leered over at him, Harry in the middle.

"I'll be back in a minute," Harry announced and grabbed up his cane and moved after the vampire. "Bradon."

The vampire turned at his name and Harry fell into step with him. They moved out of the room and towards the front doors. They stopped outside on the front lawn, with the half-moon shining down on them.

"What are you saying?" Harry asked the other man.

"He loves you," Bradon stated and Harry paled, the man wasn't talking just about friendship.

"I'm with Severus," Harry replied. "He knows that."

"And his demon knows that, Blake." Bradon pointed out. "We live a long time and so will you."

Harry looked away.

"Wizards have a long life," Bradon added. "But not as long as us."

"Yes," Harry reluctantly agreed, as he ran a hand over his face.

"We live until we are killed, we do not die of old age." Bradon reminded him. "And you can't be killed."

"Sex, blood and everything in-between," Harry muttered and Bradon gave him a leer. "Life of a vampire."

"Sometimes there is more," Bradon replied mildly. "Someone that makes you think past that. Rolf has always been that little bit different."

Harry looked up at the moon for a few minutes before focusing on the vampire beside him.

"I am Severus's lover," Harry stated with conviction. "I am his."

"He will not live forever, Blake." Bradon repeated.

Harry wrapped his arms around himself as he looked out at the cold night as he fiddled with the ring on his finger.

"I know," Harry agreed, painfully. "And the thought scares the shit out of me."

Neither man mentioned that Severus could be turned, both men knew that that could go very wrong. Severus was a wizard and he would live out a wizard's life. Harry shivered as he looked out over the grounds, he knew there would come a day when he would outlive this life and the people in it. That the world would change around him, once again.

He looked down at the ring on his finger and knew that he would hold on to what he had for as long as he could. But one day it would slip away.


	49. Chapter 49

"Come in," Dracka called from his desk in his office.

He glanced at his clock to notice that it was two in the morning and was expecting a vampire. He was surprised when Blake poked his head around the door and he frowned in concern.

"Blake," Dracka greeted. "Come in, is everything okay?"

"Ah, yeah." Blake replied as he slipped through the door and sprawled out in the seat across the desk from him. "Bradon spoke to me tonight."

Dracka sat back in his seat and looked over at the other man and felt coldness in his stomach. He had an idea what the other vampire would have spoken to Blake about.

"Did he now?" Dracka replied, dangerously.

"He brought something to my attention that could come between us," Blake mentioned as he fiddled with his ring.

Dracka stilled and looked at the man with sharp eyes.

"I want to know now, Dracka." Blake stated as he looked up and their eyes locked. "Whether this will be a problem between us?"

"No," Dracka answered without pause. "No, it won't be."

Blake held his eyes then sighed and rubbed his head.

"I'm sorry," Blake said, as he looked up at him. "I shouldn't have asked you to drain off my magic. If I have known before…"

Dracka got to his feet and moved towards him and Blake eyed him off, eyes guarded. Dracka kneeled down in front of him and picked up his hand, the one with the ring on it. Blake just watched him as his scent touched on Dracka.

"I understand that you are his," Dracka stated.

Blake's green eyes were completely closed off as he looked at him. Dracka could only guess what was running through the other man's head.

"You needed my help," Dracka uttered. "I am your second Blake."

Blake started at that and Dracka gave him a smile as he got to his feet.

"Which you already knew," Dracka pointed out with a grin, showing fangs. "My feelings do not get in the way of that. Unless you are a threat to this Coven then we will have a problem."

Blake huffed a laugh as he looked up at him and his hand curled around his.

"Agreed," Blake conceded. "I would hate for you to have to kill me."

Dracka barked a laugh.

"You don't need my help there, Blake. You do a good job of that yourself." Dracka muttered in amusement. "Now, I have some files for you."

"It's two in the morning," Blake groaned.

"And you are awake," Dracka countered.

"We move out tomorrow," Blake added as he palmed the files that Dracka held out. "Did you want us to swing back around, once we are done?"

"How long will that take?" Dracka asked.

"Not sure," Blake replied as he flicked open the first file. "I want to look at the Border spell between France and Germany as well. That block is still in place and I want to have a closer look."

"From this side, right?" Dracka asked softly.

"Yeah," Blake agreed as he read the file. "I might be able to break it, now that I know how to unblock it from the German side."

"The message stones you opened up are still working," Dracka reported.

"Yeah, but I didn't get them all."

"It's too hot over there, Blake."

"It's only one step."

"One step, could be the difference between life and death."

"Ha!" Blake barked. "Have you been reading the smart books again…"

Blake trailed off as something in the file caught his attention and Dracka cocked his head to the side. He moved around the table and looked down at the file in the man's hand but he wasn't sure what Blake had seen.

"What?" Dracka asked.

"Ah, sorry." Blake muttered as he closed the file. "Just a name I knew."

Blake passed him the file to him and opened the next one and froze. Dracka watched him carefully.

"Why do you have this file?" Blake asked, an edge to his voice.

"Know your enemy," Dracka remarked, as the demon came forward in his mind.

"She's not your enemy, Dracka." Blake replied and yet started to read through the file. "She is part of the Treaty."

Blake passed the file to him and Dracka took it with a smirk as Blake opened the next one.

"Now this one is interesting," Blake remarked as he read through it. "More evidence of Simpson moving. Did you have any luck with his spy network?"

Dracka leered at him and Blake raised an eyebrow, the man knew him well. A little too well sometimes and yet he still didn't know a lot of Blake's history. Even less about what his life was like before he stepped through that time gap.

"His network here fell," Dracka commented with a grin. "No luck with the one in Germany."

"Conner Fritz had better luck," Blake reported. "He called me yesterday. The Ministry have been sniffing out a few of his hide outs. He's sending the reports to the school once they are written up. I'm sure that Albus will have a sneaky look before we get back."

"We have found a few more of his hideouts here," Dracka added. "Some of the ones we got from that raid are still being used as well."

Blake sat back in his seat and hooked a leg over the chair. He settled in as his eyes grew distant and Dracka looked the man over. He knew that Blake's mind would be running through plans and wouldn't be paying attention to what Dracka was doing.

"Has he gone to ground again?" Blake asked.

"Looks that way," Dracka replied. "That report of him moving on that Coven was the first sign that we have of him using his power, directly."

Blake tapped his hand against his leg.

"Get your men out," Blake ordered. "I want a list of any place connected to Simpson. Use the files we got from his compound to confirm any place he's still using. I'll have Albus and Kingsley do the same in the UK and Conner in Germany. I want a list of every hide out we can find and any person that it connected with him. We'll need to narrow it down but for now. I want everything."

"You have something in mind?" Dracka asked.

Blake gave him a grin that had a shiver going down his spine. Dracka was very grateful that Blake was on their side at that grin.

"Yes," Blake replied as he got to his feet. "But it's going to take time and very good and careful planning. The more of his network that we can uncover without tipping our hand the better. If he wants to play the game of cat and mouse. We are going to make sure that we are the cat."

That glint in Blake's eyes had him on edge and his demon purring in his mind. Blake gave him a wink and a grin before leaving the room and giving Dracka more to think about than before he arrived. He sighed and went back to his work.

xXx

Harry stepped away from Severus as Miller and his team spread out. He moved towards the Border spell between France and Belguim until he stood right in front of it. He carefully placed his hand an inch before the invisible barrier. It wasn't like a ward, due to the fact that he could step over it without permission. However, it did stop anyone from using an unapproved portkey or apparating over it, which was why the International Portkey Platforms were needed. It would stop anyone from certain countries with restrictions from stepping over it. Countries with closed borders, you couldn't step through it, without a portkey from a platform.

Harry settled on the ground in front of the Border spell and closed his eyes as he reached out to the magic and it buzzed along his arms. He opened his mind as he grabbed the magic and his mind was flooded with information. He carefully filtered through it until he had just the line it made as it circled around the country. It looked fine with nothing added and it flowed nicely as it looped around.

He carefully tapped the line with a little magic and let it ran along the loop until it came back to him. He pulled back completely from the magic and opened his eyes. He sighed as he pulled himself to his feet and Severus moved forward.

"That was quick?" Severus remarked in surprise as he moved closer.

"Nothing to see," Harry reported as he signalled to Miller. "Perfect loop, nothing added."

"Is that it?" Miller asked as the team moved in.

"Yep," Harry replied. "We can move on."

Harry pulled out a portkey and held it out. Once everyone had a hold, he activated it. Harry stumbled slightly as they arrived and Severus grabbed his arm. He looked around the clearing they'd landed in as he placed the portkey away. Miller and his team moved out to set up camp. Severus looked around until focusing back on him.

Harry squeezed his hand and moved towards the Border spell and reached forward. He could feel both sides of the spell, one side France and the other Germany. He focused on the German side as much as he could from this side. The spells were all twisted together where the Border sat.

He lowered himself to the ground and reached out to the magic again. He let the information of the spells roll over him as he let his mind drift. He was looking for a spell that wasn't right. There were a lot of spells, charms and other magic to focus on as he shifted through them. It was a lot easier when you knew which spell you wanted to work on. He wasn't sure how long he sat there as he picked through all the spells one by one. Tapping along the lines to make sure he hadn't missed anything.

He paused when he touched on one that didn't feel right; that was too new to be part of the Border spell. He carefully picked it up and looked it over. It was a masterpiece of spell work and he frowned. A master curse breaker would have cast the spell and it had his mind racing with the possibility. The way the person had twisted it in with the rest of the spells was interesting and it piggybacked on another spell that looped around. He had taken what was already there and added their spell in.

This was the spell that was blocking his message stones. He could cut through it without cutting the spell that it was twisted with. He looked closer to see if he could find a signature. Severus magic nudged him and he instantly stopped what he was doing.

" _What_?" Harry thought to the man over the link with him.

" _You are moving forward, Blake_."

Harry started and stopped everything he was doing. He carefully dropped everything else except the spell he needed and opened his eyes, seeing the magic around him. He had moved forward and Harry pulled back as he let the spell go. He watched it swirl back in with the other magic and he pulled back on his sight until everything came back into focus.

Harry looked over to Severus.

"Thank you," Harry said as he got to his feet.

"What were you doing?" Severus asked as Miller moved back.

"I found the spell that is blocking the message stones." Harry replied. "A master curse breaker cast it. I was trying to see if I could find a signature on it."

"You started moving forward," Severus added. "You were close to moving over the Border."

"Yes," Harry replied and frowned. "I think to learn any more, I would have to step over the border."

"I wouldn't recommend it," Miller muttered as he looked around.

Harry nodded.

"We'll set up camp here," Harry ordered. "I'll have a closer look at the spell tomorrow. The list of master curse breakers isn't a long one. The problem is we don't know what county they are from. He may have just been hired to place the spell as well. I'll call Conner and see if the Ministry has hired one to work on the Border spell recently."

Harry then frowned when he noticed the late hour.

"How long was I sitting there?" Harry asked.

"About four hours," Severus said with a smirk. "That's like four coffees to you."

"I have some catching up to do then."

xXx

Harry started awake when he felt someone step over the ward he'd placed. He rolled over in the sleeping bag and glanced over at Miller. The man was moving as well since he was linked in with the ward. Harry nodded over to him as he moved towards Severus on the camp bed next to him, just wearing his jeans.

He covered the man's mouth as he shook his shoulder and he woke with a start. Harry held a finger to his lips and signalled for him to get down. Severus just looked confused and Harry silently cursed.

"Get down," Harry whispered, very quietly in the man's ear. "Get cover and stay there, unless Miller or I give you an order."

Severus nodded and Harry moved off. He palmed his dark wand as he moved towards Miller, Sarah and David. He pulled on a jacket as he came closer, keeping close to the ground as he moved. He sprawled out on his belly as he moved to the tent flap and opened it slightly to look out.

There was a brown-haired woman standing outside talking softly to Robbie. Harry could tell she was a veela by the light magic coating her skin and the way Robbie was standing. The man was under her spell and Harry cursed silently. He took a look around but couldn't see anyone else but he had felt more than one person step over the wards.

He pulled back and signalled to Miller as he moved towards the back of the tent. Miller quickly moved forward and signalled for Harry to take the back, David to stay in the tent, as he would move forward with Sarah. Harry nodded and moved into position. Sarah and Harry would have the best resistance to the veela so would be moving out first.

Harry held up a fist to stop them when he felt the wards flare again. More people were moving in. He moved over towards Severus and slipped his phone out of his pocket and pulled up Dracka's number before passing the phone to Severus. Harry locked eyes with the man.

" _Call Dracka_ ," Harry thought to the man over the connection, helped with the eye contact. " _We have veela here, at least six people have passed over the wards. He knows where we are. They will be able to hear you talking so be careful about what you say_."

" _Stay safe_ ," Severus thought back and looked away.

Harry squeezed his shoulder and held up six fingers for Miller to see as he moved back into place. Harry cut through the fabric at the back of the tent with his knife in his left hand and looked over at Miller.

Miller held up a fist then four fingers, three, two, one. Then pointed.

Harry crawled out of the tent and crouched down as he looked around. The night was silent around him and he quickly and silently moved into cover. Dracka would take time to get his men together so they had to hold off until then. He moved off into the night towards the edge of his wards. He cast his mind out but could only pick up on three signals, which meant that there were muggles with the veela.

Harry froze when he felt a gun barrel touch the back of his neck. He hadn't even heard the person or felt a signal of magic.

"Get up," A rough voice ordered.

Harry got to his feet, holding his hands out to his sides, knife in his left hand. The man grabbed his left wrist and Harry moved quickly. He turned as the gun went off near his head and the sound broke the silence of the night. He grabbed the man's wrist, holding the gun and turned, bring him down with his body weight.

The man grunted as he hit and was moving quickly. This was a man that was well trained and Harry knew he was in trouble. The man brought his leg around and took Harry's feet out from under him. Harry grunted as he came down hard and quickly rolled to the side as the man tried to grab him. It was a dirty fight as they struggled to get the upper hand.

Harry tried to roll to his feet but the other man was fast and tackled him and quickly landed a punch on his side. Harry struggled as he brought a knee up sharply into the man's stomach. The man rolled away and Harry got his feet under him and was moving.

He dropped as the gun went off and wood splintered around him. He dashed to the next tree along as the man followed him. Leading the man off, this had to be the commander. If he could draw him off, the rest of his team would have better luck.

The man followed him as Harry moved quickly until a vampire came out of nowhere. Harry pulled up short and flicked out with his sword as he called it to his hand. The vampire jumped back, red eyes shining as he circled around. Giving the other man time to catch up and Harry silently cursed.

Harry felt anti apparation wards flare up and he cursed. The muggle and vampire split up and moved to either side of him. He was out matched as he kept both of them in his sights as he stepped back. He could hear fighting behind him but no other gunshots as he eyed off the two men. They moved further apart, making it harder to watch both of them at the same time. These were men with battle training.

Harry lunged at the vampire with sword as the muggle moved in with a knife. The vampire danced back with a leer as the muggle stabbed towards his side. Harry dismissed his sword and grabbed the man's wrist as he pulled back and twisted, pulling the man to the side but he recovered quickly and lashed out at his side.

Harry cursed as he skipped back as the vampire darted in and smashed into his side, bringing him down. Harry rolled with it and managed to get his feet under the vampire and flip him as the muggle stood back and pointed his gun down at him. Harry's eyes widened and he rolled to the side as the gun went off.

The vampire recovered quickly and turned on him with a snarl. Harry rolled into a crouch and waited as the muggle slipped the gun away and pulled a knife. It looked like they wanted him alive at least.

"Blake Sun?" The muggle asked calmly with a slight German accent.

Harry looked over at him and the vampire lunged. Harry skipped to the side but he wasn't fast enough as the vampire brought him down hard and he gasped as the air was knocked from his lungs. Harry snarled and lashed out with his fist, putting magic behind the punch as he slammed his fist into the vampire's head.

The man howled as he rolled away and Harry lunged at the muggle in rage as he tapped into his magic. Power flooded through his body as the muggle stabbed forward with the knife. Harry let him as he grabbed the man's gun on his belt as the knife cut into his stomach deeply. He pulled the gun loose and pulled the trigger.

The muggle stumbled back from him in shock from the gunshot but Harry was still moving. The vampire recovered and snarled at him. More beast than human as the demon took over completely, his eyes red. Harry swung the gun around but he was too slow and the vampire crashed into him and sent him sprawling on his back painfully. The man snapped forward, all fangs, but Harry grabbed him around the neck and brought a knee up into his groin and the man yelled out as he rolled off him.

Harry staggered to his feet as blood ran from the cut in his side. He ducked as a spell sailed over his head as a wizard joined the fight. Without glancing over his shoulder, he ran.

xXx

Severus moved closer to the tent flap as the sounds of fighting reached him and slipped out into the night with his wand in his hand. Miller and the veela were facing off and he could see Robbie flat out on the ground. He didn't know were Sarah and Blake were as he circled around Miller and quickly sent a spell to loop around the veela's leg.

The woman yelped as the rope tightened around her ankle and she tripped. Miller quickly stunned her as David moved forward to look Robbie over.

"Blake signalled six," Miller reported to Severus as he moved closer. "Sarah went after one."

Severus paled as that sunk in.

"I've called Dracka," Severus said. "He should be bringing support soon."

Severus and Miller tensed as vampires started to appear but relaxed when they saw Dracka with a sword in his hand and his eyes glowing red.

"We heard gunshots when we arrived," Dracka said quickly as his men fanned out. "Where's Blake and the rest of your team?"

Suddenly all the vampires paused and looked over to the right and Severus paled. Dracka flashed his fangs at him, red eyes shining.

"Stay here," Dracka ordered. "That's a lot of dark magic."

Severus paled and Miller didn't look much better.

Dracka left them behind with a few vampires as he tracked the dark magic. The magic was very dark and he was concerned that Simpson may have entered the field as his vampires fanned out. They moved through the bushland, silently. They were heading away from the Border and Dracka frowned. They were not ready to take on Simpson and Blake's magic was not up to his normal standard. He wouldn't be able to take on a Dark Lord and he was alone.

He could feel the demon in him raging as the dark magic brushed against him and he picked up Blake's scent. He paused as he noticed a body and something else on the ground and held his men back as he knelt down and touched the ground. His fingers picked up blood and he brought it to his nose and the demon whined. It was Blake's blood. He paled when dark magic rolled along the ground and the demon pushed forward strongly.

xXx

Harry pulled on the dark magic in the ground as a group of four vampires and a wizard closed in on him. He flicked the magic around him as he pulled and it burned in his hands as he flashed out with it, holding them at bay. He couldn't keep this up. He lashed out with the borrowed power and the vampires fell back. Leaving Harry facing the wizard.

The man looked at him with large eyes as the dark mists swirled around Harry.

"Our orders are to take you alive," The man hissed as he pulled on his light power and brought it against Harry. "But your death may be unavoidable."

"You will find that I'm not that easy to kill," Harry hissed back.

Harry pulled as much of the dark magic he could from under his feet. His sight bled into monochromes of black and white as he pulled in the dark magic. The wizard stepped back in shock and Harry knew his eyes had changed to black as the dark magic took over. Harry fell to one knee and brought his hands forward and smashed the magic that he'd collected back into the earth at his feet where it belonged. It flared out from him as a force of power.

Dark magic crackled across the ground and the vampires howled before fleeing as the wizard stumbled back, his light magic flaring around him in a shield. Harry pushed the magic down and colour came back to his sight as he looked up at the other man. The dark mist swirling around him and across the ground. The man stumbled further back but then held his ground and his lips twisted up in a sneer.

The man growled and threw a whip of light magic at him. Harry quickly brought up a shield as the magic he'd taken leaked around his fingers and into the earth under his hands. He had to let it all go, he couldn't hold it. The wizard threw more magic at him and Harry panted with the effort of holding the shield as he pushed the last of the magic down. It rolled over the earth before he rolled to the side and threw out a spell at the man.

"Very impressive," The man said with a cold smile as he circled around Harry. "And without a wand."

Harry mirrored him as he focused on his steps, feeling the blood cooling on his skin as the Hallows burned in his veins.

"Will it make you feel better if I pulled my wand?" Harry asked with a smirk.

The wizard grinned and lashed out with his light magic and Harry grabbed it with his own and pulled. The man yelped as Harry pulled and he cut off the magic with his mouth wide.

"What?" Harry called. "Did you think you are the only one with light magic?"

Harry grinned as his dark wand appeared in his hand and he lashed out with light magic, proving his point. The man yelped and brought up a barrier as the magic flared around him. Harry's eyes flicked as he noticed red eyes moving around him and he cursed. He'd hoped that he would be able to keep them away for longer.

He swung out with the light magic towards the vampires and they fell back.

"Sun!"

Harry instantly cut off the magic and threw a ball of dark magic towards the wizard. The man caught it in a net of light magic and hurled it back at him and he quickly skipped to the side and let it pass him. He was tiring now and he could feel the blood loss starting to take its toll but he pushed forward as the man looked around and smirked.

"My vampires are coming back," The wizard sneered.

"They aren't your vampires," Harry gasped. "They are mine!"

The man stumbled back as the vampires came closer then his eyes widened. He turned and ran. Harry dropped to his knees in exhaustion as Dracka rushed forward as his men took off after the wizard, but Harry knew that the man would get away.

"Blake!"

Dracka knelt beside him and looked at him with concern. He pushed his jacket aside to see the stab wound.

"Was it Simpson?" Dracka asked quickly as he pulled a bandage and started to wrap the wound.

"What?" Harry gasped and looked over at the vampire. "No."

"I felt dark magic," Dracka said.

"That was me," Harry replied, then winced when Dracka pulled the bandage tight.

"You?" Dracka stuttered and Harry would have taken more pleasure in seeing the vampire shocked if he wasn't so tired.

Harry threw his arm over Dracka's shoulders, once he'd finished and the vampire pulled him up. Harry bit back on the pain as he got his feet under him.

"Tell your men to pull back," Harry ordered as he stumbled. "The wizard would have gotten away. We have to get back to the Coven. This was a set up, they may have more people waiting."

Dracka fumbled the message stone out of his pocket and quickly sent the message. They made it back to the camp without a problem and Severus rushed forward, looking pale when he saw him.

"Blake?"

"Miller pack up," Harry barked as Dracka lowered him to the ground and he knelt down as David moved over. "We have to get back to the Coven. Severus are you okay?"

Severus nodded with large eyes as David worked on the wound in his side.

"This has gone deep, Blake." David said softly. "It's going to take time to heal it up."

"Leave it," Harry snapped. "You can finish it when we get back to the Coven. Severus give me a hand up."

Severus got under his arm as Miller and Sarah finished packing up the tent. Miller moved over and eyed off the wound before David started to bind it up.

"Was a strike team," Harry reported without any expression in his voice. "Under orders to take me in."

Miller nodded as he held the portkey out to Harry to get back to the Coven.

"Blake, the anti apparation wards," Dracka said quickly. "They're still in place."

Harry looked around at the vampires and cursed.

"You are not going to like this," Harry said to Dracka.

Dracka flashed his fangs at him and Severus helped lower him to the ground.

"Tell your men to hold their demon close," Harry ordered.

Dracka locked eyes with him for a second before moving off.

"What are you planning?" Severus asked as he knelt next to him.

"Ah," Harry glanced over at the man. "You're not going to like this either."

Harry placed his hands on the ground and reached for the dark magic that he could feel under the surface. He gently picked it up and pulled. He didn't need that much as the pure dark magic flowed over his fingers and tangled around him. Severus scrambled back from him as he took in the magic.

The vampires shifted nervously and their eyes shone red. Once Harry had enough magic around him. He grabbed it and pushed up with it carefully. The magic smashed into every ward he'd placed or someone else had placed as he pushed up then let it all go. He panted as the magic settled around them and his head spun.

"Go," Harry whispered, then louder. "Go!"

The vampires started to apparated out as Harry panted as his hands rested on the earth. He pushed a little of his own magic into the earth as the last of the magic he'd burrowed went back where it belonged. He sat back on his heels and looked over at Severus and Dracka.

"What did you do?" Dracka hissed, his eyes shining red.

"Something that you should never attempt," Harry snapped and stumbled to his feet.

Severus quickly pulled his arm over his shoulders, looking pale. Miller held out the portkey as the rest of his team held their gear. Harry grabbed it with Severus and they activated the portkey.

xXx

Severus held Blake close as they arrived back at the Coven and could feel the man leaning into his side. He was still breathing heavily and Severus could still taste the magic that the man had released in the back of his throat and on his skin and it made him shift uncomfortably. He'd never felt anything like it before and he shivered.

"Move him over here, Severus." David ordered as they moved into the mansion.

Dracka led them into a room to the left of the main hall and Severus lowered Blake down into a chair. Blake slipped out of the jacket he wore, leaving him just in his jeans. The man didn't even have shoes on. David quickly unwrapped the bandage and started whispering spells. Blake was looking pale as he looked up at Severus with bright green eyes. He looked exhausted.

"I'll see to my men," Dracka muttered and left as Blake watched him.

"Do you want a coffee?" Severus asked.

"God," Blake exclaimed with a grin. "You are a god send."

Severus smirked as Miller snorted.

"I'll be right back," Severus said and left the room.

Dracka was waiting for him outside, his eyes still red.

"Are you okay?" Dracka questioned as they moved away from the room.

"What was that he did?" Severus asked, instead. "I can still taste it."

"There is a core of magic under us," Dracka explained. "He pulled at the dark magic slightly. He didn't have enough of his own magic to draw on, so he drew on the earth magic. Holy fuck, Severus."

Dracka looked over at the wizard and Severus shivered at the look in the man's eyes.

"I've heard stories of people doing that, Severus." Dracka remarked in awe. "I have never seen it and a lot of those stories did not end well. I would have loved to have met the person that taught him."

"You still might get that chance," Severus replied with a smirk.

Dracka leered at him as his eyes slowly bled back into black as they moved towards the kitchen. Dracka worked out with the cook, to send up some food and drinks to Blake, Miller and his team. Severus stayed close to his side.

xXx

Harry woke alone the next morning and he wasn't surprised. He rolled over onto his back and rested a hand over his forehead. He wasn't sure if Severus had come to bed last night or if he'd slept somewhere else. What he'd done would have unsettled the man and may have brought back memories of Voldemort for him.

"Are you finally awake?"

Harry started and looked up in surprise to see Severus smirking down at him.

"I didn't realise I was on a schedule?" Harry stated lightly as he looked over at the other man.

Severus snorted and sat on the edge of the bed but didn't reach for him. Harry could understand that slight distance.

"Are you okay?" Harry asked softly as he rolled onto his side and looked the man over.

"All good," Severus replied with a wink and Harry barked a laugh.

Harry let his hand rest on the man's thigh and Severus covered it with his own.

"Was I out for long?" Harry asked after a few minutes.

"No," Severus replied. "You missed breakfast though."

"Not too bad then," Harry said with a smile. "I don't think there is much more we can do here, Severus."

"Back to the school then?" Severus questioned. "I still have potions to complete for St Mungo's."

"Yes," Harry agreed as he rolled back onto his back.

Severus leaned back on the bed to rest his head on Harry's stomach gently. The muscles around the wound on his side were still sore but David had done a good job of healing it up and Harry was just happy that it hadn't been silver. He ran his hands through the taller man's hair as they rested there. Letting the silence of the room settle around them.

"Ah, aren't you two cute."

Severus and Harry looked up to see Dracka leering at them from the doorway. The other two men didn't move.

"I like to think so," Harry replied with a wink. "What do you want Dracka?"

"The wizard that you were fighting," Dracka said as he conjured a chair and took a seat as Severus sat up. "He has light magic?"

"Yes," Harry replied as he thought of the man. "Very well trained. I would say that he has trained under a master. I got lucky that he wasn't expecting what I could do with dark magic and my light magic."

"We weren't expecting that," Dracka drawled.

Harry barked a laugh and gave him a grin.

"And here I thought I couldn't surprise you two anymore," Harry said with a smirk.

"Don't do that again," Severus uttered.

Harry's grin faded as he looked the two men over.

"I didn't have much of a choice, Severus." Harry pointed out. "It's not something I like to do and I hope I don't have to do it again."

Harry moved until he sat on the side of the bed next to Severus with the blanket around his waist.

"There can be a high price to pay with messing with that kind of magic," Harry said softly. "And you may not be the one that pays it."

Dracka sat forward in his seat with his eyes intense as they stared at Harry.

"What happened?" Drack inquired, his voice gentle.

"Story time?" Harry asked with a smirk.

Severus just glared at him while Dracka smirked back.

"So," Harry started to explain. "I was studying under a master mage-"

"Mage?" Dracka interrupted.

Harry frowned.

"Bugger," Harry swore. "Okay this might go quicker if I show you a memory. Dracka out. We'll meet you in your rooms."

Dracka leered at him but Harry just waved his hand in amusement. The vampire smirked as he left the room, leaving the lovers behind. Harry turned to Severus and looked the man over.

"Are you okay?" Harry asked, again.

Severus sighed but met his eyes.

"Yes, Blake." Severus answered but Harry could tell the man wasn't telling him the whole truth but he let it slide.

"If you need to talk Severus," Harry offered and let his hand rest on the man's knee.

Severus gave him a sharp nod as Harry pulled himself to his feet and dressed. Harry went to move out of the room when Severus grabbed his arm. Harry looked up into the man's face as those dark eyes looked down at him.

"That magic didn't feel the same as the magic we hold," Severus stated.

"Yes, it isn't the same," Harry replied. "It's wild magic, like the lay lines. It is pure, while the dark magic we hold is an echo of it."

Severus frowned and Harry could see him thinking.

"The residue of a Dark Ritual," Harry whispered. "Pulls that magic up."

Severus's frown deepened.

"When we went to Germany," Severus mused and Harry nodded. "Does that mean that the source of power a Dark Lord holds in from that wild magic?"

"No," Harry said. "You can't hold that magic. A Dark Ritual will pull on that power in response to the ritual."

Harry sighed as he ran a hand through his hair as Severus looked at him. He wasn't explaining it well enough.

"Come on," Harry said with a slight smile. "I'll try to explain."

Harry went to step forward but Severus just tightened his hold and Harry looked into the man's eyes.

"Everything has a price," Harry stated and Severus looked at him in confusion. "Power and knowledge have a price, Severus."

"Blake?" Severus questioned softly.

Harry just reached up and cupped his cheek and Severus released him.

"Come on, let's face the vampire before he comes barging back in here," Harry said with a smirk.

Severus placed his hand over Harry's hand on his cheek, his dark eyes intense. Harry could read so much and yet so little in Severus's expression.

"Hurry up!" Dracka snapped from the other room and Severus snorted.

Harry gave him a grin before they moved into the other room.

"So," Harry announced as he settled at the table in Dracka's rooms with a coffee in his hands. "In about a hundred years from now, we were faced with a new breed of humanswith magical powers."

Severus and Dracka started and looked at him in surprise and Harry smirked.

"From the future remember?" Harry reminded them in amusement. "They had little to no magical core but could pick up wild magic. I was sent to Russia to look into it with the help of the military."

"With the Russian's approval?" Dracka asked in interest.

"To begin with it was a little under the table," Harry replied mildly. "Later on, I was drafted to a special group between the Ministry and the Russian government. My grandson headed the task force from the UK and my Master was the head of the Russian team. He was one of these people that could pick up wild magic. He was drawn to light magic and we started to call these people Mages."

"How could they pick up the magic without a magical core?" Dracka asked in interest.

"Creature blood," Harry stated mildly as he sat back in his seat. "It had laid dormant in their blood until something changed."

"Something?" Severus asked.

"We weren't sure," Harry replied. "We thought that it had to do with creature blood and squibs. Much like muggleborns pop up in muggle families. Mages started to pop up and once they appeared and had children, those children showed the same kinds of power. The Ministries wouldn't recognise them as wizards or witches and the Council of magical creatures wouldn't take them in either. It was a stand-off between three sides."

"That's why you agreed to join the Council so quickly?" Dracka remarked.

"Yes," Harry agreed with a smirk. "Perhaps this time we can stop the useless fighting. Not to say that the same thing will happen this time. We still don't know why these people turned up, what changed for them to develop this talent."

"Your master?" Severus questioned, with an odd look in his eyes.

"Yes," Harry stated mildly. "Master Alexander Riencroft. He was the one to teach me how to draw on wild magic and to work with it. Brilliant man but with one hell of a temper. You learned to duck quick."

Harry smirked as he thought of the man until Severus's hand on his arm drew him back. He looked up at the younger man with a smile. Harry grabbed the bowl on the table and used his wand to draw out a memory he wanted and place it into the bowl.

"Vampires first," Harry announced with a grin and Dracka leered at him.

xXx

Severus looked around the wooded area they had landed in and moved closer to Dracka. There were tents scattered around as Blake appeared next to them and looked around.

"Russian army," Blake explained. "About two hundred strong, so just a small force really."

A man with shaggy black hair appeared near them and looked around. He stood about the same height as Blake and had intense green eyes as he looked over the tents.

"Harry!"

Severus started as a brown-haired man moved out from one of the tents with a grin on his face and a silver sword hanging from his belt. The brown-haired man wore a military uniform with a gun on his other side. His hair was a bit of a shaggy mess, a few inches long and he had rough hair covering his face. The black-haired man smiled widely as he moved forward and took the brown-haired man in a warm hug.

"My grandson," Blake said from beside them. "Harry Potter junior."

Severus looked over the two men in interest, they looked very similar. He could see the Potter line clearly in both men.

"The brown-haired man?" Dracka asked.

"No," Blake said in amusement. "That's me. The dark-haired man is my grandson. My son, Albus, had a wicked sense of humour. He said that every generation needed a Harry Potter to look up to. Got very confusing at family get togethers, but at least he didn't get the red hair. He normally got called Junior and he didn't much like that."

Severus snorted as he looked the men over. Picking up the similarities in both men and he wondered about his lover's other children. He looked at the younger version of Blake and was a little surprised. The man looked different and yet the same as the two men spoke quietly between each other. This version of his lover looked rougher, a military man. There was also a sadness and hardness to him.

"Nikolai!"

He saw the version of his lover look over towards a handsome man in his forties. The brown-haired man hurried over to the other man and bowed. The other man looked down at him, he had short blonde hair and sharp blue eyes.

"That was my Master," Blake said. "I went by the name Nikolai Sokolov."

"Your son's name was Nikolai," Severus remarked and Dracka looked at them sharply.

"It's a common name," Blake replied mildly. "My partner named my son after her great-grandfather. I named the youngest, Sammy. She was from an old Russian pureblood family on one side and English on the other side. She held the name of her great-grandmother, Alissa. She wanted to keep the name alive in our son."

Severus looked over at Blake sharply as Potter junior moved towards the two men and shook hands with Master Alexander.

"My master was a hard man," Blake continued, a guarded look in his face. "You did not get a second chance with him and if you stuffed up. It was up to you to get yourself out of it."

Suddenly Alexander's fist lashed out and Nikolai stepped back quickly while Potter junior smirked. From the movements, Severus was sure that this was a regular thing.

"He was good for building up your reflexes as well. He could be a real bastard but had a good heart." Blake mused in amusement. "The man had lived a very hard life. He used to say that 'Life didn't give you second chances so why should I?'"

"Commander!"

Everyone looked over as a man in uniform rushed forward and spoke to the three men quietly.

"I've added a translation spell into the memory," Blake commented. "Otherwise you would have just been listening to Russian. We should follow them."

Blake moved off after the three other men with Severus and Dracka following behind. They moved towards a small town that looked like it had seen battle at some point.

"Nikolai," Alexander barked. "Search them out."

"Yes, Master." Nikolai said quickly and Severus flinched at his lover saying the words so easily.

Nikolai stepped away from the other two and closed his eyes.

"Light magic, boy!" Alexander snapped.

"Yes, Master."

Severus and Dracka watched as small white foxes pulled themselves from the earth and rushed out into the town. About a dozen or so of the animals tumbled out and spread out in different directions. Severus had never seen anything like it before.

"Enough," Alexander barked and the foxes stopped appearing.

"The thing with wild magic," Blake mentioned. "Is it doesn't like being controlled and you can't hold the power itself. What I did was gave them an easy command. Find others like itself."

"East side," Nikolai reported as he opened his eyes and turned to the other two men. "About a dozen."

"We had taken and lost this town three times," Blake said, as the other three men spoke quietly. "We were fed up."

"Any others in the town, Nikolai?" Alexander questioned roughly.

"No, sir." Nikolai answered.

"Very well," Alexander stated and stepped away from the others.

Nikolai grabbed his grandson's arm and pulled him back until they stood close to Severus, Dracka and Blake.

Alexander closed his eyes for a moment before opening them again and lifted his arms. A wind started to pick up and the branches of the trees started to sway. The windows rattled in the houses and dust swirled around as a soft howl started up. The noise increased as they stood there and Severus could start to see white mists rising from the ground as they watched, like ghostly forms.

Animal forms started to appear in the mists of claws and fangs and Severus shivered. Glowing lights, that looked like eyes, started to shine as the forms started to become more solid and changed into dogs, wolves, hawks and other shadow animals. Suddenly the animals were rushing forward with the howling wind and into the town.

Screams sounded out in the air and Severus shivered as more forms gathered and moved forward. Suddenly a dozen people ran forward with a pack of light-coloured wolves on their heels. They were a rag tag group of people but Severus could pick up weapons on their belts.

"Nikolai!"

Nikolai moved forward towards his master while the people stumbled forward and fell to their knees before them with their hands up. Severus could see the fear in their dirty faces as the animal silently snarled, keeping them in a close group.

"Kill the leader," Alexander ordered.

Nikolai pulled his gun and Severus watched with large eyes as the man brought the gun up and sighted along it. There was nothing in the man's expression and just coldness in his body language. He couldn't see anything of Blake in the man and he felt a chill at that thought.

"We surrender!" A blonde-haired man called out and Nikolai paused with the gun outstretched.

"Do you renounce all other masters?" Alexander called.

The light animals prowled around keeping the rag tag group on their knees.

"Yes!" The man called.

"I must hear it from everyone!" Alexander snapped.

All but one man spoke up.

"Kill him," Alexander ordered, coldly.

Nikolai pulled the trigger and the man slumped to the ground dead. Severus's eyes were wide as the other people gasped and looked around in fear.

"You fall under my protection," Alexander called. "If you step out of line, you will be punished. No second chances, understand?"

"Yes!"

"I am Master Alexander Riencroft and you will address me as that," Alexander ordered. "Understand?"

"Yes, Master Riencroft."

Alexander dropped the light magic and everything stilled as the mists and animals disappeared as if they had never been there to begin with. Severus and Dracka had never seen magic like it before.

"Follow me," Alexander ordered. "Nikolai, clean up."

Alexander turned on his heels as the group pulled themselves to their feet and quickly followed after him until only Nikolai and Potter junior stood there. Nikolai looked down at the man he'd killed with a cold look in his eyes and Severus shivered. Potter junior patted his grandfather's shoulder and whispered something they couldn't hear before moving after the group.

"There is always a cost," Blake whispered and Severus looked over at his lover, his face was just as unreadable as his younger version. "What you take, must be repaid. Watch."

Severus turned back to Nikolai as he knelt down beside the body and patted down his pockets. He removed a few items from the dead man before stepping back and kneeling down. Nikolai closed his eyes and Severus watched as the earth spilt and opened up near the body and something dark crawled out. The thing grabbed the body with long arms that ended in claws and dragged the man into the hole. Severus shivered and looked over at Dracka and saw his horror reflected in the vampire's face.

They had never seen anything like it before and Severus felt the hair rise on his arms as a chill went down his spine. He looked back to see the earth close over the body and a small tree started to grow. It grew to about a foot high as Nikolai moved forward. He knelt down and placed a hand on the ground briefly.

When the man got to his feet and turned in their direction. His eyes briefly looked over them and Severus was in no doubt he was looking at his lover. He could see the pain in the man's green eyes. Those eyes were Blake's.

"The Russians were not forgiving in this matter," Blake said softly. "These men and women had been given many warnings. I am not justifying my actions, just stating the truth. If Master Alexander gave me an order, I was bound to obey or break the contract."

"What happened to him?" Dracka asked as Nikolai moved passed them, but Blake did not more to follow him.

"He paid the price," Blake replied as he looked after the younger version of himself sadly. "We came up against a talented mage with dark power. Master Alexander used his light magic against her while I was his anchor. It did not go well, he reached too far and I couldn't hold it or pull him back. I am not good with light magic and he would not allow me to use dark magic to hold the connection. The magic took his life and backlashed on me..."

Blake trailed off and looked around before focusing on the two men and Severus shivered at the blank look in his lover's eyes. There was no expression on the man's face as he looked at them.

"I studied under him for five years," Blake continued. "And stayed with the Russians for over twenty. I wasn't supposed to be his anchor that day but his apprentice had died two weeks earlier in the conflict and Alexander called me. He needed me, so I went...I walked away from the name Nikolai after he was killed."

Blake paused and looked away from the two men.

"What happened with the prisoners?" Dracka questioned after a few seconds.

"Recruitment," Blake remarked with a smirk that had a shiver running down their backs. "These were early days of mages. Over time they were given rights, the same as any other magic user, but they did not know that was in their future at this point in time."

Blake grabbed the two men and they found themselves sitting back in Dracka's rooms. Blake calmly picked up his coffee and took a sip.

"That was a dark time in our history," Blake commented. "But it got better."

xXx

Severus sat on the edge of the bed he shared with Blake that night as the man slept with his back towards him. The memory that he'd shown them, kept running through his head. The remembered feeling of the dark magic that Blake had pulled from the earth rolling over him, unsettled him. He looked over at his lover before slipping under the covers and curling along the man's back. He ran a hand down the man's side, feeling the scars under his fingers.

The man moved slightly but didn't wake as Severus laid his hand on his hip. It had been hard to see such a strong man under the rule of a master like Alexander Riencroft and he wondered why Blake had taken the vow to serve him. It brought up memories of his own time under Voldemort's rule and he shivered slightly.

Blake suddenly jolted in his sleep and muttered something. Severus ran his hand down his back and he settled. In the same way that the man had love to give, he also had a coldness to him. Something Severus had seen when the Horcrux had over taken him and the way that Dracka spoke about the night his brother had been killed.

Blake could be a killer or he could be a protector and if something threatened someone he loved…Severus shivered at the thought. His fingers ran over the scars on the man's back as his thoughts drifted.

"That tickles."

Severus started at Blake's voice and his hand stilled. The man rolled onto his back and looked over at him. His green eyes sleepy as they looked at him and Severus laid his hand on the man's chest.

"Did you sleep here last night?" Blake questioned.

"Yes," Severus answered with a frown. "Why wouldn't I?"

Blake sighed and ran a hand over his head and Severus was unsure what the man was thinking.

"Wasn't sure," Blake muttered, his eyes guarded. "With me pulling on the dark magic like I did if that you would sleep here or somewhere else."

"You're an idiot," Severus uttered fondly before kissing him.

Blake returned the kiss as Severus grabbed his side and he rolled towards him. Severus placed a hand on his back as Blake shifted closer until there was no space between them. Severus held him as he tangled his legs with Blake's and took in the feel and scent of the other man. He gently ran a hand down Blake's back, feeling the roughness of his skin under his palm.

"Why did you follow him?" Severus inquired, breaking the silence.

"Who?" Blake asked.

"Alexander?"

"There is always a price for magic, Severus." Blake replied after a few seconds of silence. "But there can be a high price for knowledge as well. When you have both light and dark magic you fall into a bit of a grey zone."

Severus snorted at the irony of the man's words as he held him close.

"Light wizards don't want to teach you because you hold Dark power and vice versa," Blake continued. "Master Alexander was something new. A man with no magical core that could pull on wild magic…he tried to kill me the first time we met."

"What happened?"

"He thought I was a Dark Lord," Blake explained and Severus moved so the man could lay on his back and he could look at him. "I was part of a team of Russians that stormed where he was staying. He brought his wild power against mine."

"You lost?" Severus questioned.

"No," Blake answered with a smirk. "I won and had my knife at his throat. It was then that he noticed that I held light magic. My Commander at the time called me off and I let the man stand. We worked together for a while before I asked him if he could teach me his kind of magic."

"You offered to serve under him?" Severus asked in shock.

"Things were done differently then," Blake stated with a frown. "Well, will be done differently. I was his apprentice."

"You call him master?"

"Yes," Blake confirmed. "It's hard to explain, Severus. When you serve as an apprentice the person that teaches you is called a Master regardless of their sex. Whether you call them by their title is up to them. Just more time differences."

Severus fell silent as he placed his hand on the man's stomach.

"How many Masters have you had?" Severus whispered.

"A few over the years," Blake said mildly then smirked. "And I have been one a few times as well."

Severus stilled as he looked at Blake and the man gave him a wink and a rough grin.

"Works both ways, Severus." Blake stated. "The way that Dark Lord Voldemort used it wasn't the same as an apprentice-master relationship. I was never tortured or had the threat of death held over my head."

"You killed that man under orders," Severus prompted.

"I did," Blake confirmed. "If I did not follow his order than the apprenticeship contract would have been broken. That man's life and the others were forfeit when we had already approached them to bring them under the Russian government and they had refused. He would not have ordered me to do something that he didn't think I would do."

Severus felt a coldness in his stomach at the man's words. He remembered the men that Blake had killed and the way he'd slit that man's throat in Germany. Blake looked over at him with guarded eyes. In some ways, Severus was learning just how dangerous Blake was and yet as he looked into those green eyes. He knew he was lost to other man and would fight just as hard to hold him.

"And I thought I had a dark history," Severus muttered.

Blake gave him a lopsided smile.

"I've just had more time to compile a dark history," Blake said with a smirk. "Any more questions? Because it is late."

Severus gave him a smile and Blake rolled away from him. Severus wrapped his arm around him as Blake wiggled back and they settled in. He kissed Blake's shoulder as he relaxed back against him. He closed his eyes and just took in the warmth of the other man but sleep didn't come easy for Severus that night.


	50. Chapter 50

"You know," Harry said softly, breaking the silence in the room. "This makes me feel like a student having a detention."

Severus looked up from the potion that he was making and smirked over at him with a glint in his eyes.

"You are cutting that too thick, Mr Sun." Severus drawled and Harry's knife stilled.

"That is not helping, Severus." Harry pointed out with a smirk. "If you start saying Mr Potter, we are going to have problems."

Severus barked a laugh and looked over at his lover in amusement and Harry gave him a lopsided grin.

"Don't think that will be happening anytime soon," Severus remarked smoothly and looked him over.

Harry gave him a grin as he turned and leaned back on the bench.

"You don't think I look like a Harry?" Harry asked with a wink. "Or is it the Potter part?"

Harry smirked as he could see a shiver ran down Severus's spine.

"You are a Potter all right," Severus muttered. "Just not a Ry."

Harry barked a laugh as Severus stirred the potion.

"Which reminds me," Harry announced. "Ry's commander called me yesterday. It seems like he's taken a liking to a fellow trainee and they were found in a comprising position. I'm still not sure why he called me with this information, the boy is an adult now."

Severus huffed a laugh as he leaned a hip on the bench while he stirred the potion.

"Male or female?" Severus asked.

"Female," Harry replied. "Do you think he might have been making a point?"

"To whom?" Severus smirked in amusement.

"Probably himself," Harry replied with a grin. "Poor boy."

"Well," Severus drawled with a smirk. "You came to your senses."

Harry barked a laugh as he looked at Severus in amusement.

"I can always fall back on bad habits," Harry said with a smirk. "Which also reminds me."

Severus groaned as he looked at him with a raised eyebrow. Harry just gave him a grin.

"I tried to bring up a memory of the light wizard I was fighting, but he seems to have the same spell around him as Simpson does," Harry reported.

"Have you seen that kind of spell before?" Severus asked in interest.

"Ah," Harry replied, thinking back. "I've seen something similar, once people started to use memories more often in legal cases, but not like this one. I would say that he has a grounder like a pendent or ring that holds the charm in place around him. The memory is clear except for his face."

"What are you planning on doing then?" Severus inquired as he stopped stirring and added the powered mint to the potion and the smell filled the room.

"I contacted the London police department and they have allowed me to meet with a forensic artist to draw up an image of the man from what I remember," Harry stated as he went back to cutting up as Severus worked. "With that image, I'm hoping to find out the man's identity. This might explain how Simpson it getting veela on his side."

"I wonder how Simpson swayed a Light Wizard?"

"Could have been many ways," Harry said mildly as he worked.

"Have you seen Dark and Light Wizards working together like this before?"

"Yes, but not often," Harry said shortly. "Light Wizards are just as capable of the same damage as Dark Wizards."

Harry's hand stilled as an image of the bloody body of his lover came to mind and the small bodies of his two children. The pain was still raw to him and the memory vivid.

"Blake?"

Harry looked over at Severus at his name and the man was frowning.

"Dracka mentioned to me, what you told him about before you came here," Severus commented. "About your lover and children."

"Yeah," Harry said and placed the knife onto the counter and ran his hand over his head. "I thought he might. It doesn't matter what kind of magic you hold Severus, you can still cause damage. I'm not sure what Simpson offered to get this man on his side but he is there and we will need to find out who he is and what we can do about it."

"Blake?"

"Severus." Harry replied with a quirk to his lips as he looked at his lover.

"Your lover was killed by a Light Wizard?" Severus asked softly.

"Yes," Harry confirmed, the pain was still raw to him. "She was as well as my two children."

"Why?" Severus questioned.

"I can only guess," Harry answered as he looked down at his hands. "The Aurors were looking into it after their deaths. I wasn't there long enough to find out any more but as far as I can guess it was her dark core. She was a beautiful woman with such life to her. She had long straight black hair down to her waist with striking blue eyes. She could still a room with her presence alone and such a quick mind and wit…"

Harry trailed off as he remembered the woman and the way she would move through a room and everyone would take notice of her. Her smile alone could captivate and disarm someone. Harry smiled softly as he remembered the woman, she was fearless and had passion and strength to spare. Severus's hand taking his, pulled him back from the memories as he looked into his dark eyes.

"She was a lawyer in muggle London," Harry expanded with a grin. "Very high-profile cases both there and in the magical communities."

"That's why you know so much about the legal system," Severus accused.

"Yes," Harry agreed with a smile. "I did spend a while looking up laws when I arrived in this time to make sure which laws were in place and which ones weren't."

"That's why you're not a Professor of this school," Severus added, as the pieces of the puzzle fell into place.

"Yes," Harry said, his grin widening. "I knew the laws around homosexual relationships between Professors here and found the loop hole in it. You will be happy to know that law is being reviewed at the moment."

"Mr Boulder?" Severus asked with a smirk.

Harry gave him a grin in answer.

"How many changes have you made to this timeline?" Severus questioned.

"Just a couple," Harry replied with a smirk. "Just to get things on track."

Harry gave the man a wink.

"I find that hard to believe," Severus drawled.

"Just a gentle nudge," Harry retorted with a smirk. "I'm never sure if what I do will have the correct outcome until after the fact."

"Did you marry her?" Severus asked, bringing Harry back to the topic at hand.

"No," Harry replied. "I thought her father was going to kill me the first time we met. She was from a very pureblood family and I wasn't. Even if I held the Sun name, which is a very old pureblood family but not here in England, of course. I was still a half blood."

"Did she know who you were?"

"Ah, no." Harry replied. "If she did, her father would have definitely killed me, even if I held the title for the Head of House for the Black family."

"You what?" Severus uttered in shock. "How did you get that? What about the Potter family?"

"I gave the Potter name to my eldest son, James." Harry explained. "When his first child was born. I inherited the Black title when Sirius Black was killed. Alissa came from a dark family related to the Malfoy family and a few other pureblood families, here and in Russia."

Severus reeled back as Harry smirked.

"It gets complicated," Harry admitted in amusement. "Once you know generations of the same family tree."

Severus barked a laugh as he looked down at Harry.

"How old were your children?" Severus asked.

"About two and four," Harry replied softly. "Ry reminds me so much of the youngest, Sammy. Same green eyes and messy black hair."

Harry folded into Severus as the man hugged him as he looked over to the potion that they were making and frowned.

"Um, I'm not sure that's meant to be green," Harry commented and Severus swore.

Harry smirked as Severus quickly moved back to the potion and quickly started working on it. He watched his lover fondly as he tried to save the potion before it ended up looking like a Longbottom mess. Harry didn't hold out hope for it as Severus cursed.

xXx

"Come in," Dracka called at the knock on his door.

He looked up as Blake collapsed in the seat across from him. The man flicked a piece of paper at him and Dracka picked it out of the air in amusement. He looked down into a face of a middle-aged man with short dark hair and slightly Asian features in interest.

"I had a forensic artist at the London Police department draw that up," Blake explained. "That was the Light Wizard that tried to capture me."

"You couldn't capture the image off a memory?" Dracka asked in interest.

"Nope," Blake replied as he fiddled with his cane. "He has the same spell on him as Simpson. We should be able to track down his identity. I've already sent a copy to the Ministry of Magic in Germany, France, Russia, and I have Kingsley looking it up in the Auror department. I've also sent one to the goblins, this man may be the master curse breaker that we have been trying to find."

"And if they don't find him there?"

"I'll branch out," Blake said with a smirk. "I have contacts in other Ministries, it's just a matter of time really. Well, unless he is American but I didn't pick that up in his accent. I think we'll find he may be German with ties to China or Japan."

"Have you seen him before?"

"No," Blake replied with a frown. "Should I have?"

"You have lived this time, Blake."

"So," Blake said mildly as he looped a leg over the chair. "I don't know everyone, Dracka. I didn't know you in my time."

Both men looked over at the door when a knock sounded.

"Come in," Dracka called.

A sixth year Slytherin came through the door and paused when he saw Blake sprawled out in the seat in front of the desk.

"Yes, Mr Delson?" Dracka asked with a smirk as Blake righted himself in the seat.

"Um," Ben Delson answered, as his eyes flicked between the two men.

"Well," Blake announced with a grin and pulled himself to his feet. "I'll be off then."

Dracka looked after the other man as he moved passed Delson and out the door with a wave over his shoulder. The boy moved towards the seat as he looked back at Dracka.

"What can I do for you, Mr Delson?" Dracka asked.

xXx

Harry yelled out as pain tore through him and he rolled from the bed and landed on all fours with the blanket tangled around him. He grabbed at his chest, his head swimming, as the world rocked around him. He wasn't sure which way was up as the magic of the Hallows flared, eating him alive as it set his bones on fire. He whimpered and groaned in pain as he tried to catch his breath.

"Blake!"

Harry panted and roughly grabbed the dark magic flaring around him. He pushed it down into the stones of Hogwarts, unable to deal with it. The ground under him groaned as Harry's head pounded. The Hallows settled down slightly and Harry was able to get a hold on them. He collapsed to the side with his back against the bed.

"Get to Dracka!" Harry gasped, without opening his eyes. "See if he's okay."

"Blake?"

Harry looked up at the man crouched beside him, looking pale and holding his own chest. Harry quickly laid a hand on Severus's chest and ran his wizard magic over his dark core. Severus shivered at the feeling with his eyes too large as they looked at him.

"Get to Dracka!" Harry snapped as he lay back against the bed, squinting his eyes in pain. "It would have hit him hard."

Severus looked unsure before pulling on some pants and a shirt and ran from the room just as Harry's phone rang. Harry groaned and reached up and fumbled around until he could grab the damn thing.

"Blake," Harry answered.

"What did you do?" Albus asked, sounding breathless.

"It wasn't me," Harry replied. "It was Simpson."

"I'll be right down," Albus replied, hanging up.

Harry laid his head back against the bed with his chest aching and his head pounding. He looked up when Severus walked in supporting Dracka. The vampire looked like shit as Severus dropped him onto the bed. Dracka sprawled out with one arm over his eyes.

Harry reached out a hand to the man and rested it on his arm. He closed his eyes and softly ran his wizard magic over the other man, smoothing out the dark magic as much as he could. The man covered his hand with his own.

"Thanks," Dracka muttered. "Severus do you have a pain potion?"

Severus passed a potion over to both Dracka and Harry and took one himself. Albus walked into the room and looked down at Dracka sprawled out on the bed, Harry tangled up in the blanket on the floor, and Severus leaning against the wall, looking pale.

"What the hell happened?" Albus snapped.

Dracka snorted as Severus smirked.

"You made the Headmaster swear, Blake." The vampire muttered. "Even I haven't done that."

"I didn't do this!" Harry snapped back, his temper flaring.

"My headache says different," Albus remarked dryly.

"Well I may have pushed the dark magic into the stones," Harry admitted. "But I didn't pull on the dark magic."

Dracka pulled himself up. "That wasn't you?"

"No!" Harry replied, holding his head.

"What is going on?" Albus asked, looking around.

"Simpson," Harry stated. "He just pulled on the dark magic. The stupid man! He fucking pulled on the core of dark magic!"

Dracka paled at the words.

Severus knelt down in front of him.

"Explain, Blake?" Severus asked softly.

Harry held his head in his hands as it pounded, feeling the Hallows clawing at him in rage as dark mists crept into his vision. He was having trouble putting his thoughts in order.

"All dark magic is linked, well not linked per say." Harry tried to say, then words failed him. "More like indirectly linked. Like two objects that are the same thing sitting side by side. They are same thing but separated slightly but still the same."

"Blake," Severus uttered. "You're not making sense."

Harry laid his head back against the bed and Dracka placed his hand on his shoulder. The vampire's dark magic brushing him as his own magic reached out.

"I think he is trying to say that we all draw our magic from the same source," Dracka stated.

"Yes!" Harry exclaimed with his eyes closed. "But no. But close enough. Simpson just killed a lot of people to do nothing! He didn't understand!"

Dracka's hand tightened on his shoulder, Harry's head still pounding.

"What do you mean, my boy?" Albus asked softly.

"You can grab the dark magic," Harry tried to explain but it was hard to put the words into order. "But you can't pull it into yourself. It doesn't work that way! It's not yours. You can work it with preparation but not hold it! You can't pull it into yourself! It's not like a Dark Ritual."

"Sh, Blake." Severus cooed as he placed a hand on his other shoulder. "Just take a minute."

Harry just rested his head back and tried to get his breathing and thoughts under control. He was not looking forward to seeing the file of what Simpson had done. The Dark Lord had been so careful and calculating so far, what had made him do something so rash?

"It felt like someone pulled on my magic," Dracka commented. "Similar to what Blake does but they grabbed the whole lot and pulled sharply."

"I felt it as well," Severus added.

"I felt nothing," Albus said. "Until the dark magic was pushed into the ground."

"That was me," Harry admitted. "Sorry, wasn't thinking."

"That's fine, my boy." Albus said kindly. "Warning would be nice though, but I'm kind of getting used to it."

"I had to," Harry muttered. "It was flaring out, angry. Scared. Full of rage."

Silence descended on the room at Harry's words.

"What did he try to do?" Albus asked after a couple of minutes.

Harry opened his eyes and looked up at the Headmaster.

"Without looking at the report," Harry said. "I can only guess."

"And that would be?" Dracka asked as he slipped down off the bed to curl up with other man.

Harry felt comforted by the man's dark presence next to him as the Hallows started to calm as Dracka's dark magic brushed against him.

"I think he used the Dark Ritual that he would have used to become a Dark Lord but he pulled on the dark magic in the earth instead of the magic from the people he killed. He then tried to pull it into himself. To claim it as his own." Harry uttered. "You can't do that. You can't cage a wild animal and expect it to obey you."

"Because you can't take in that magic?" Severus repeated.

"Yes!" Harry agreed. "It backlashed out to anyone with dark magic."

"Because we all hold the same magic," Dracka added.

"Yes!" Harry cried, then amended. "Well, close enough."

"Why can't you hold it?" Severus asked as he sat on the floor.

"You can't," Harry replied simply. "Trust me it would take a long time for me to explain why and I can barely string a sentence together at the moment."

"I'm sure we'll get a report soon enough," Dracka commented.

"Oh, god." Harry moaned as he held his head in his hands. "All those people."

Dracka rubbed his back as Severus sat on his other side. Suddenly Blake's phone went off and the four men looked at it. Blake passed it to Dracka. The vampire took it with a grimace.

"Dracka," He answered. "Yeah, he's here…what is it?"

Harry held his head as it pounded.

"Yeah…we felt it….where?…okay." Dracka said into the phone as he rubbed Harry's back. "Does he need to go there?…okay….yeah, I'll tell him…send the report when you have it. _Danke_."

Dracka hung up and just held the phone, not looking at anyone.

"Bad?" Severus asked softly.

"Ah, yeah." Dracka said. "Small muggle town. He wiped it out. Everyone dead. They will send the report when it's ready. It's a bit of a mess over there at the moment."

"Germany?" Harry asked. "Was that Conner?"

"Yes."

"Do they need me?"

"No, the dark magic wiped it clean when it flared out."

Harry shivered at the words and leaned back against the bed. Dracka went to get up but Harry grabbed his knee, stopping him and he settled down again.

"You should probably wake the Heads of Houses, Headmaster." Harry suggested. "That would have woken any of the children with dark magic. Callum Genger, check on him, it would have hit him hard as well."

Albus paled at the words.

"I'll just be going then," Albus announced with a hard look in his eyes. "I'll see you in the morning, boys."

"Night, Albus."

Harry's phone rang again and Dracka sighed as he answered it.

"Do you need anything?" Severus asked.

"Bottle of water and my pain pills, please." Harry requested and gave Severus a small smile as Dracka spoke in German next to him.

Severus nodded and moved out of the room as Harry rested back against the bed, his hand on Dracka's knee. Feeling the man's dark magic brushing against him as he spoke. His voice washing over him, calming both him and the Hallows. There was a reason that dark magic, pulled on dark magic. They were a part of a whole.

xXx

Severus looked down at his lover on the floor with his hand clamped on the vampire's knee as Dracka spoke on the phone in German. He was sure that Blake was out. He could still feel the slight tension in his chest and by the state Dracka had been in. He was sure that it had hit Blake even harder. He'd never heard Blake yell out like he did and he shivered.

"I don't think I'm going anywhere tonight," Dracka remarked as he hung up the phone and looked up at Severus.

"Why would that be Mr Dracka?" Severus purred.

"Dark power pulls dark power, Severus." The man replied bitterly.

"I hate hearing those words," Severus swore as he placed the pills and the bottle of water on the bedside table.

Dracka snorted and gave him a lopsided grin.

"You have felt it, Severus." Dracka pointed out.

Severus nodded and looked down at Blake.

"He's holding the dark magic close," Dracka explained. "I think my magic is helping him."

Severus raised an eyebrow in question and Dracka shifted slightly.

"I only have dark magic, Severus." Dracka reminded him. "I don't have any wizard magic. That's why Blake had to ward my classroom, rooms and office so that the Headmaster doesn't yell at me as much as he does Blake for using dark magic."

Severus snorted and said, "Yes, I have seen your dark magic."

Dracka leaned back and looked up at him.

"Do you think we should get him up?" Severus asked.

"Nah," Dracka said as Blake's phone rang again. "I'll probably be up with this thing anyway. You can take the bed."

Severus sighed as Dracka answered the phone. He pulled another blanket out of the cupboard and spread it out over the bed. He slipped out of his shirt but kept his pants on. He ran his hand through Blake's hair and nodded to Dracka before curling up on his side. Dracka's soft voice sending him back to sleep.

xXx

Harry started awake when someone shook his shoulder. Severus held out his pill bottle and the bottle of water with a smile. He took the pills and water in his hands with a soft 'thanks'. He shook two out and washed them down.

"Minster of Magic called." Severus reported. "You have to be there in about an hour and a half. Dracka is getting ready now, he will stand for the Council."

Harry rubbed his face, feeling stiff from sleeping on the floor.

"From all reports," Severus continued already dressed and ready to go. "The Ministry has descended into chaos and the Minister has set up a press meeting. Dracka will probably throw your phone at you as well, once you are up. You might want to look out for that."

Harry smirked and got to his feet slowly. He moved to the cupboard and started dressing in his suit.

"Am I standing for the Treaty?" Harry asked.

"Yes," Severus replied, then gave him a twisted smile. "And the Department of Mysteries."

Harry froze as he pulled his dress shirt on.

"Really?" Harry asked in surprise. "Dylan didn't want to come up? He normally likes yelling at idiots and the Ministry is going to be full of them today."

"Mr Dogwood called this morning and very politely stated 'You can deal with the pack of idiots'," Severus replied with a smirk as passed him a few pieces of paper with Dracka's curling writing on them to him. "I could hear an alarm ringing in the background and he didn't sound happy."

"Are you coming?" Harry asked as he looked through the notes. "Why the hell did he write this in three different languages?"

Severus smirked as he looked at the papers.

"Because it's Dracka?" Severus smirked.

"So, are you coming Severus?" Harry asked again looking up at Severus.

"Of course," Severus answered. "Panicking politicians and reporters are always amusing."

Harry grinned and buttoned up his shirt and slipped into his suit jacket. He patted his jacket and pants down. Picked up his cherry wand and placed it in the special pocket in his jacket. His slipped his Department badge into his other pocket.

"No other weapons?" Severus asked. "What about your other wand?"

Harry looked over at the elder wand sitting on his table. Just the thought of touching another dark item after last night had him turning his head away.

"I have all I need." Harry said with a smile up at Severus.

"We don't have time," Severus rumbled with a smirk.

Harry's eyes darkened as he stepped closer and slipped his tie around Severus's neck and pulled him close. Severus smirked and kissed him quickly. Harry grinned and stepped back.

"Where is Dracka meeting us?" Harry asked as he picked up the notes again, reading through them.

"Great Hall," Severus answered. "Meeting is at nine. Just enough time for you to have a coffee before you face the chaos."

"Right," Harry remarked as he looked up the clock, they had less than an hour. "Does Dracka have the file yet?"

"First reports came through this morning," Severus stated.

They moved out to the main room and Harry picked up the file on the dining table. He glanced around but that was the only one there. He walked over and closed his office door before using the bathroom. The two men walked out into the hallway, side by side.

They walked into the Great Hall to lots of noise as owls flew around. Harry was reminded of the time Voldemort came back to power.

"Oi!" Harry yelled and the hall went quiet. "Enough noise you lot!"

Severus smirked next to him as Harry glared out at the children.

"Thank you, Mr Sun." Albus stated from the Head Table. "Some of you might have been woken last night, I assure you that you are safe here. I know today's newspaper may be distressing and if any students have any problems or questions my door is open or you can go to your Head of House. Please eat and keep the volume down."

Harry moved through the hall and nicked a paper off a student as he passed. Severus's smirk widened at the student as they moved passed her.

' _Magical Europe in chaos_.'

"Straight to the point," Harry remarked as he flicked his wrist and the paper sailed back to the student he'd stolen it from.

Dracka flicked his phone at him as he got closer and Harry caught it just as it rang.

"Blake," Harry answered the phone.

"Blake!" A female voice came down the phone in Chinese. "You finally answer the phone. Your assistant doesn't speak Chinese."

"Ms Chin," Harry answered also in Chinese. "My apologies, my dear."

"What is going on over there?" Ms Chin questioned, primly.

"A Dark Lord in Germany pulled at the core of dark magic," Harry explained quickly as Severus pushed a mug of coffee in his direction. "He failed, that is all I know at this stage."

"Thank you, Blake," The woman said softly. "We'll bring the Ministry up to red alert and inform those that need to be told."

"I'll call once I know more," Harry promised. "Good day, Ms Chin."

Harry hung up and looked over the hall before placing the papers on the table. He stole Dracka's pen off him and wrote a note at the bottom of the paper before him.

"' _Chinese Ministry on red alert_ '," Dracka read. "That's just about all the Ministries now. They will probably close the Borders next, once they know what is going on."

"Yes," Harry replied. "In one night, Simpson has managed to alert every magical community in the world to his presence. I have no doubt he has gone to ground very quickly after he failed to pull in the dark magic he was after. He had probably been hoping to become the most powerful wizard in history and has now become one of the most wanted."

"So, he won't attack?" Minerva asked, looking pale.

"Oh no," Harry replied, looking over at the woman. "He'll be hurting. His big move has failed and everyone is aware of him and they would have known it came from this way. You don't do what he did and get away with it unscarred."

Harry sat down and placed his phone on the table and flicked the file Dracka had left him open. He removed the photos and spread them out on the table as he picked up his coffee.

"This is interesting," Harry muttered as he picked through the photos.

Minerva leaned over, paled and pushed her plate away.

"You call that interesting?" The woman asked faintly. "That's disturbing."

"That it is," Harry agreed. "What is interesting is he used magic to kill his victims. It looks like he placed a barrier spell around the area then used the magic in the ritual like a wide scale killing curse before he pulled on the dark power in the earth. I wonder where he got that idea from? But these things are not for the breakfast table."

Dracka snorted and slid another file his way as his phone buzzed on the table.

"Blake," Harry answered.

"About time you answer your phone!" A woman's voice purred down the line in French.

Harry's hand froze as he looked at the photos.

"Bella," Harry greeted and could feel Severus and Dracka tensing beside him. "What can I do for you?"

"We are getting disturbing reports, Blake." Bella stated.

"Yes, yes we are." Harry agreed. "Nothing to fear. He failed in his task."

"You know you have our support through the Treaty, my love." Bella reminded him and Dracka tensed beside him and started to growl.

Harry laid his hand on the man's arm in warning.

"Thank you, Bella." Harry replied. "There may be dark and light creatures fleeing from Germany over the Border. If they fall under the Treaty they have safe passage."

"Of course, Blake." Bella purred.

"That means you let them through, Bella." Harry said sternly. "Without trouble."

"Yes, yes." The woman agreed. "I will have my men out at the Border."

"They will be scared, Bella." Harry pointed out as he tightened his hand on Dracka's arm. "I'll be in contact with the Ministry and the Covens to pick them up."

"I will not have vampires here," Bella spat and Dracka growled louder.

"While the Treaty stands," Harry hissed, his voice deadly. "You will and they will pass without any trouble."

Silence greeted him on the other end of the phone.

"Of course, Blake." Bella replied, reluctantly. "Until I see you again, Love."

Bella hung up the phone and Harry placed it on the table. His hand shaking slightly as he went back to his reports but not before patting Dracka's arm. He picked up his coffee to try to get the bitter taste out of his mouth. Dealing with light creatures could be just as hard as dealing with dark ones, just in different ways.

"Blake?" Dracka questioned.

"Leave it," Harry snapped in French, steel in his voice. "We have other things to worry about here. If your men or any of the Covens run into trouble with her. You will tell me, understood?"

Dracka gave him a red eye stare before giving him a nod. Harry held his eyes evenly.

"If you give her any trouble," Harry hissed, not in the mood to deal with this now. "There will be trouble, understand?"

Dracka flashed his fangs at Harry before nodding his head sharply.

"We cannot afford to have infighting," Harry warned him. "Not now."

Dracka gave him a long stare before looking away and Harry sighed. He patted the man's arm before looking back at the reports. Once he finished with the reports he pushed them over to Dracka. He finished his coffee before placing his notes away in his pocket and stood. Dracka and Severus stood with him. The hall went silent at his move.

"Good luck, my boys." Albus said quietly.

"And you, Albus." Harry added. "I'm not sure how long we are going to be. We'll stay at my house in London if it's longer than today. Call me if you need me."

"I will," Albus confirmed and shook his hand.

Harry nodded and they moved off out of the hall, the students' eyes on them the whole way. They made it to the entrance hall before Harry fished out a pendent from his pocket and held it out to the vampire. Dracka grinned as he leaned forward.

"You owe me a hundred Gallons," Harry muttered as he slipped the cord over the vampire's head.

"I'll take it out of what you owe Severus in cauldrons," The vampire replied with a cheeky grin and a wink.

Harry grinned as Severus snorted before they moved across the grass to the front gates. Harry apparated them to the Ministry then sighed as he looked around at the chaos around him. It was going to be a long day.

xXx

Severus sat back in his seat as people yelled at each other in the large hall, they were in. Blake sat next to him with a notebook out and talking into his phone, the calls hadn't stopped. Dracka was across the room talking to a couple of vampires with some space around them. He kept an eye on the vampire and the room in general, the atmosphere in the room putting him on edge. He imagined that this is what the Ministry felt like when Voldemort first came to power.

"Severus."

Severus looked over his shoulder to see Lucius Malfoy behind him and he stood up. Blake glanced at him and Malfoy before focusing back on his notebook as he spoke into his phone in French.

"Still alive, Lucius." Severus sneered. "What a shame."

"I am a Malfoy, Severus." The blonde snapped back as he looked down his nose at the other man. "A Malfoy always lives on."

"How is Narcissa?" Severus smirked.

Malfoy tensed.

"She is well," Lucius said evenly. "As is Draco, your corruption of the boy is far reaching. He has been talking about nothing else but becoming a Potion Master. Perhaps we were a little hasty when we named you his godfather. Narcissa's idea, of course."

Severus smirked with a glint in his eyes.

"He has the talent," Severus remarked. "And the intellect that is lacking in some of the Malfoy line."

Lucius tensed as he glared at his fellow Slytherin, they both knew they had come to an impasse. Lucius's pale eyes bore into him as he held his cane to his side in a white knuckle grip.

"I'm sure that _my son_ will be in contact," Lucius sneered.

"I'll be sure to keep a look out for _my godson,_ " Severus replied mildly. "You know, I'm surprised they let you in here."

"I was pardoned of all crimes, Severus." Lucius snipped at him.

"Let me guess," Severus drawled. "Under the Imperius?"

"How did you guess?" Lucius questioned in fake surprise. "I see you are on the right side this time?"

Malfoy's eyes flicked to Blake which made Severus grit his teeth. Lucius lips twisted up knowing that he'd hit a sore spot.

"What?" Severus asked sweetly. "Not running away to another Dark Lord?"

Lucius paled and Severus took satisfaction in that.

"Oi!" Blake snapped, his eyes hard. "Take it outside if you are going to swing fists."

Lucius smirked as Severus clapped a hand on Blake's shoulder. Lucius nodded to the two of them and stalked off as Blake went back to his phone call. Severus smirked and retook his seat as the room quieted. The Minister of magic made an appearance. Dracka moved back towards them with a grin on his face and Blake raised an eyebrow at the expression. Dracka just flashed his fangs at him and Blake went back to his notebook and phone.

"Thank you everyone for coming on such short notice," Minister Rufus Scrimgeour called clearly as he stood at the front of the room.

The man's gold eyes rolled over everyone and Severus shivered as they focused on Blake whom was still on the phone before moving on. Dracka took a seat next to Severus and flashed his fangs at him which Severus just gave him a smirk back.

"We are getting reports in now," The Minister continued. "Of a mass murder of a muggle town in Germany. Some of you may have felt the attempt on your magic and we are under the understanding that Dark Lord Graham Simpson failed in his task."

Blake finished his call and slipped his phone into his pocket as he focused on the Minister.

"One hundred and fifty-three people were killed in the attempt." Scrimgeour announced.

Noise drowned out the Minister and the man clapped his cane to the floor. A loud bang sounded in the room, silencing everyone.

"Silence!" Scrimgeour growled.

"Has he been taking lessons from you Blake?" Dracka whispered and Blake grinned over at him.

"Reports are still coming in as we speak," Scrimgeour continued. "This man has been on our watch list for some time and we have specialised teams working on finding out more information."

"Is he really a Dark Lord?" Someone yelled.

"Enough!" Scrimgeour growled. "All questions will be answered in time. Yes, this man has been confirmed as a Dark Lord."

The room erupted back into chaos as Blake sat back in his seat. He crossed his ankles in front of him as he looked around. Scrimgeour banged his cane against the floor a couple of times until silence fell again.

"I will hand over to Head Auror Kingsley Shacklebolt for his report," Scrimgeour announced into the silence as Kingsley stepped forward.

"Thank you, Minister." Kingsley replied.

Noise erupted again and Blake sighed.

"This is going to take a while," Blake muttered.

Severus couldn't agree more. A man slipped through the seats and held a note out to Blake.

"Thank you," Blake told him before he hurried off without a word.

' _Meeting after in room six, level four. Dylan_.' Was written on the paper.

Blake past it on to Severus whom passed it to Dracka. Blake then grinned and flicked his cherry wand and the room fell into silence as he cast a spell across the crowd. Kinsley stalled until his eyes locked with Blake's and he nodded his head in thanks. The press meeting went quicker after that since everyone was reduced to speaking in whispers. Severus smirked as he looked around, it still surprised him the little trick spells that Blake knew.

"Mr Sun, you are standing in for the Department of Mysteries." Kingsley called. "Do you have anything to add?"

Whispering stated up around the hall as Blake got to his feet and walked through the crowd to the front of the room. Blake didn't look like much as he limped to the front with his cane tapping on the floor and yet Severus could see the respect for the older man.

"Thank you, Auror Shacklebolt." Blake said, his voice rolling over the crowd and silencing the whispers. "We can confirm, one hundred percent that Simpson failed in his attempt. We can also confirm that we are taking every precaution we can at this moment, to not only keep Britain safe, but also France, Germany and our allies."

Whispers started back up again.

"The Council of Magical Creatures also stands with us." Blake continued. "As they did against Dark Lord Voldemort."

Even with Blake's spell the noise around the hall increased.

"Enough!" Blake barked and the room fell silent.

A man stood at his seat and raised his hand into the air.

"Yes?" Blake called.

"Can you guarantee this?" Journalist asked, his voice carrying.

"Yes. They have stood beside us before." Blake remined them. "They have died beside us in the last war. Is your memory that short, Mr Clarkson? I'm sure that Mr Rolf Dracka would be happy to stand up here and confirm my words."

The man blushed and sat as Dracka leered over at him as people glanced in his direction. Severus noticed more than a few people pale and look away from the vampire.

"We are working on keeping everyone as safe as we can make them," Blake continued. "I will not stand here and lie to you. I have no doubt there will be more deaths before this war is over. Simpson has shown he has no regard for life and that he will take whatever steps he can to get what he wants. That attempt last night is just one example of this."

Severus shivered at Blake's words and he could see others shifting around him.

"If we work together," Blake stated softly. "If we stand as one, regardless of blood or magic, we will be stronger."

Complete silence greeted him and even Severus was surprised at Blake's words. He didn't normally bring politics into his statements. Blake looked around at everyone gathered for a couple of minutes before he smirked and Dracka groaned at the look.

"That attempt," Blake called with a glint in his eyes. "Pulled on everyone with dark magic. We are all in this together and he could have quite easily have pulled on anyone with light magic. Remember that. We are not that far apart."

"The bugger," Dracka muttered. "He just had to say that."

Severus smirked.

"Minister Scrimgeour," Blake said calmly, turning to the man. "I leave this in your capable hands."

"Thank you, Mr Sun." Scrimgeour rumbled, his gold eyes wide as he stepped up and Blake made his way through the crowd back to his seat.

"Holy fuck," Dracka swore as Blake took a seat and looked over at him.

"I think I've used that speech a few times now," Blake admitted as he stretched out his legs and crossed his ankles. "It always amazes me how easily people forget. History repeats and all that."

Severus snorted as the meeting rolled on.

xXx

Harry placed his phone and notes on the meeting room table and looked around. The Minster stood to the side taking to Kingsley while Severus spoke to Dracka and another man. Dylan Dogwood, Head of the Department of Mysteries was already settled at the table. He had some reports before him along with a few other people he knew in passing.

Harry tapped his pen on the table as he looked through his notes, checking that he had covered everything and called back whom he had to call. His phone rang on the table and he sighed.

"Blake," Harry answered as he tapped his pen and missed the days of caller ID.

"Blake," Albus's voice came down the phone. "Remus should be meeting you soon to stand in for the Order."

"Thank you, Headmaster." Harry replied. "Does he know where we are?"

"Yes," Albus replied. "Kingsley already called."

"Okay," Harry replied as his phone beeped. "I have to go. My phone is almost out of battery."

"Okay, my boy. Good luck."

Harry hung up and looked around the room for a power point. He spotted one in the corner of the room and walked over. There was always one in just about every room in the Ministry, it was just a matter of finding the buggers. He was sure that they had used one too many memory charms on the electricians that set up the Ministry and they had just started placing the power points anywhere. He pulled a cord out of his pocket and plugged it in and sat the phone on the small table that he nudge over.

"That was quite a speech, Mr Sun."

Harry looked up at the Minster as the man looked down at him with golden eyes. He stood up and faced him as he leaned back on his cane. The irony of the man mirroring him with his own cane didn't escape either man.

"Was that a compliment or sarcasm?" Harry asked.

The man grinned, the expression twisting up his face and making him look like a lion barring his teeth.

"You may hold some power around here, Mr Sun," Scrimgeour consented. "But I am still the Minister of Magic."

"And I wouldn't dream of taking that away from you," Harry stated calmly. "I already have my hands full with more than I can handle."

The man's brown hair curled around his face like a mane as he looked at Harry. His gold eyes unreadable as he looked him over.

"I'm glad we are on the same page, Mr Sun." Scrimgeour rumbled. "I would hate to have friction between us."

"Not at all, Minister." Harry said sweetly. "Not in these times. A united front is always a better defence than a fractured one."

Scrimgeour nodded his head in agreement before he turned and moved towards the large table.

"By the way, Minster." Harry called.

"Yes, Mr Sun?" The man asked, turning back.

"You won't mind me placing wards around this room, would you?" Harry questioned as the room started to take notice of them.

The man's golden eyes flicked around, before that smile was back. A barring of his teeth with a cold glint in his eyes.

"Of course not, Mr Sun." Scrimgeour growled. "I wouldn't turn down free work from a master curse breaker."

"Thank you, Minister." Harry replied.

Remus Lupin slipped into the room at that moment and nodded over to him. Harry moved to the door and quickly placed silencing and a few other wards around the room. He sliced through all the wards the Ministry may have placed and sent a white noise charm over the room to confuse any muggle listening devices. He made sure to cover both muggle and magical ways of spying on the room before retaking his seat at the table.

Three hours later they were still working through reports and Harry's patience was starting to slip and he wasn't the only one. He could see that Dylan was ready to snap and he sent a smirk in the man's direction. Dylan's glare picked up a notch and he opened his mouth.

"I think that's all we can do at the moment," The Minster called. "I'll owl or call you with anything else, thank you everyone."

Harry wrote a few phone numbers and names on a scape bit of paper. He slid it across the table to Scrimgeour whom nodded and everyone broke up and floated off.

"I need coffee," Harry muttered and Severus snorted.

"Couldn't agree more," Remus added as he moved over to the other men.

"Just be lucky you weren't at the press meeting," Harry pointed out as he gathered up his notes and Severus grabbed his phone and cord.

Harry took the phone from the man and slipped it into his pocket without looking at it. He was sure he would have missed calls.

"I think we might head off," Harry said to the others. "There's not much more we can do until more information comes in."

Remus clapped a hand to his shoulder.

"I can understand that," Remus laughed. "I was just happy to get away from Teddy!"

"Ha," Harry grinned. "It's fun, isn't it?"

Remus groaned, "They are little terrors!"

"Try teaching them," Severus muttered darkly.

"What Severus really means," Dracka butted in. "Is try torturing them."

Severus pushed the vampire as Remus and Harry snorted and stepped back.

"You try teaching for as long as I have!" Severus growled.

"Hey, I'm a vampire and students don't fear me as much as you!"

Harry rolled his eyes and stepped away from the two men with Remus. It was a familiar argument between the two.

"How have you been going?" Harry asked the werewolf.

"I've been very well," Remus replied.

Harry had to agree with him as he looked him over. The dark curse around him seemed more content and Remus didn't look as thin and worn.

"You may want to think about a bib when feeling the baby though," Harry stated as he pointed out the mark on the man's shirt.

Remus cursed as Harry clapped a hand to his shoulder and looked over at Severus and Dracka standing toe to toe.

"So, yeah." Harry muttered as Remus looked over and smirked. "I think we should be going. Oi, you two!"

Severus and Dracka turned twin glares on him and Remus stepped back. Harry just grinned.

"Shall we go?" Harry asked politely. "Or should I borrow two swords from the Department for you?"

xXx

Dracka looked around the townhouse that Blake had apparated them to in interest. The apartment was money and Dracka was surprised by it as he wandered through the many rooms. Blake seemed to choose small houses or apartments but his place could easily stand with Malfoy Manor or one of the other pureblood houses in money value and he frowned.

He moved into the large kitchen to find Blake making a coffee.

"How much is this place worth?" Dracka asked as he looked around.

"Not as much as Hogwarts," Blake answered with a smirk over his shoulder and Severus snorted as he moved into the room.

"He used the same line on me," Severus commented as he sat at one of the bar stools as Blake finished making the coffee and pulled out three cups.

"The Sun name is a pureblood family," Blake remarked as he leaned a hip on the bench.

"This isn't a Potter property?" Dracka asked in interest.

"No," Blake replied as he shared a look with Severus.

"Then you must have brought this place?" Dracka inquired.

"I did…I used to live here before I came to this time."

Both men looked at him and Blake raised an eyebrow in amusement.

"You used to live here?" Severus asked softly.

"Yes," Blake confirmed. "Why are you so surprised?"

"Just not your style," Dracka remarked.

Blake gave them a grin with a glint in his eyes.

"And what would my style be, Mr Dracka?"

"Not this," Dracka deadpanned.

Blake barked a laugh as he looked the two men over.

"We have to be back at the Ministry tomorrow," Blake said instead. "Dylan wants me to come down to the Department. It's going to be another long day."

xXx

Harry woke the next morning curled up along Severus's back as he flicked the alarm off and groaned. He kissed Severus's shoulder as the man woke up and gave a soft groan and Harry had to agree.

He rolled onto his back and ran a hand over his face, just enjoying the feeling of the soft bed under him. Severus rolled into his side and flung his arm over his chest and Harry gave it a pat. Severus lifted his head and kissed his shoulder as Harry watched him. He pulled himself up and pulled the blanket back as he looked down at him with dark eyes.

"Yes?" Harry purred and Severus gave him a grin.

The man dipped forward and kissed his collar bone as he moved to settle between his legs. He kissed up his neck and Harry tilted his head to the side. Severus rocked his hips slightly and Harry gasped as the man captured his lips in a kiss.

Harry brought his legs up on either side of the man as he tilted his hips slightly and Severus's eyes darkened. He reached over and opened the bedside table and scrambled around in there for a little while.

"It's in there," Harry insisted in amusement.

"Need a bloody search party," Severus muttered.

Harry sat up and grabbed Severus around the hips and started kissing and nibbling down his side as the man tried to find the lube. He finally pulled back with the glass vial and Harry fell back to the bed with a grin.

xXx

Missing scene.

xXx

Severus dipped forward and gave him a kiss as Harry unhooked his legs and let them rest against the man's sides. He could see that Severus was watching the magic around them in interest but he didn't grab it as it settled on their skin.

Harry gave him a smirk and grabbed the combined magic and gave it a slight pull and watched Severus's eyes follow it to his hand. He tapped into his core and a strand of rainbow coloured cord flowed forward. He shaped a spell in his mind with the magic in his hands and cast a cleaning charm.

Severus eyes widened and he shivered slightly as the magic settled.

"Show off," Severus muttered as he moved to Harry's side.

"I'll show you how to brush the magic off," Harry said with a chuckle.

Harry curled his hand slightly as he grabbed their combined magic and gave a slight tug before brushing it to the side. He watched Severus's eyes following it.

"You can do it next time," Harry said in amusement. "I'm guessing you never bothered before and just let it wear off?"

"Yes," Severus replied as he curled into his side. "The magic sight?"

"What you can see now?" Harry asked.

"Yes," Severus said. "Can anyone see it?"

"Yes," Harry replied. "It takes time, like working with your dark magic. It's better to ease yourself into seeing the magic. You can do it, once you centre yourself."

"Why do I see it after sex?"

"It flows over from me," Harry replied as he laid back on the bed. "I can call it anytime until all I see is the magic around us. When we have sex, the magic is closer to the surface for both of us. That's why I have so much trouble in holding it back from connecting to yours, since you still have to learn to hold back your own magic or push mine to the side."

Severus frowned as he looked up at him.

"I focus more on holding the magic to the side than the magic sight," Harry expanded. "That is why you can see it. I can help you connect to it, like we did that time on the beach. Just remember that you can get lost to the sight."

Severus shivered as he remembered the way the beach looked and the dark cloak of magic around Dracka.

"To do curse breaking you need to see at least the shadows of the magic," Harry continued. "To become a master curse breaker, you need to be able to see all of the magic. To submerge yourself into the world of magic completely. You need to train your mind to work between the magic and the real world."

"And when you couldn't pull back from the magic sight?" Severus asked in interest.

"I am not born to the sight, Severus." Harry replied. "It would have eventually fallen away from my sight."

"And if you are born to the sight?"

"Life is hard," Harry uttered. "You have to focus your mind to pull back from the magic. Most people born to the sight, go mad. They wake to the sight and have to learn to pull back from it. My sight sits between the two worlds when I wake but it takes very little thought to see the real world. People born it, see the magic world completely the minute they wake."

Severus shivered at the thought.

"When you look into that world, Severus." Harry said softly. "It's alive, things seem to live in there. They brush passed you and you can see the life and magic in everything."

Severus looked around at the magic and Harry reached out to their connection and strengthen it before grabbing their magic and pulling slightly. Severus's eyes darted to him.

"Don't pull on my magic," Harry warned.

Severus nodded and Harry pulled the magic sight forward completely and let it flow across the connection. Severus gasped as the world of shadows and rainbows took over his sight. Harry gently evened out the connection as he grabbed Severus's magic. Severus wouldn't be able to see the full extent of the magic but just an idea.

Severus's eyes looked over towards something and Harry turned his head to see a patch of light that shouldn't be there. It moved slightly as if floating.

"What is that?" Severus whispered.

"Wild light magic," Harry explained. "Just a small patch."

Severus's eyes darted as something flicked and moved through the room quickly and he started. Harry grinned as he watched the other man looking around with large eyes as he held the connection between them, feeling it blazing.

"Why can't I grab your magic?" Severus asked softly.

"If you grab my magic and pull on it, while I hold it like this." Harry stated. "You will bind my magic with yours."

Severus flinched back at those words and Harry quirked his lips.

"A connection once formed, can be broken, Severus." Harry reminded him. "I want you to touch on the connection."

Severus reached out his hand and touched on the connection and Harry watched him in amusement. He didn't need to physically touch it but when learning it helped.

"Can you feel the magic?" Harry asked and Severus nodded. "I want you to pulled back on the connection until only the connection with the ring reminds."

Harry let go of the connection and let Severus grab a hold of it. He watched him fondly as the man frowned as his sharp eyes looked at the magic cord in his hand.

"As you ease back, the magic sight should fade." Harry whispered and Severus nodded.

Harry placed his hands behind his head as he watched Severus and the connection. He didn't nudge him with his magic as Severus felt it out with both his hand and magic. He let him work at his own pace.

"I can still feel it," Severus said smoothly. "But I can't see it."

"That's right," Harry replied. "I can teach you to bring that sight forward without our connection if you want?"

Severus nodded as his hand still held the connection, he ran his fingers along the cord until he touched Harry's chest. He laid his hand there with his fingers spread over the spot.

"If you need to," Harry said. "You can break that connection."

"Why would I need to do that?" Severus drawled as his dark eyes looked down at him.

Harry gave him a grin.

"You never know what the future my hold," Harry remarked with a wink. "Now, should we face the day?"

A/N: About five more chapter to go. Hehe. Excited much?


	51. Chapter 51

Severus couldn't be happier to see the castle as they apparated to the front gates of the school. He didn't know how Blake put up with the Ministry, two days and he'd had enough. He felt bone tired and he was sure Dracka and Blake felt even worse. They silently made their way up to the castle and through the hallways to Blake's rooms. He reached out for the door handle when Blake's hand suddenly grabbed his wrist in a steel grip.

"Someone's broken the ward," Blake said softly.

"You didn't set an alarm?" Dracka asked.

"No," Blake replied as he released Severus's arm and pulled his wand. "I'll check my classroom and office. Just wait here."

Blake disappeared down the hallway as they watched him.

"They must have been good to get through Blake's wards." Dracka commented. "Not to mention stay hidden from the teachers, Headmaster and the students."

"Or lucky," Severus said lightly and they fell into silence.

"They didn't brother with my classroom," Blake announced as he walked back towards them. "They did try my office without any luck. I'll check my rooms before checking your rooms and office, Dracka. Severus, they got into your office and rooms. I checked them out and I can't pick up any magic. Keep an eye out just in case, though."

"Why would they do that?" Severus asked. "I have nothing in there."

"They don't know that," Blake said blandly as he opened his door and stepped in.

Nothing looked any different to Severus as Blake moved to his office door. He pushed the door open as Severus and Dracka watched him.

"All good in here," Blake reported, he moved towards the bedroom and stopped. "Ah so…nice bit of charm work."

Blake flicked his wand and Severus felt something brush passed him before Blake stepped into the room. They watched from the doorway as Blake moved around the room with his wand in his hand and his cane in the other. He paused at the bedside table before walking back towards them with a slight frown.

"Wand is gone," Blake announced calmly as he stepped back into the main room.

"The elder wand?" Dracka asked and Severus paled.

"One and the same," Blake said blandly.

He moved to the bathroom before heading back to the bedroom with the other two men following him this time. Everything looked in place as Blake looked through his drawers and pulled out his silver knife and stolen gun. He placed them on the top of the drawers as he looked through everything else.

"Looks like they only took the wand," Blake remarked. "Severus did you want to check your drawers?"

"You don't look concerned that they took the wand?" Dracka asked carefully.

"Nah," Blake replied. "Good luck to them."

Blake turned to the two men and frowned.

"What?" He asked.

"It's a part of the Deathly Hallows," Severus pointed out.

"And I can call it back at any time," Blake said slowly. "You can't just steal the wand and claim it as yours. It doesn't work that way."

They both looked at him and Blake gave them a lopsided grin. A look they both knew well, Blake was already planning.

"Okay, Severus," Blake announced. "Did you want to check your rooms and classroom to see if anything is missing? While I go up to Dracka's rooms?"

Severus nodded and moved out of the room as Dracka and Blake moved up to the vampire's office and classrooms. Blake and Dracka falling into step with each other easily. The hallways were mostly deserted since the students were in class.

"They must have had someone in place," Dracka commented.

"Yes," Blake agreed. "I agree. This must have been planned in advance. I'll try to focus on the magic to see if I can pick up a signature later."

They stopped outside Dracka's classroom and Blake looked it over.

"Nothing here," Blake remarked and they moved down to Dracka's rooms.

xXx

Severus moved towards his rooms, he hadn't stepped in them for a while since he spent most of his time in Blake's rooms. They were more for show than anything else as he pushed the door open. Nothing was out of place as he walked in and looked around for a while before pushing open his office door. He heard a small click and pulled up a shielding charm instinctively, pulling on his dark magic without thinking. A loud bang had his ears ringing and the pressure against the shield pushed him back across the room as he hit the stones.

Heat rolled over the shield as he poured more power into the spell. He cursed as he ducked his head and curled up in the small space of the shield. His world coming down to fire and darkness.

xXx

"Severus!" Harry yelled as a rumble reached them two floors up.

He dropped his cane and ran with Dracka getting ahead of him easily. They dashed back down the stairs. Fear spiked through Harry and he cursed his leg as he had to slow on the steps.

He pushed himself faster as he followed the vampire. He skittered around the last corner and pulled up next to Dracka as heat rolled down the hallway. Students whispered and hugged the hallway with large eyes, mostly Slytherins.

"Oh, god." Harry whispered, his heart in throat.

He looked over at Dracka and the vampire looked as shaken and pale as he felt. They looked down the hall and crept closer as the heat ran across the ceiling and smoke billowed out of Severus's rooms. Harry could see that Dracka wanted to get closer but the three weaknesses for a vampire were; sun, fire and silver.

"Stay back!" Harry ordered.

"Blake," Dracka hissed and crouched down as the smoke started to fill the hallway and Harry quickly slipped out of his coat.

"Everyone back!" Albus's voice rolled down the hallway and the two men glanced over at him as the students moved.

"Stay here," Harry repeated with steel in his voice.

Dracka nodded as Harry dropped to the floor and crept forward. The heat rolling along his back and he coughed. He tried to dispel the smoke but it just kept rolling out of Severus's rooms. He tied a cloth around his nose and mouth and pushed forward. His eyes stinging from the smoke, already.

He got to Severus's doorway and looked into the mess in horror. He was a complete idiot and Severus may pay the price for it as he crawled into the room. The smoke making it hard to see far in front of him. He could feel dark magic and he moved towards the source, hoping it was Severus. Flames were everywhere as the fire spread and stones were scattered across the room from the explosion.

"Severus!" Harry called, the heat stealing the breath from his lungs.

"Here!"

Harry crawled closer as he tried to pull on his magic but it kept slipping away. He was just too tired and the heat too strong. The furniture around him burning and Harry hissed as ash fell on his arms and face. He pushed forwards towards the source of dark magic.

"Severus, can you move towards me!" Harry called then coughed.

"No," Severus called back, his voice strained. "Only just holding it."

Harry could feel the Headmaster trying to use a water spell from outside the room but something was wrong. Something seemed to be dampening the magic around them. He tried to grab for his magic again but it slipped away as he tried to from a spell.

"When did you cast the spell?" Harry called as he made his way around the burning lounge and could see one of the wooden beams had come down.

"Before the explosion!"

"There's a spell on the room!" Harry called back then flinched as flames flared around him and he scrambled across the floor as the heat forced him back. "I can't grab my magic! I need you to make a connection with me! Whatever you do, don't drop the spell!"

Harry covered his head as sparks flew near him as something crashed down. He could feel the sparks landing on his arms as sharp stings. He felt Severus reaching out for him and grabbed the connection. He hissed at the feeling as he quickly lowered his barriers to allow Severus in completely as he strengthened it from his end.

"Grab my magic!" Harry called and then hissed in pain as the man pulled and Harry quickly pushed his dark magic to the forefront.

He tried moving closer, ignoring the pain in his chest as Severus slowly pulled on the dark strand that Harry laid out to him.

Severus paused.

"Keep going!" Harry snapped.

"It's hurting you!"

"It will hurt more if we burn alive in here!"

Harry rolled as a wooden beam fell and he came up against the wall. He coughed as the pain burned in his veins but he could sense the magic around Severus gathering up.

"Push the shield up!" Harry yelled then coughed.

The wall was so hot behind him as he worked around the room heading towards Severus and his bubble of dark magic. He groaned as Severus pulled a little too quickly and the man slowed it down. He very carefully drew the magic out.

Harry's veins burned and his lungs felt like they were on fire and he crept closer. He could see the darkness of the shield spell in front of him.

"Severus!" Harry coughed. "You have to let me in."

"How?"

Harry touched the dark spell but hissed and pulled his hand back as it burnt him and he swore.

He moved back towards the wall and tried to think as the heat rolled over him and stole the breath from his lungs. He curled up as much as he could and focused on forming the spell in his mind. He grabbed the link with Severus as pain spiked in his body as they held the connection. The link wasn't meant to be used this way and he knew he wouldn't be able to hold it for much longer.

He pushed the spell towards Severus and he paused slightly before slowly pulling on his magic again. Harry could feel him feeding the shield as he formed the spell that Harry had supplied. He had to hold the shield as he changed the spell. If the spell slipped from him the shield would fail and they were stuck without being able to pull up another shield. Harry was sure that Severus wouldn't last if that shield fell as the Hallows gave him some protection.

Harry gasped and felt Severus magic around him as the man strengthened the connection but that just increased the pain in Harry's core. His light magic fought against the link to Severus's dark magic as their power was bound by the connection.

"I can't hold it much longer!" Harry called out as he crawled closer to the dome of magic.

His vision greyed around the edge and he was having trouble breathing as he reached the dome again. Severus stopped pulling on the magic and Harry groaned, feeling the burning both inside and out. Then suddenly he could breath and arms were wrapping around him.

He just coughed as he tried to catch his breath and his eyes stung.

"Move the dome," Harry gasped. "We have to get out of here!"

"Blake, the connection." Severus whispered, his eyes wide as he looked at him.

"We still have it," Harry coughed. "Do you have enough power to hold the spell?"

"At the moment, yes." Severus replied.

It was dark in the dome but the heat still reached them and he knew how a roast felt like in an oven.

"Go to the right until we hit the wall," Harry ordered, already moving that way.

Severus nodded and Harry could see the strain on the man's face. The dome slowly moved with them until Harry felt the wall and laid his hand against it.

"Move forward and it will take us back to the door," Harry hissed then ducked his head down as the dome started to get smaller. "Pull on my magic!"

Severus's large eyes locked with his, Harry could see the pain and indecision there.

"Do it!" Harry ordered.

Severus nodded and started pulling the magic again. Harry bit his lip as pain burned through him and his light magic raged. Harry took a hold of it and pushed it down harshly. They moved forward as his wizard power started to mix with his dark magic, the shield was eating through their magic quickly. Severus hesitated as he touched onto that new magic and the dome's roof got closer.

"Do it!" Harry gasped. "Severus grab it and move us!"

Severus nodded and refocused and slowly moved them along the wall. Both men sweating as Severus pulled on Harry's magic and the smaller man started to feel dizzy and sick as he pushed his magic forward. His vision tunnelling as he moved with Severus. His arms starting to shake and then gave out on him.

"Blake!"

Harry felt hands on his shoulders and back and Severus stopped pulling on the magic. Harry panted as his light magic tried to push forward. He held it back as it raged against him.

"Severus! Drop the shield!"

Suddenly cold air rolled over them and hands were pulling him. The connection still there and burning. He tried to reach out and break it but it kept slipping from him. He'd pushed too far with it as it crossed over into a bond instead of a link.

"Blake!"

All he could see was whiteness as he tried to grab the connection. He heard Severus cry out as his light magic touched him via the connection.

"Break it, Severus!" Harry hissed, getting his hands and knees under him. "Break it!"

The connection broke and Harry collapsed to his side as the magic burned in his veins more light than dark. He felt hands on his shoulders but he didn't care as the Hallows raged in his blood.

"Blake!"

Harry looked up into Severus's dark eyes. His face was covered in sweat and he was only in his shirt and pants.

"Sorry," Harry whispered. "Should have looked for muggle devices."

Severus smiled grimly down at him as he laid a hand on his shoulder. The Headmaster had finally got a water spell working as the spell in the room broke down.

"Didn't think," Harry gasped and tried to get to his feet.

"Just stay there," Severus ordered and held him back.

Harry nodded and coughed as his lungs burned. When he looked up again Dracka was looking down at them. He looked down at his burnt hand from touching the dome and Severus took it into his hand. He pulled out his potion pouch and a vial of his healing balm.

"This was planned," Dracka muttered as he crouched down before them. "This was very well planned."

Harry nodded and started coughing again. His magic settling down in his chest as the Hallows went to wallow in the back of his mind.

"The timing was perfect," Harry said, hoarsely. "Well done, Severus."

Severus nodded as he gently worked the balm into his hand and the burn mark started to recede.

"Are you okay, my boy?" Albus asked as he came over, looking down at them.

"All good," Harry whispered then started coughing again.

"What he said was that he would like Madam Pomfrey to come down here," Severus said for him as he released his hand.

"The fire is out now," Albus reported. "It looks like everything burned."

Harry pulled his phone out of his pocket and handed it to Dracka.

"Call Department," Harry coughed. "Leave a message for strike team three, Robbie Milton…"

Harry stopped and coughed as Severus rubbed his back.

"…tell him to come to Hogwarts…If he calls back tell him what happened." Harry finished and laid his head back against the stones as Severus rubbed his leg.

"Are you okay, Severus?" Albus asked.

"Been better," Severus replied.

Harry snorted but that just started the coughing again. He got his hands under him and got to his knees as Severus watched him with dark eyes. Dracka glanced over at him as he spoke on his phone.

"You should sit down, Blake." Severus suggested as Harry staggered to his feet. "You are going to pass out."

"Am not." Harry gasped.

Then the world spun around him and the ground was moving towards him quickly but the darkness was quicker as it consumed him.

xXx

Severus woke to Blake coughing and he rolled over to rub the man's back. They were able to get him cleaned up by the time that he'd come back around. Severus had given him a few potions to help with smoke inhalation while Poppy had done her spell work but the cough was still giving him trouble. Blake crawled to the edge of the bed.

"Where are you going?" Severus asked silkily.

"Shower," The man whispered, his voice hoarse. "Skin itches from the cleaning spell."

Severus looked after his lover in equal measure of concern and affection. He could still see his face blackened by soot with his green eyes wide in fear as he looked up at Severus. The memory sent a shiver down his back. He'd never seen Blake look that panicked and scared as he'd looked up at him.

Blake staggered back into the room a little while later. His hair still dripping as he slipped back under the covers and Severus took him in his arms.

"Better?" Severus muttered as he held him close.

"Much," Blake replied as he tangled himself around Severus.

The man stilled and Severus was sure that he had gone back to sleep until he spoke.

"I can't lose you," Blake uttered softly into his chest.

Severus's hand stilled on his back.

"I'm not going anywhere," Severus whispered.

Blake went quiet again as Severus gently rubbed his shoulder. Both men knowing that there would be a day that Severus would not be there anymore but Blake would be. That day wasn't today. The best they could do was take what they could get as Severus held Blake close as they fell asleep.

xXx

"That was a very well planned and calculated move," Blake announced to the people in the room. "They would have had to study the wards of Hogwarts to find the loop hole in them. Then timed it just right."

They were in Blake's room with his table filled with food and drinks, very early the next morning. Dracka still had Blake's phone and by the glare he kept sending the man he wasn't happy about it. Albus seemed oblivious as he sipped on his tea and Severus just watched it all in amusement as he made his way through some bacon.

"I called Kingsley with my spare phone," Blake said, his voice rough. "I told him what happened and he called the Minister who called…well let's just say that the group in the military just had their world view expended."

Blake stopped in a cough and Severus winced at the sound. He pushed his glass of juice towards him. Blake nodded in thanks and took a few sips.

"Your man, Robbie." Dracka remarked, once Blake had his coughing under control. "Nice bloke but a bit of a pyro. He brought a team in to work through each of the floors of the castle. They found another device in my rooms and had fun setting it off on the grounds."

"He does like fire a bit too much," Blake muttered.

"This attack seemed centred on Severus and I," Dracka continued and Severus paled.

"Yes," Blake agreed. "I think they only took the wand because it was just too much of a temptation."

"They took the elder wand?" Albus asked in concern.

"Yes," Blake replied, casually. "It looks like it's the only thing they took, everything else was carefully placed back where it had been. They did attempt to get into my office but I have some very tricky and fiddly wards on that room. That took a lot of swearing to put into place, by the way."

"If the attempt on Severus or myself had worked," Dracka continued as Blake coughed again. "It would have discredited you Blake and shook people's faith in the Ministry and the protections on Hogwarts."

"Yes," Blake agreed. "In one act, it would have crippled us. Especially after what I said at the press conference. I'm concerned that he had this all planned before he pulled on the dark magic. He would have been hoping that we would be distracted and also out of the castle."

They were silent for a few minutes as they thought his words through. They were in no doubt that Simpson was focused on them now.

"How did they get in?" Albus asked. "What was the loop hole in the wards?"

Blake took a sip of coffee before answering.

"They used muggles," Blake replied. "Probably a small team of three people. They would have had to know the timetable of the school to know just the right time to get in. The wards stop anyone with ill intent or intent to cause harm."

"Then how were they able to get passed them?" Severus asked when Blake paused.

"They only cover anyone with a magical core," Blake explained. "So, they would have had a muggle set the devices while they searched the rooms. A person with a magical core would have been able to pass over as long as they didn't want to cause harm or have ill intent. It was the muggles that did. The curse breaker probably wasn't even told about what the muggle were going to do, just to break the wards. They wouldn't have known what the devices did just how to place them."

"They probably weren't expecting your wards to be so tricky as well, Blake." Dracka added.

"Yes," Blake said with a nod. "I've looked over his work and he knew what he was doing but not up to the master level. If they were just standard wards they would have got into the office without me knowing."

Severus shivered at the thought and Blake smiled over at him.

"I've contacted anyone I could," Dracka reported. "For the military to look through our villages, Council and the ministries to look for muggle devices. So far they have found nothing-"

"Come in," Blake called at the knock at the door.

"Hey, Blake." Robbie greeted with a grin as he came in and plonked himself at the table next to him and Blake pushed a pot of coffee towards him.

Severus looked the man over and the easy way that Blake and the man moved. Severus could tell that his lover and the man had worked very close together. He was reminded again how much he still didn't know about Blake even after all this time. Blake looked over at that moment and gave him a wink and a smile.

"So, the school is clear Headmaster." Robbie stated with his mouth full of food.

"Oi!" Blake snapped. "Eat first."

Robbie grinned over at Blake and tipped his fork at the man in answer. The move made Severus smirk. Robbie stood just a little taller than Blake but was built on muscle. Where Blake was slim, Robbie was bulk. The man looked military with short brown hair and sharp brown eyes but the easy smile on his face drew you in. Severus guessed that he was in his mid to late thirties.

Blake pushed the plate of bacon towards him and Robbie flashed him a grin. Yes, the two men had worked very closely together. Severus looked up and caught Dracka's eye and he could tell that the vampire was thinking the same thing. Which made him wonder about Blake's relationship with the younger man.

Robbie placed a file on the table as he ate and Blake picked it up. He flipped it open as he grabbed his coffee, oblivious to Severus and Dracka's watchful eyes. Blake idly pushed some milk towards Robbie as the man made a coffee then pulled the sugar away before he could add a third teaspoon and Severus smirked. He didn't normally see these interactions from the outside and from the amused look of Dracka's face, he agreed.

"Sergeant Miller is coming later with strike team five this afternoon," Robbie reported, making Blake groan.

"Oh, god." Blake moaned. "Why?"

Robbie flashed him a grin and Blake pushed the sugar bowl back towards him.

"He wants a team here in case there is another attack," Robbie explained.

"But why that team?" Blake whined, making Severus sit up straight and he could see Dracka doing the same.

"Sorry, mate." Robbie apologised. "That was the team that was free."

Blake glanced over at Severus and Dracka before looking back to Robbie. The man gave him a lopsided smile.

"Ah," Blake muttered then coughed. "I suppose we'll have to live with it."

Robbie's brown eyes flicked to Severus, putting him on edge.

"Dracka," Blake said, changing the subject. "Is it possible to get some of your hellhounds over here?"

Dracka looked taken aback.

"I suppose," Dracka replied.

"Would that be safe with the children?" Albus asked, looking concerned.

"Of course, Albus." Dracka said lightly. "They love children, it's only Blake they take a disliking to."

Blake glared at Dracka as the vampire sat back in his seat with a smirk.

"I still think you put them up to it," Blake grumbled and Dracka laughed.

"The school would be safe from any muggles getting in with hellhounds here," Blake explained. "But if one starts stalking me, Dracka! We are going to have words."

The vampire grinned showing fangs and Robbie shivered. Blake passed the file across the table to Dracka as he started on his second coffee.

"I'll be sticking around until after Miller arrives with strike team five," Robbie announced with a grin. "Someone has to make sure you don't kill the man."

Blake glared at Robbie and he just smiled at him innocently. Severus gripped his fork tighter, something was going on here and he didn't like it. Blake sighed and rubbed his head and that move put him further on edge, Blake was concerned. He could pick up the slight signs.

"Dracka, please contact your Coven to get some hellhounds here." Blake ordered quietly. "I'll be happier knowing they are here and watching the school."

Dracka eyed the other man before nodding.

"Should have them here by tonight then, how many?" Dracka inquired.

"A pack," Blake stated. "That should do. Is that okay Headmaster?"

"If you can guarantee that the children will be safe?" Albus asked.

"Perfectly," Dracka assured. "I'll get a pack with some puppies; the students will love it. I may have to keep Hagrid away from them or I might not get them all back."

"See that you do, Mr Dracka." Albus said with a smile and a twinkle in his eyes.

"Perfect," Blake said, standing from the table. "I've got a few calls to make then I'm heading back to bed. Dracka can you keep my phone?"

"Reluctantly," Dracka drawled.

Blake smirked and clapped his hand on the vampire's shoulder as he passed him on his way out the door. Severus sat back in his seat as he sipped on his coffee.

"He doesn't look too good," Robbie commented.

Dracka snorted.

"I should be going as well," Albus announced. "Severus, I've had a new door fitted to your room. I'll have them fixed it up as soon as I can."

"I haven't used them for a long time anyway, Albus." Severus remarked. "Doesn't make much difference to me."

Albus clapped a hand to his shoulder and Severus looked up at him.

"It's all about appearances, my boy." Albus pointed out. "Not that that bothers Blake and even if you two are not Professors, you do still work at this school. Stay safe."

Severus gave the older man an amused look as Albus's eyes twinkled. He gave them a nod before leaving.

"Ah," Robbie stuttered and looked between the two men uncomfortably. "You might want to be careful when strike team five gets here."

Severus tensed and could see Dracka doing the same.

"And why would that be, Mr Milton," Severus purred in his best 'professor voice'.

Robbie eyes darted between them.

"So, Michael Beldon, the Commander of the team," Robbie said tensely. "He doesn't like Blake much."

"Oh god," Dracka groaned. "What did Blake do?"

"What!" Robbie yelped. "No, no. It's not what Blake 'did', it's what Blake 'is'."

"And that is?" Severus said smoothly as he sat forward in his seat.

"Well," Robbie muttered. "He is a Dark Wizard and well…"

Robbie waved a hand at Severus.

"In a relationship with a man?" Dracka asked sweetly.

Robbie flinched back as Severus felt a stab of coldness in his stomach.

"Well, yes." Robbie replied. "Beldon is a pureblood from a very long line of purebloods. He's had a few run ins with Beldon over the years."

Severus sat back in his seat. He'd been up against this before, since he'd always known he was homosexual but Blake had had many relationships with women, even had a wife and children at one time. Blake's attitude to such people had been mixed.

"You do know that Blake has had a wife and children," Dracka stated, almost reading Severus's thoughts.

"What!" Robbie squeaked. "But…"

Severus smirked at the look on the boy's face.

"Blake is older than you think," Dracka said sweetly.

"Oh, I know that," Robbie said and waved his hand. "Just surprising to know that he used to have a wife. He's spoken about his children before and of course Ry. I just kind assumed that he had adopted them. It is hard to get much out of him, especially personal information."

Severus and Dracka shared a look.

"I used to baby sit Ry sometimes," The man expanded as he sat back in his seat. "Sweet kid, too much of Blake in him but sweet. Which makes it confusing due to who Blake is and being cursed and time travel and well…all that."

"How long have you known Blake?" Severus questioned.

"Um," Robbie stuttered. "Seems like a long time, I had come straight from school to the Department. I think Ry would have been about three when I met Blake. He came to the Department with this young kid. Dylan was the Department head at the time and he was not impressed, even less so, when Blake handed him some file from the goblins."

Severus smirked as Dracka laughed.

"That sounds like Blake," Dracka stated with a laugh. "He just walks in and takes over."

"That he does." Robbie agreed with a chuckle. "I remember looking at this short, slim man with a cane and a child hanging off his hand and thinking; what the fuck? Sergeant Miller leaned over to whisper to me that the man would only last less than six months. Dylan surprised us all by giving Blake a badge, right then. Was the talk of the Department for weeks."

Severus chuckled as Dracka laughed harder. Just then Blake walked in and looked around at the three of them with a raised eyebrow as the laughter kicked up.

"I don't want to know," Blake muttered as he limped towards the bedroom. "I'm going to bed, wake me in the afternoon."

xXx

Harry woke with a start as something jumped on the bed and a growl sounded above him. With a yelp, he scrambled from the bed as he reached for his magic. He landed on his feet and spun around. A large Hellhound sat in the middle of the bed with its red eyes glowing and its tongue hanging out the side of its mouth. The beast yawned loudly, showing off its large teeth before settling on the bed as Harry eyed the beast off.

"Fucking Dracka," Harry cursed and let his magic go.

The beast cocked its head to the side and started licking its leg, its eyes never leaving him. Harry cursed again.

"This is Dracka's revenge, right?" Harry asked it, knowing full well the beast understood him. "For leaving him with my phone."

The beast just looked at him.

"I'm going to ward these rooms," Harry warned as he pulled on some pants. "I swear I am going to curse one of you. That's not a warning, that's a promise."

The beast growled at him and Harry just bared his teeth at the dog as he slipped into a shirt.

"Don't think the vampire will be able to stop me," Harry threatened as he pointed his finger at the animal.

The beast just stretched and jumped from the bed. Harry tensed but with a swish of its tail and a flash of fangs it walked straight through the wall and disappeared.

"Fucking beasts," Harry cursed again.

He had enough problems already then having to deal with the beasts but he needed them here. With a sigh, he ran his hand over his head and took the potion on his bedside table for his chest before heading out to meet the mess of the day.

xXx

Severus sat in his seat at the Head Table when Blake walked in. The man looked around the hall until his eyes locked with Dracka. They darkened as he glared at the vampire as his steps quickened.

"What did you do?" Severus drawled as Blake stalked towards them.

"Um," Dracka stuttered with wide eyes. "I think I might go out the back way."

Severus snorted as Dracka jumped from his seat and disappeared. Blake glared after him but was distracted by a student which gave the vampire time to run.

"Trouble in paradise?" Minerva asked with a smirk.

Severus just gave the woman dark smile. Minerva screwed up her face and slapped his arm. Severus noticed a hellhound walking around the hall and the way Blake kept an eye on it as it disappeared out of the doors.

Blake settled down at the Ravenclaw table, talking to the students around him. Severus could see that the man was looking a lot better from the sleep as he laughed with the students. He pulled out his wand to show them something as a few more students moved over.

A group of people arriving at the door caught his attention. Robbie and Sergeant Miller walked in with three woman and four men behind them dressed as muggles with guns and swords on their belts that screamed military. Blake looked up and Sergeant Miller nodded at him as the group made their way up to the Head Table via the side of the room.

"If I could have everyone's attention please," Albus called to the Hall and all the children quieted. "As you would have noticed we have had many people coming and going the last few days.

"You would have also noticed the hellhounds wandering the grounds and castle. These animals are perfectly safe and are here for your protection. Please keep in mind that these animals are not pets but working animals and have a job to do. Some of you may know Sergeant Miller, he is here with a team that will be working at the school for a while," Albus paused as the group made it to the Head Table. "Please make them welcome."

The students looked around before clapping politely. Sergeant Miller nodded and took Albus's offered hand.

"Thank you for coming," Albus greeted with a smile.

"Any time, Headmaster." Miller replied.

"I have rooms ready for you," Albus announced. "Let me show you."

Albus lead the group from the Hall as Severus looked them over. He wasn't sure which man was Michael Beldon as the team moved out of the hall but he was sure he would find out in time. He looked around and caught Blake's eye and the man winked at him and Severus relaxed. They would deal with whatever was thrown at them, like they always did.

xXx

"Well, if it isn't the Dark Wizard."

Harry turned to look at Michael Beldon leaning against the wall in the second-floor hallway. His blue eyes cold as he stared at Harry. A few students paused and gasped in the hallway as Harry moved towards the man.

"Mr Beldon," Harry replied politely.

The man's lips twisted up in a sneer.

"Kill anyone lately?" The man asked and students gasped and whispers started up.

"Are you offering yourself?" Harry asked sweetly as he leaned into his cane. "I'm sure I can spare some time, if you have a few minutes that is?"

"As if you have the skill," Beldon snarled as he stalked closer with students scattered before him. "Too old and chewed up, Sun. You should have been put out to pasture or the knackery, years ago."

Harry leaned on his cane casually as whispers sounded around them. The students moved further down the hallway, giving them a wide space but still watching. They were starting to gather a crowd and Harry was sure that's what Beldon was hoping for.

"Ah," Harry remarked with a smirk. "But by your reckoning still a Dark Wizard, Beldon and you know how blood thirsty they can be."

Beldon closed the distance between them and he had to tilt his head back to stare the man in the eyes. His brown hair was cut short and his hand was resting on the hilt of his sword on his belt as his eyes looked Harry over with a glare and twisted smile. He stood a good head taller than Harry with broad shoulders and muscle on muscle. He knew how to fight and was a man that Harry wouldn't like to cross and yet would stand his ground against. He had clashed with the man before and come out second best more than a couple of times.

"I've seen what you can do, Sun." Beldon hissed with a cold look in his eyes. "It's just a matter of time until we are ordered to put you down, like a rabid dog. Bullet to the head."

Harry held his arms to the side.

"Feel free," Harry replied, ignoring the whispers around them. "If you think I'm so dangerous to you. Be my judge, jury and executor."

"Ha!" The man barked. "I know that God will be that for your sins. I don't have to dirty my hands with your tainted blood."

Beldon turned on his heels and stalked away, the children parting around him. Harry looked around at the pale faces of the students and he was sure that the story would be around the school by dinner that night.

"Well?" Harry purred sweetly. "Don't you lot have classes to attend?"

The students broke up around him as Harry moved back towards his rooms. As if he didn't have enough on his plate. He walked into his rooms to find Severus, Dracka, Ry and Ron Weasley sitting at his dining table.

"You!" Harry snapped, pointing to Dracka. "Keep those beasts under control. You," pointing at Severus. "Stay out of Michael Beldon's way and you two." Harry pointed to Ry and Ron. "What are you doing here?"

All four men stared at him.

"Ah," Ry stuttered, looking at him with wide eyes. "Hi, Dad."

"Come here." Harry said, holding out his arms and Ry jumped up and hugged his father as Severus and Dracka shared a look.

He held his son close and felt some of the tension unwind in him before he pushed the boy back and looked him over. Ry grinned at him and pushed his messy hair out of his eyes. He looked happy and his time in the Auror program had added muscle to his frame as he held himself with confidence. He looked like he'd stopped growing and stood a few inches off Severus height which made him a lot taller than Harry himself. About the same height as Dracka as he looked the boy over.

"You look well," Harry commented as he stepped back. "Looks like your training is agreeing with you."

Ry grin widened as he looked at his father. His green eyes shining behind his wire rim glasses as he looked down at him. He clapped his father on the shoulder.

"You look like you need more sleep and some good food," Ry remarked with a cheeky grin.

"Oh, shush you." Harry snapped. "You're as bad as Severus."

Ry just laughed and moved back to his seat with a very uncomfortable Ron Weasley next to him.

"And what," Severus drawled darkly. "Pray tell, was that about before?"

"Ah," Harry muttered as he rubbed a hand over his face. "Yeah, sorry. Had a run in with Beldon in the hallway. Seriously Severus, stay out of that man's way."

Dracka's eyes flashed red and Ron pulled back in his seat. He looked like he would rather be anywhere else but where he was.

"I would warn you, Dracka," Harry remarked to the vampire. "But I'm sure it would just be falling on deaf ears. You might want to keep those beasts of yours away from him though. I wouldn't put it past him to put a bullet in one of them."

"I would like to see him try," Dracka offered with a dark grin.

Harry moved over to make a coffee.

"Why are you here Ry and Ron?" Harry asked, over his shoulder.

"Auror Shacklebolt has assigned us here," Ry replied as he sat back in his seat. "On the job training he said."

"What did you do?" Harry asked.

Ron blushed and looked away as Ry laughed.

"Nothing," Ry answered with an innocent grin.

"I doubt that very much," Severus purred.

"Well," Ry amended as he slipped his glasses off to clean them. "Maybe a little more than nothing."

Harry placed a pot of coffee on the table and five cups with sugar and milk.

"How are you going Ron?" Harry asked instead.

"Very well, sir." Ron replied quickly.

"It's Blake," Harry offered with a smile as he sat between Ry and Dracka.

The vampire placed his phone on the table and Harry placed his spare phone next to it. He moved them both in front of him as he picked up his coffee.

"Ah, Blake." Ron stuttered.

"How are your parents?" Harry asked.

"Oh," Ron exclaimed as he sat forward in his chair. "They are great! Bill is getting married in a few months' time and mum has already started knitting up kids clothing!"

Harry sat back in seat as the boy jumped into telling them about everything going on with his family and how the twin's business was going as he slowly relaxed. He caught Severus's eye and gave the man a wink across the table. Even when his phone started to buzz on the table, he ignored it.

Dracka's hand crept across the table and Harry laid his hand on the phones as he listened to Ron and Ry. This was family time and he was not going to let anyone interrupt them. Dracka smirked at him as he sat back in his seat.

xXx

Severus jolted when Blake collapsed on the bed next to him. He glanced over to the bedside table to see it was close to one in the morning.

"Are you just getting to bed?" Severus asked.

"Long day," Blake muttered as he lay there fully clothed.

It was a good week and a half since the attempt on Severus's life and when Simpson had pulled the dark magic and he hadn't seen much of Blake lately. The man was normally gone when he got up and crawled into bed late at night. He reached out and brushed back the man's hair.

"Are you going to sleep like that?" Severus asked after few minutes of silence.

"Hm?" Blake muttered.

"Come on," Severus purred and sat up.

He moved across the bed and looked down at his lover. Tired green eyes looked up at him as he reached forward and unbuckled the man's belt and slipped his hands around his hips. Blake lifted his hips and Severus slipped his pants down as Blake toed off shoes. He pulled his socks off before laying back. Severus moved to saddle his waist and slipped his hands around his sides. He worked to slip his jacket off and pull his shirt off. He looked down at Blake before moving off the bed.

"Come on," Severus purred. "Under the covers."

Blake smirked at him and wiggled under the covers. Severus slipped into bed and curled up along his back. He ran a hand over Blake's hip and pulled him close. He kissed the man on the neck and Blake muttered something already half asleep. Severus tangled his legs with him as he brushed his magic along his back. He fell asleep quickly, feeling content.

Severus woke to Blake running a hand down his side and kissing his neck. He rolled onto his back and looked up at the man. Blake grinned and kissed him as his hand slipped lower.

xXx

missing scene.

xXx

Severus collapsed to the side of him panting as Blake looked at him with dark eyes and a slight smile. He casually flicked his wrist to clean them up. Blake curled up into his side with his head resting on Severus's chest as he ran a hand through his hair.

Severus glanced over to see it was nine in the morning, they had slept in. Not that it meant anything to Severus on a Saturday morning.

"No early meetings?" Severus asked softly as Blake lay against him.

"None all day," Blake muttered. "Told them to sort out their own bloody problems."

Severus snorted and relaxed back into the bed. Just enjoying the feeling of his lover curled into him and his soft hair under his fingers.

"I've made a lunch reservation in London," Blake said softly. "If you don't have plans?"

"Sounds great," Severus answered before he tilted the man's chin up to kiss him.

Blake grinned and rolled on top of him looking down at him with bright green eyes and a grin that made him twitch in interest. Blake's smile widened before pulling him up into a sitting position his legs on either side of him. He kissed him as he wrapped his arms around him as he sat on his thighs. Severus pulled back, his arms around him loosely as he felt his heart beat that little faster as he looked into Blake's green eyes.

"Hey," Blake purred.

Severus laughed and pushed the man back on the bed, making him squeak. He was ready for round two.

xXx

"So," Harry announced as he sipped his wine at the fancy restaurant in London. "Bill has invited us to his wedding."

"Oh, god." Severus replied. "Another gathering of red heads."

Harry grinned and gave him a wink.

"Wait a minute," Severus uttered as something occurred to him.

"Yes?" Harry purred.

"Ginny Weasley…" Severus trailed off.

"Yes?" Harry inquired with a smirk. "My wife or the one of this time?"

Severus groaned and held his head.

Harry laughed as he let Severus think that through.

"Try it from my side," Harry muttered.

Severus looked at him with large eyes and Harry sat back in his seat.

"Do you think…" Severus started but couldn't finish the question.

"That Ry will follow in my footsteps?" Harry asked.

Severus nodded.

"To tell you the truth," Harry admitted. "I have no idea. It's not something that I have mentioned to him."

"You haven't told him?" Severus asked in surprise.

"Nope," Harry answered before taking another sip of wine as their meals arrived. "He knows I was married, of course, and that I had other children which confused him to no end since we are together. He did ask who but I told him I couldn't say."

Severus smirked and tipped his wine at him.

"I think it still confuses him," Harry commented.

"How long were you married for?" Severus asked in interest.

Harry sat back in his seat as he thought back, he still found his early memories had to grasp. He was sure that the Hallows had something to do with it now, since memories after he realised he held the Hallows were easier to grasp and review in a Pensieve. It's not like before he stepped through that time gap that he'd had to think back to his childhood.

"Thirty years I think," Harry said, unsure. "She divorced me in the end, I remember that. I was away more than I was home. When the kids were older we kind of drifted apart."

"Did you remarry?" Severus asked as he sat forward in his seat.

"No," Harry replied. "Plenty of relationships. Ron used to say it's because I couldn't live alone and that I always needed someone to connect to."

"You do seem to get close to people," Severus stated lightly.

Harry cocked his head to the side and asked, "Do I?"

"Robbie Milton comes to mind," Severus drawled. "And Dracka and Miller to name a few."

Harry rubbed his head.

"I suppose, I never really thought about it." Harry remarked. "When you work close with a team or in the military you make close connections."

"So, you were in the military?" Severus asked in interest.

"Now and again," Harry replied. "I like it better now, when it's more on a loose contract basis. It's a little harder when you are ordered to do something but you don't agree with it but you still have to follow through with the orders."

Harry and Severus worked through their meals and they ordered dessert.

"Why all the questions?" Harry asked.

"You are still a bit of a mystery," Severus admitted.

"I don't just come with baggage, Severus." Harry remarked with a grin. "I come with a history book."

Severus barked a laugh as he looked at his lover. Their desserts arrived and Harry ordered coffee. Harry sat back in his seat and looked over at the other man and gently reached out with his magic. Severus looked up and smiled, his dark eyes soft as they looked at him.

"So," Harry said with a smirk. "Bill's wedding?"

Severus groaned.

xXx

Dracka watched as one of his hellhounds stalked Michael Beldon as the man moved through the Great Hall. The man kept glancing over at the beast with a sneer, which just made the hellhound snarl at him. He smirked at the sight, the man was a real piece of work and had already cornered him in the hallway but had learnt very quickly not to stir up a pissed off vampire.

He smirk widened when the man pulled his wand and the hellhound puffed into dark smoke, giving the man nothing to aim at. He glared over at Dracka before stalking from the room much to the vampire's amusement.

"Where is Blake today?" Minerva leaned over to ask.

"In London with Severus," Dracka replied, sitting back in his seat. "They should be back tomorrow morning."

"Oh," Minerva exclaimed as a blush came to her cheeks. "For work?"

"No," Dracka replied with a smirk. "For pleasure."

The woman choked on her tea and looked away as Dracka smirk widened.

"Mr Dracka," Albus admonished.

"What?" Dracka inquired, innocently. "I was just answering the question."

Albus looked over the top of his half-moon glasses at him in disapproval but his blue eyes were twinkling.

"I was!" Dracka defended.

A squeal had them looking over to the Slytherin table to see one of the hellhounds stealing some lamb off a table.

"Oi!" Dracka barked out and the best turned its head to look at him before dashing from the room to the giggles of the students.

"You are as bad as Blake," Albus muttered.

Dracka gave him a grin as he turned back to his meal.

"I learnt from the best."

xXx

Dracka looked down at the circle of gold on the ground before looking up. He could see Blake leaning out one of the second floor windows. He looked back down at the circle.

"I wouldn't advise standing there."

Dracka looked over to see Severus leaning back on the stones of the castle. He flashed his fangs at him and Severus just raised an eyebrow. He gave the man a smirk and moved back towards him. His demon took in his scent as he stood in front of him. He could pick up Blake's slight scent as well.

"What's he doing now?" Dracka asked.

He then flinched and cringed at the sound of something breaking. His head whipped back around to see what looked like shards of glass in the gold circle.

"I don't know," Severus drawled. "All I know is that I'm on clean up duty."

Dracka sniggered as Severus pushed off from the wall and moved towards the circle. There were a few students around watching in puzzlement but staying well back. Ry appeared at the door and looked at Severus sweeping up the pieces of glass. He placed them into a plastic bag before he looked up and Blake gave him a wave.

"How many pieces, Severus?" Ry asked.

"Five intact pieces," Severus replied.

The tall man moved to his feet and held the bag out to Ry.

"Thanks," Ry muttered and ran off with the bag.

Severus moved back towards the wall and kept an eye on the students around but none of them ventured near. Dracka looked at the gold ring on the ground then up to the second floor. The window was open but he couldn't see Blake.

"How many pieces is he after?" Dracka asked.

"I don't know," Severus answered. "Since he is still throwing things from the window. He hasn't hit the right number yet."

Dracka barked a laugh before cringing as something else hit the stones. The shards of a purple glass stayed within the confines of the circle as Severus repeated what he'd done before. Ry was slower to appear this time.

"Nine," Severus said as he stood up and held the bag out.

"Thanks," Ry drawled. "I'm not liking this training. I know how Dad feels…too many stairs."

Severus smirked at the boy and Ry gave him a grin.

"Why does Hogwarts not have a lift?" Ry grumbled. "Would save a lot of time."

"Oi!" Blake called.

The three looked up to see Blake looking down at them.

"Nine!" Ry yelled up to his father.

Blake held out a gold coloured piece of glass and they stepped back. He let the glass drop and they watched it fall onto the stones with a crash. Severus sighed as he looked at the gold dust within the circle.

"I don't think he's going to get much off that piece," Severus muttered and grabbed up a dust pan and brush and handed it to Ry. "You can do that one."

Ry handed over the bag he held as he took the dust pan.

"Does this mean you can run this one up to him?" Ry asked with a cheeky smile.

"Clean up your father's mess, Potter." Severus remarked smoothly.

"I think that's what the Department of Mysteries is for," Ry muttered then skipped to the side as Severus went to whack the back of his head.

Dracka and Severus watched the boy in amusement.

"It's scary how much he can be like Blake," Dracka muttered as Ry tipped the glass shards into a plastic bag. "I swear the older he gets the more Blake rubs off on him."

"I'm going to try something else!" Blake yelled from above them.

Severus and Dracka moved back as far as they could go. Ry quickly scrambled in their direction.

"Should I run up to the Headmaster?" Ry asked as they looked up at the window.

Severus just pulled his wand and pulled up a powerful barrier charm in answer. Then patted his pockets down for some chalk. Dracka held a piece up for him and Severus took it from his hand with a nod. The vampire watched in amusement as Severus had the students scattering down the walkway before placing a chalk line down.

"Good to know that I'm not the only one that Dad's been teaching," Ry stated in amusement.

Dracka gave him a leer as he leaned forward slightly and sniffed. The demon in his mind taking notice of his scent.

"Oi!" Ry squeaked. "I'm not Dad!"

Dracka lips curled up and Ry's face twisted up and he stepped further away from him.

"Yes," Dracka drawled. "You are not. He would have stepped closer."

"And followed it up with an elbow," Ry muttered under his breath and Dracka quirked a smile. "What were you doing anyway?"

"Vampire secret," Dracka replied and took another sniff.

"Makes me feel like you are sizing me up for a meal later," Ry grumbled. "Seeing if I'm done yet."

"Are you offering?" Dracka questioned. "I wouldn't turn you down."

"Snape," Ry yelped and Severus looked over. "The vampire is creeping me out."

Dracka barked a laugh and clapped a hand to his shoulder.

"Watch out!" Blake called.

They looked over just as a large rock crystal landed on the stones with a loud bang and Dracka flinched at the sound. He then stepped closer when he noticed that the stone should have broken the flagstones but there wasn't a mark. He had felt the impact in the ground.

"How many?" Blake yelled.

Dracka stepped closer and looked at the pieces as Severus stepped up to his shoulder.

"Seven," Severus yelled back.

"Perfect!"

Severus and Dracka shared a look before they looked at the broken pieces of rock crystal. The gold ring keeping the pieces contained.

"Who's on Blake watch?" Dracka muttered and Severus sighed. "I'm sure I did it last time and it cost me a hangover and…well, I won't mention what else it cost me."

xXx

Harry glanced over at Severus beside him as they moved out of the castle. The moon gave enough light but Harry could already feel a storm on the air. He looked over in that direction as he felt it stir the wild magic around them. Severus paused beside him, like a silent shadow. He glanced at the man before moving down the stairs and onto the lawn. They moved towards the front gates.

Harry reached out and grabbed Severus's hand and the man started.

"Mind somewhere else?" Harry questioned.

"Yes," Severus drawled. "Kingsley has informed me that Ry and myself will be conducting arms training next week. I'm sure that Albus will be stopping by for a chat and to convince you that you will be teaching potions in my stead.

Harry quirked a smile as he tightened his grip on Severus's hand.

"You wanted to learn," Harry pointed out. "You might as well be in the same class as Ry."

Harry could feel the glare from Severus and he chuckled.

"That means that Dracka will be on Blake watch," Severus said smoothly.

"'Blake watch?'" Harry repeated in amusement. "I think Dylan calls it something else which involves more swear words."

Severus snorted and pulled Harry to a stop. Harry gave him a smile in the moonlight before it turned into a smirk.

"Romantic walks in the moonlight," Harry purred as he threw an arm around Severus's shoulders.

"Did you have chocolate?" Severus questioned smoothly.

"I found Ry's supply," Harry remarked with a smirk and Severus groaned.

Harry laughed and released him and they started walking again. Harry looked to the side as he noticed the red eyes of a hellhound.

"It looks like Dracka is keeping an eye on us," Harry muttered and nudged Severus.

"How does that work?" Severus asked as he looked the beast over.

"He has a connection to them," Harry replied in his teaching voice. "For them to stay in that corporal form they need a link to the physical world. Dracka supplies that to the alpha female and male of each pack. The rest of the pack are connected to the alpha pair."

"Which connects them to Dracka," Severus finished.

"Correct," Harry replied. "Bradon holds half the packs as Dracka's second."

Severus stopped walking with a frown on his face.

"Is it just Bradon?" Severus asked.

"That holds the packs?"

"No, I mean his name?"

Harry gave a laugh as he looked at Severus.

"You are only asking this now?" Harry asked in amusement. "You never wondered why I call Dracka by his last name and not his first?"

"Ah," Severus stuttered and Harry snorted. "Dracka suits him better than Rolf."

"Please call him that," Harry laughed. "While I'm around."

"Minerva and Albus call him Rolf," Severus pointed out. "Though most of the time it's Mr Dracka."

Harry just smirked and Severus groaned.

"So, Bradon." Harry stated and started walking again. "Is his last name and he's the head of his family. You have to earn your right to his first name. Dracka is a little different due to the fact that he is the head of the Council of Magical Creatures and a professor here, so his first name is needed. That is also why I introduce him as such."

"And the reason that you don't use his first name?" Severus asked.

"Out of respect," Harry replied. "Dracka has never given me his first name. Some vampires will give you a second name if they are not the head of the family as a first name. It's a born vampire thing not a turned one."

"How does that work?" Severus asked and Harry tensed. "The books don't say how a vampire is turned."

Harry stopped walking and looked up at the moon before looking at Severus. He felt a chill at the intense look in Severus's eyes.

"It involves a death," Harry answered softly.

"Dark arts?" Severus questioned tensely.

"No," Harry replied. "You have to die and there may not be a way back. Vampires are very selective on who they turn, Severus. Someone born with vampire blood can request it since they have a greater chance of waking up. However, there is still a chance that they may not wake up as the same person.

"In dying…in that moment that your heart stops. Your life stops as well. Anything can happen after that. You could wake up and be no different, normally people with vampire blood. Some people wake up and they can't use magic or it sends them mad. Or you don't wake up at all. That is the risk and the price."

"You said that you can't be turned?" Severus uttered softly.

"It would be something that I would never consider," Harry stated as he looked at Severus. "Or would suggest to anyone else that did not have vampire blood in their veins. I am already cursed, Severus."

They both fell into silence as they looked up at the moon before Harry sighed and moved off. They came to a large clearing and Harry pulled a small trunk out of his pocket and resized it.

"Another lesson?" Severus questioned in amusement.

"If you want to," Harry replied. "But this is complex magic, I'm not sure how much you will understand."

"I'll just be a bystander then," Severus drawled and moved back to a log and sat down.

"I'll use our connection as an anchor then," Harry muttered as he pulled a few items out of the trunk. "You can watch through that and it will help as a grounder."

"Why?" Severus asked in interest.

"An anchor allows someone to keep taps on what I'm doing and if I'm reaching too far," Harry explained as he pulled out a bag of chalk and walked in a circle as the powder fell to the ground. "As you saw at the Border spell, having someone watching over you helps. Not to mention that I don't have to focus on where I am since you will hold the anchor."

Harry placed the bag down once he'd finished with the circle. He moved back to the trunk and settled on the ground. He pulled out his cherry wand and silver knife as well as a silver cup and the shards of the rock crystal. He pulled out four candles and set them at the marks of a compass and lit them with a lighter.

He glanced over at Severus as he picked up the connection between them. He strengthened it and let his magic brush across it. They hadn't held it like this since the attempt on Severus's life and Harry let some of his affection for the man run along it.

"Don't think that will save you from a lecture if this goes wrong," Severus drawled with a quirk to his lips.

Harry snorted as he stood back up and moved the trunk back to his pocket after shrinking it. He slipped out of his shoes and socks and slipped out of his jacket. He moved them to outside the circle before seating himself again and placing his cane to the side. He closed his eyes as he focused on the soft sounds of the forest and his breathing.

It took him a while to centre himself and he'd already informed Severus that they could be out here for a few hours. He was sure that Severus had a book ready to go. Not to mention the hellhounds and he was sure that Dracka would be keeping an eye on them. Harry sighed and let all that go as he opened his mind to the magic around them. He gently reached out and activated the protection circle around him as he picked up the silver knife.

He opened his eyes to the mist of the world of magic and let his mind drift slightly. The feeling of the connection with Severus keeping him grounded so that he could work. He reached out with the knife and drew a circle on the ground and it blazed up before settling into a line of fire. He then drew a triangle around the circle. He could feel the magic of the Deathly Hallows paying attention as he placed the knife to the side. He picked up the seven pieces of the crystal and arranged them within the circle. Leaving room for the last part of the symbol.

He then picked up the knife and cut a very shallow cut into his palm, just enough to slowly let his blood drip to the ground. He held his hand over the symbol on the ground and closed his eyes. He let everything go around him and focused on the last piece of the Deathly Hallows. He could feel his blood dripping around the ring on his finger as his mind drifted. He had to be very gentle about this as he slipped closer to the source of the wand. He could not afford to tip his hand.

He caught glimpses of places but didn't focus on them. He was looking for the wand and magic only. He followed the connection until he could feel the dark magic of the Hallows brushing over him. He stilled there and just took in the feeling. He didn't want to call the wand to him, he wanted something else. He quirked a smile as he picked up a different dark magic.

That was what he was looking for. He opened his mind even more as his blood dripped onto the ground and the crystals. He whispered the spell under his breath as he very gently picked up that dark magic and tried it into the crystals. Simpson had used his wand and he grinned. He had fallen into the trap and Harry very gently let Simpson's magic play along the link he'd made and into the seven crystals.

He had to be very careful as he gently pulled that magic off over a long time. The down side to this spell was that his own magic had to be added to the mix due to the Hallows flowing in his own veins. He took great care to make sure that Simpson didn't pick up on what he was doing as he worked. Simpson was making mistakes and Harry was happy to take advantage of that. He was sure the lure of the Deathly Hallows played a part in that.

xXx

Severus looked up from his book when a hellhound appeared. The beast looked at him then Blake before sitting down and lifting its head and taking a sniff. They had been coming and going for the last few hours while Blake worked. Severus looked the animal over, they all had the black coat and were roughly the same size. They were hard to tell apart and Severus had given up.

"Is he still working?" Dracka whispered.

Severus looked over at the vampire, his eyes had a red tint as he looked at Blake. Severus was sure it was the fact that Blake's blood was still dripping very slowly over the crystal and ground. He now knew why Blake had taken a blood potion before they had left and had one in his pocket for after.

"Yes," Severus drawled and looked at his watch. "Going on four hours now."

Dracka moved around the circle and looked at what Blake had laid out on the ground. His blood had soaked into the design he'd drawn and it held a slight red glow.

"Have you got a blood replenisher for him?" Dracka asked in concern.

"Yes," Severus replied. "All part of the first aid kit now."

Dracka flashed his fangs at him in a leer; with his red eyes and the moon light touching him. The vampire made a sight and Severus held back on the shiver. Dracka turned back to Blake and the slightly glowing crystals and symbol. Severus tapped into the connection with Blake to made sure that the man was alright before pulling back.

"Blake did say that it could take a while," Severus remarked and held up his book and the soft light spell above him. "I came prepared."

Dracka gave him a smirk and moved back towards him. He flicked his wand and a chair appeared next to Severus. The vampire sprawled out in the chair and looked around.

"That storm is getting closer," Dracka remarked.

"Yes," Severus agreed. "Blake knew the storm was coming."

"Part of the Ritual?" Dracka questioned and Severus shrugged.

The two men fell into a comfortable silence as they watched Blake. The rumble of thunder had them turning and looking in that direction. Severus smirked in amusement as both Dracka and the hellhound sniffed the air. His eyes were drawn back to Blake as he felt the man tug at the connection slightly and he strengthen it for him.

Blake opened his eyes and he could see the slight glow as he picked up the silver knife. He opened his hand and coated the blade in his blood. He then took the point and placed it on the ground and drew it down through the design he'd drawn on the ground. The crystals turned a strange colour of sky blue with a touch of gold.

"That's not Blake's magic," Dracka commented and Severus nodded.

Blake looked up and over towards where the storm was as another rumble of thunder rolled over them. He picked up the silver cup and let a few drops of blood fall into the cup before picking up his cherry wand. He tapped each crystal then the cup and Severus looked into the connection with Blake. With the link, he could see the slight mists and connections between Blake, the crystals and the cup. Blake pulled out a cloth and wrapped it around his hand before looking over at them.

"We just have to wait for the storm," Blake told them. "I thought you had training with Ry, Dracka?"

"That was two hours ago," Dracka replied as he pulled his wand.

Blake looked at his watch and sighed. Dracka cast an umbrella charm over Severus and himself as the first drops of rain fell. Severus looked at the charm in interest as he looked into the magic slightly. Blake strengthened the connection and Severus could see the dark mists of the spell then something else caught his attention as the rain increased and the storm rolled in.

The magic swirled around them slightly as the lightening flashed. The candles that Blake had lit sizzled but didn't go out and Severus looked at them. He could tell that Blake had placed a spell on them. The crystals on the ground glowed slightly as Blake picked up the silver knife. The lightening lit up the sky and thunder rumbled. The rain washed over the seated man as he recut his hand and grabbed one of the crystals.

He mumbled under his breath as he held the crystal over the cup. Severus could see a few drops of gold dripping into the cup before Blake placed it to the side. The crystal was only a sky blue colour as Blake picked up the next crystal. He worked through them as the storm moved towards them and the rain pounded down around Blake. Severus fingered his wand but if Blake had wanted to stay dry he would have cast the spell himself.

Blake finished the last crystal and held the cup up before tipping it over his head. The water had a slight gold glow before the rain washed it all away. Blake placed the cup to the side before leaning back on his hands and tilting his head back. Dracka snorted next to him as Severus looked at Blake fondly. His lover always did things differently as he let the connection go.

"Is he done?" Dracka questioned.

"Yes," Severus replied.

"Great," Dracka cried. "Blake."

Blake looked over and raised an eyebrow in question.

"Walkie time," Dracka said with a leer. "Time to get dinner out."

Severus groaned and moved to his feet.

"On that note," Severus drawled and flicked his wand and his chair disappeared. "Have a good night."

"We won't be gone for long," Blake replied with a smile. "It will be an early morning tomorrow."

Severus just waved and flicked his wand for his own umbrella charm and left them to it. Dracka and Blake watched him in amusement.

"So, what are they?" Dracka asked as he moved to his feet and stepped closer.

"Since Simpson has decided to use my wand," Blake replied as he picked up a crystal. "I think it's only fair that I take a sample of his magic."

Dracka stilled as he looked at the crystals, seven in total. A magical number.

"What are you planning?" Dracka questioned.

"I believe that Simpson's playground is too large," Blake stated mildly and held up one of the crystals. "Let's reduce it to a sandpit."

Dracka shivered at the man's voice. The lightening lighting up Blake's smirking face, did not help.

xXx

Harry leaned his head back against the brick wall as he kept his mind open to the magic around him. Beside Dracka's dark magic, he couldn't pick up anything else. He opened his eyes when the young man that Dracka had taken down the alley walked passed him with a stupid grin on his face and a slight wobble to his steps.

Harry wasn't sure if the wobble was from Dracka's feeding or the alcohol that Harry could smell on the air. He was sure that Dracka would be just as bad. The young man didn't see him as he walked back towards the pub close by and Harry frowned when Dracka didn't appear.

He moved off the wall in concern and casually walked down the alley. Dracka was crouched down with his back to the wall and Harry paused.

"Dracka?" Harry called softly.

The vampire started and looked up at him.

"Right there?" Harry asked, not stepping closer.

Dracka nodded and looked down at the concrete and Harry grew concerned. He carefully took a few steps closer and crouched down before him. He reached out and placed his hand on the vampire's knee.

"Should have picked someone else," Dracka muttered, a slight slur to his words.

Harry nodded and moved to lean into the wall next to Dracka. The man hadn't just been drinking alcohol for this reaction. Dracka normally would have left him at that first taste and picked someone else but they were running a risk here. Harry sighed and crouched down beside Dracka, his shoulder brushing his as the vampire worked the man's blood through his system and anything else the man had taken.

Dracka huffed as he sat down on the concrete and tilted his head back with his eyes closed.

"We can't stay here long," Dracka muttered.

Harry sat down next to him and just closed his eyes as he kept his mind open to the magic around them and the noise from the pub. When Dracka sniffed his neck, he ignored the move.

"This would be easier if I could eat in," Dracka whispered.

"That may have to be an option," Harry replied mildly.

"I'm sure that I could take down Beldon," Dracka added. "Not sure his blood would taste great though."

Harry opened his eyes and looked over at the vampire. He gave him a leer and Harry quirked a smile.

"How are the plans going?" Harry asked instead of addressing that issue.

"Getting there but it's been difficult," Dracka replied. "Severus?"

"You know the answer to that," Harry said with a sigh and ran a hand down his face. "He can't know, we have to keep this between us for now. The less people that know before we move the better."

"You have a hunch?" Dracka questioned. "And those crystals?"

"Yes," Harry replied and didn't say anything more.

They sat there for a while before Harry pulled himself to his feet with the help of his cane and held out his hand out. Dracka took it in his slightly cooler one and Harry pulled him up. Dracka went to pull back but Harry tightened his hold.

"I may have to ask you to take a great risk," Harry said softly, his grip tight.

"Knowing you is a great risk," Dracka muttered and Harry barked a laugh and released him.

Harry's eyes rested on the vampire and Dracka met his eyes easily.

"Come on," Harry encouraged. "I don't know about you but I'm going to enjoy a sleep-in tomorrow."

"It's Wednesday," Dracka deadpanned.

"As I said," Harry repeated with a smirk. "I'm going to enjoy a sleep-in, now that I know a hellhound won't wake me up."

Dracka barked a laugh and swung an arm around his shoulders. Harry repaid him by apparating them back to the school then stepping to the side quickly. Dracka braced his hands on his knees and Harry took a few more hasty steps back just in case the vampire was going to throw up.

"I'll be nice and won't inform Minerva that you have been drinking on a school night."

"Bastard, wasn't me that had been drinking."

"Not alcohol, anyway."


	52. Chapter 52

"Blake," Harry answered his phone.

"Hey Blake," Conner Fritz greeted. "Are we able to meet?"

Harry frowned.

"Germany or here?" Harry asked as he tapped his pen on the table in his room.

"Germany Ministry," Conner replied. "That Light Wizard you were looking for-"

"You found him?" Harry cut in as he sat up.

"You could say that," Conner mused. "He found us, he wants to meet with you. His name is Wilhelm Shin."

Harry tapped his pen without answering for a minute.

"Blake?" Conner questioned.

"What do you think of him?" Harry questioned.

"He won't talk to us," Conner stated. "But he seems scared of something?"

"Is he at the Ministry?"

"Yes, we have him down in one of the holding rooms."

"I'll get back to you," Harry commented. "Give me an hour or so."

"No problems, Blake." Conner offered. "Good bye."

Harry hung up the phone and moved to his feet. He checked his watch before hooking up his cane and moving up to the second floor. The hallways were quiet while classes were on and Harry enjoyed the slow walk up to Dracka's classroom. He gently eased the door open and slipped in, feeling the wards wash over him.

Dracka glanced up at him from his desk as he over looked a Third year, Gryffindor and Slytherin class. The class were working on identifying different magical sea creatures and Dracka had including some non-magical creatures as well. Harry leaned back against the wall and his eyes were drawn to Callum Genger as he sat quietly in his seat. While a few students were whispering between each other as they worked, Callum was sitting apart. Harry still wasn't sure what kind of roll he would play in the boy's life but from what he'd gotten from the crows, he would have his part to play.

A buzzer suddenly went off on Dracka's desk and the vampire looked up.

"Time's up," Dracka called as he moved to his feet and looked around. "Place your answers on my table before leaving."

The students packed up their desks, placing their papers on the desk as they left in small groups. Some nodded to Harry on the way out and Callum gave him a small smile as he fell into step with another boy.

Dracka gathered up the papers and separated them out into a few piles before moving them to one pile. Harry moved over to the desk before taking a seat on one of the tables. He hung his cane off the side of the table he was sitting on.

"You don't assign homework?" Harry asked.

Dracka snorted, "What would be the point?"

Harry gave him a grin as he looked around the classroom. It was a large room with tables set up in four rows and a small cleared area to his left. It always amused him the way that the Defence classroom was set up differently for every teacher. His focus came back to Dracka as the man moved around the desk before leaning back into it.

"Something I can help you with?" Dracka drawled, his dark eyes focused on him.

"Feel like a trip to Germany?" Harry asked and watched in interest as Dracka tensed.

"Are you mad?" Dracka hissed.

"A little, but that's beside the point." Harry replied with a lopsided grin and Dracka snorted.

"What are you thinking?" Dracka asked.

"Conner called before," Harry explained. "The Light Wizard that we have been looking for turned up on the door step of the German Ministry and requested to see me."

"To see you?" Dracka mused as he rubbed the hair on his chin in thought. "Why you? And why there?"

Harry shrugged and replied, "He isn't talking."

"But he will talk to you?"

"Apparently. Conner said he seemed scared."

"Could Simpson pulling on the dark magic have him running?" Dracka questioned in thought.

"Only one way to find out," Harry pointed out.

"And if this is a trap?"

"He is being held in the holding cells of the Ministry," Harry explained. "If this is a trap then the German Ministry is lost."

Dracka looked him over and Harry stared back as they both thought through their options.

"This could help our plans," Dracka conceded.

"If he's willing to give us information," Harry added. "This could work out very good for us."

"Does that outweigh the risk?" Dracka whispered.

"Nothing ventured, nothing gained."

xXx

"Dogwood," A gruff voice answered the phone.

"Hey, Boss." Harry greeted with a grin.

"What mess have you gotten in now?" Dylan growled. "Strike team five is the only team that I have spare, Blake. You will just have to deal with the f-"

"Well, it's not about that," Harry cut in. "What would be the chance of offering asylum through the Department for the exchange of information on Simpson?"

Silence greeted Harry and he took delight in rendering the man speechless.

"From which country?" Dylan asked and Harry could tell he was thinking.

"I would think Germany," Harry replied. "I'm sure that I can get Deputy Minster Conner Fritz to sign him over to us."

"Why does he need to come here?"

"I believe he is running from Simpson," Harry expanded with a sigh as he leaned back in his seat. "He's a talented Light Wizard, this could work out very good for us."

"He kicked your ass, didn't he?" Dylan barked.

"Well, I wouldn't go that far." Harry mused and Dylan laughed.

"What time frame?"

"Dracka and I are leaving for Germany tomorrow."

"I'll see what I can do," Dylan replied mildly.

"Thanks, Dylan."

"I will cost you, Blake." Dylan growled and Harry sighed.

"How many days?" Harry asked with a sigh.

"This weekend and the next," Dylan laid out. "We got an influx of 'Lost and founds' come in and I want you to work through them."

"Deal," Harry answered sweetly. "See you on Saturday."

"No, you won't." Dylan barked and hung up.

Harry chuckled; Saturday was the only day you couldn't get a hold of Dylan. If you did call him and it wasn't a life or death situation, your life wouldn't be worth living. Harry had been pushed into calling him before on a Saturday and they had been life threating situations. Even then he'd thought twice before contacting the man.

xXx

Harry lay sprawled out on his lounge with a book in his hands. He didn't get much time to read a fiction book but he was sick of reading reports. He looked over when Severus moved through the door with a scowl on his face and in full professor mode and Harry smirked.

"Second year Gryffindor class?" Harry asked sweetly and that glared turned in his direction.

"That girl!" Severus snapped. "I thought once Longbottom left, I would have a break before the next disaster student came through."

Harry quirked his lips in a smile.

"I heard an interesting rumour from Minerva, who had been talking to Professor Sprout-"

"Shut it!"

"That a certain Gryffindor-"

"One more word!" Severus hissed icily as he stalked towards him and Harry smirked. "And you will regret it."

Harry smiled smugly and opened his mouth.

"Oh, so you have heard the good news," Harry said quickly.

Severus lunged for him and Harry squeaked as his book fell to the floor. Severus quickly grabbed his wrists and pinned him to the lounge as Harry laughed. Severus's lips quirked up in a smile as Harry tried to wiggle loose as Severus saddled his waist, pinning him down.

"Just keeping you informed of the goings on of this school," Harry defended.

"Longbottom coming here to do an apprenticeship in Herbology is news that I could have done without," Severus remarked darkly.

Harry shifted until Severus was resting between his legs as he sprawled out over his chest.

"Well," Harry said smoothly. "You won't like the rest of my news then."

Severus moved until he was sitting between his legs and he looked over to the table but Harry's bag wasn't sitting there. He looked down at Harry and moved his leg to lay over his as Harry laid sprawled out.

"Explain," Severus snapped.

Harry did just that as he placed his arms under his head as Severus rubbed his leg and watched him with dark eyes.

xXx

Harry looked through the one-way glass into the interrogation room as Dracka and Conner stood next to him. The Light Wizard that he'd faced last month sat in the chair, he looked rough and on edge. Harry knew the signs well, something had shaken the man.

"Did you want to stay here?" Harry asked Dracka and he nodded.

Harry moved through the room to the one next door and stepped in. Wilhelm's eyes darted to him and he seemed to sag in his seat. With his slightly Asian features and last name, he was sure that there was an interesting story there. However, it wasn't his personal story that Harry was interested in. He calmly moved forward with his cane and the man's eyes darted to that.

"What can I do for you today, Mr Shin?" Harry asked in German as he took a seat across from the other man.

"I can give you information," Wilhelm offered quickly in German. "If you can get me out."

"Out of what?"

"Germany! Somewhere away from him!" Wilhelm yelled with fear in his voice.

"Why would I do that?" Harry asked calmly.

"Did you see what he did?" Wilhelm gasped with wide eyes.

"Which time?" Harry questioned calmly as he leaned back in his seat. "When he became a Dark Lord or pulled on the dark magic?"

Wilhelm shivered in answer and Harry pulled out a file from his jacket and flicked it open. He placed the first photo on the table and slid it towards Wilhelm then followed it up with more until they covered the table. The other man swallowed as his eyes darted from photo to photo. Harry picked up the signs of stress and anxiety in the man before him. He was on the edge of a break down. Whatever he'd seen it had sent him to the edge.

"This is what Graham Simpson has done," Harry stated calmly.

Wilhelm nodded as his dark eyes looked each photo over before they focused on him.

"He'll do the same to me if he finds me," Wilhelm whispered.

"And why is that?"

Wilhelm swallowed and Harry just let him take in the photos without saying a word. He could wait the man out. Wilhelm slowly looked up at him and locked his eyes with Harry then lowered the barrier around his mind and Harry raised an eyebrow.

"That is a dangerous game to play," Harry remarked. "For a man that tried to kill me."

A hardness came into Wilhelm eyes but he didn't bring up his barriers.

"I give you information," Wilhelm stated. "You protect me from that man."

Harry could pick up the sincerity from his mind and he slowly nodded.

"I think we can work something out," Harry replied and glanced over to the one-way glass. "What do you think, Dracka?"

xXx

Harry looked at Deputy Minster Conner Fritz in amusement as the man picked up the sky blue crystal.

"The timing will have to be perfect for this to work," Harry commented. "We want to slowly close in the net."

Conner looked at him with slightly wide eyes.

"This is a sample of his magic?" Conner uttered.

"Yes," Harry agreed.

"You managed to get a sample of his magic without him knowing?"

"Correct."

"And cage it to a crystal that can be linked in with a ward."

"Yes."

Conner sat back in his seat and looked at Harry before a smile curved up his lips.

"I'm happy that you're on our side," Conner stated and Harry laughed.

"I believe that Headmaster Albus Dumbledore said something very similar," Harry remarked. "Not to mention Dylan Dogwood in the Department of Mysteries and…well a few other people."

Conner barked a laugh before he held the crystal up to the light and looked at the soft glow of the captured magic.

"Just call me when you're ready," Conner stated with steel in his voice. "I'll get everything into place."

Harry grinned, one more piece falling into place. Simpson was going to find his world slowly getting smaller around him.

xXx

Harry sat on the table at the back of his classroom, looking around at the students as they cast the Patronus spell with mixed results. His students were a mix of third through fifth years today. He leaned back on the bench as he kept a careful eye on them. A Hellhound misted through the door and looked around before focusing its eyes on Harry. It pulled itself through the door and shook itself as its form settled back into looking like a large black dog.

A few students looked over as the beast sat down and stared at Harry. Harry stared back as white mists and half formed Patronus floated around the room. More students seem to notice the beast as it sat there staring.

"Um, sir?"

Harry looked up at Lisa Canson of Gryffindor.

"Yes, Ms Canson?" Harry asked, keeping the beast in his sights.

"What are they?" The girl questioned as the rest of the class took notice.

"What?" Harry asked. "The hellhounds?"

"Yes, sir."

Other students looked between Harry and the dog.

"Annoying buggers," Harry replied and the beast growled at him as a couple of students giggled. "They are guardians."

"Of what?" The girl asked.

"The underworld," Harry answered. "They stem from the first beasts to hold the gates of the underworld. They are Professor Dracka's beasts."

"But what are they?" The girl insisted. "They can walk through walls but you can touch them."

"Lesson time?" Harry asked with a grin.

"Yes, sir." A boy from Slytherin piped up.

"Can't Professor Dracka cover this one?" Harry asked, a slight whine in his voice as the beast crouched on the floor and stared at him with red eyes. "Or Care of Magical Creatures class?"

"No, sir." The students piped up.

"Okay," Harry consented as he wiggled further back on the table and placed his back to the wall. "They are half in and half out of the spirit world, similar to crows. Yes, Mr Foulder?"

"Crows sir?" the boy asked.

"Do your teachers teach you anything?" Harry muttered with a sigh as the students giggled. "Ah, don't mention that to Professor McGonagall, she will just take points off me."

The kids smiled at him as they settled on the floor around him.

"Crows can ferry souls to the next world." Harry explained. "Similar to hellhounds they are half in and half out of this world. When a Dark Ritual or someone is killed by magic their soul can be held here on earth. A crow can ferry that soul to the next life, whatever that may be. The hellhounds used to hold the gates of the underworld. Over time they changed as most magic does. Yes, Ms Delcom?"

"Are they dark?" The small girl asked.

"Well," Harry mused in thought, the children always wanted a simple answer for a complex subject. "You could call them that I suppose. They tend to be drawn to dark creatures, like vampires, but are neither dark or light but something in between."

The beast growled.

"And understand every word you say," Harry added. "And can report back to their master…well companion."

Harry amened when the beast snarled at him.

"You said used to?" Ms Delcom asked.

"Yes," Harry agreed. "Belief in something gives it power. Old religions used to believe that they held the gates of the underworld. That gave them power however as those people died out so did their belief systems. Magic will live on and change and you end up with that flea bag."

The beast growled and crawled closer as the students moved out of its way. Harry just raised an eyebrow at it and it paused.

"They don't like me too much," Harry admitted.

"But you and Professor Dracka-" The girl cut off as the boy next to her elbowed her.

"Yes, Ms Welmer?" Harry asked sweetly.

The girl blushed and looked away.

"Well?" Harry barked. "Spit it out."

"Well you and the Professor are close," Welmer hedged, her eyes darting around for help without any luck.

"Yes," Harry stated with a smirk. "We work together."

Harry looked around the classroom but none of the children would meet his eye. He gave them a smirk as a glint came into his eyes. He leaned forward on the table as he looked at each one.

"You think it's more than that?" Harry asked softly. "God, I hope you asked Dracka this question."

Harry grinned in amusement.

"But sir-" Welmer started to say but was elbowed again.

"Since when did my love life become the topic of discussion?" Harry asked. "See, this is what happens when you are happy to answer any question."

The kids giggled around him.

"Any other questions that are not related to my love life?" Harry asked. "Yes, Mr Deffin?"

"That soldier called you a Dark Wizard?" The boy said in a small voice and the room went silent.

"Ah," Harry uttered, stilling. "Yes, yes he did."

"Why?"

Harry sighed and rubbed his face.

"He meant it as a slur," Harry explained. "And yet it is what I am. A wizard that can weld Dark magic. It is a title given to someone, male or female, that has strong dark magic and can use it."

"But sir, you can work with Light magic," Mr Genger pointed out. "Does that make you a Light Wizard?"

"Correct, Mr Genger." Harry replied. "I have a bit of a history with Mr Beldon. He does not like me too much and the feeling is mutual."

"What's the difference between a Dark Wizard and a Dark Lord?" Mr Genger asked.

"Now that, Callum. Is a great question." Harry said with a smile and leaned back on the bench again. "The difference comes down to how you received the power, the levels and what you do with the magic. As you know, a person can have more than a magical core they can have an added pocket of either dark or light magic or in some rare cases both.

"Most of the time when someone uses the term 'Dark Wizard' they are implying that you have killed to get the dark magic and not that you were born with it." Harry told the children. "A Dark Lord is made and not born with a high level of dark power through a Dark Ritual which usually involves…well unspeakable acts. The term Dark Lord is a title given to a person that has killed to gain dark magic, regardless if they are male or female."

The kids looked up at him with large eyes as the hellhound stared at him with red eyes.

"Ah," Harry stuttered, looking around. "I think that will do for today. Please practise your Patronus charm and I'll set another class with it within the next week. Off you lot go."

"Bye, sir."

Harry sat at the table for a few minutes once the kids left thinking about how he got the Hallows. He never killed anyone to get his dark power but a man still had to die even if it wasn't by his hand. It was a power that he wasn't born with. Harry ran a hand over his head as he thought it through.

"Well," Harry said, looking at the hellhound. "What do you want?"

The beast just stared at him and Harry sighed.

"Bloody Dracka."

xXx

Harry rubbed his head as he looked at something. He wasn't sure what that something was just that is had a slight wisp of time magic around it. He put it in the 'Have no idea' pile as he worked through the large boxes in his office. He worked through three more boxes until he pulled out a silver pendant and paused. A smile curled up his face that would have had Severus groaning and muttering about 'Blake watch'.

"Finally," Harry stated as he looked at the pendent and the runes running down the small piece of silver.

"Blake? You in there somewhere?"

Harry looked up from the pendent to see Miller standing in the doorway. The man gave him a rough grin without moving into the room.

"Miller," Harry called over to the man then looked around. "Ah."

Miller quirked a smile and leaned in the doorway. The man wouldn't have been able to enter the room, even if he'd wanted to. Since every space on the long tables running the length of the room and one in the middle was covered in items. What those items were, depended on where Harry had placed them which included the floor for items that had no magical base.

"How did Dylan get you here?" Miller asked mildly.

"We made an exchange."

"Only you," Miller laughed and Harry gave him a grin. "Would make an exchange for work."

"Have you come to give me a hand to haul this stuff?" Harry asked with a smirk.

Miller stepped away from the door before picking up a large plastic container. He let it go to thump to the floor, Harry was aware that it was linked to a skip bin outside of the Ministry. The bin was for muggle or low magical items.

"He hired a big bin this time," Miller remarked with a grin. "From the look of this room I can understand why."

Harry weaved his way through the mess to his desk. He moved a few items around before snagging up a leather cord and placed the pendent on it before moving towards Miller.

"Does he think that I'll throw that much out?" Harry asked as he held out the pendent and Miller took it in his hand. "Can you tie that around my neck?"

Miller quirked an eyebrow.

"And not choke me?" Harry added with a laugh as he turned his back.

Miller placed the cord around his neck and moved it to the way Harry wanted before tying it off. Harry placed his wand to the cord and whispered a spell under his breath and the knot disappeared. Another tap had it disappearing from sight.

"What is that?" Miller asked in interest.

"Something that Dracka will be interested in," Harry replied before picking up the plastic container that was linked to the skip bin that Dylan had hired. "Let's get started then."

xXx

"Well, well. If it isn't the Dark Wizard's pet Death Eater."

Severus turned slowly to the man behind him in the hallway. Michael Beldon stood there with his hand resting on the hilt of his sword on his belt. Severus pulled himself up to his full height and looked down his nose at the other man.

"That's the best you can come up with?" Severus purred and stalked forward, his robes flaring around him and his dark eyes burning. "You think you can come in here and intimidate me into submission?"

Severus stopped in front of the man and sneered down at him darkly. He was a good half a head taller than the other man.

"Has the dog got a bite?" The man snapped, his blue eyes cold.

"This 'dog'," Severus spat. "Has more than a bite."

Severus crossed his arms over his chest and gave him a full glare.

"Ha!" Beldon laughed. "As if your kind could take me! Soft cocks the lot of you!"

"Ah, but you have just called me a Death Eater," Severus sneered. "And you have seen what they are capable of."

Beldon's eyes widened slightly and his hand clenched around his sword. Severus was sure that Beldon wasn't expecting him to confirm being a Death Eater.

"I wouldn't lose any more sleep over more blood on my hands," Severus hissed. "Would you like to test your theory, Mr Beldon?"

The man smirked.

"Is Sun such a good lay then?" Beldon sneered. "Just another Master to kneel in front of?"

Severus's gave the man a dark smile as he glared down at him. Severus could see the tension in the other man as he stood there and the silence in the hallway.

"Why would you think he is _my_ master?" Severus questioned darkly with a glint in his eyes.

He felt a sick sense of satisfaction when the man shivered at the words and a twisted sneer curved up his lips.

"That soft ass Sun wouldn't-"

"You think he controls me?" Severus cut in coldly. "He doesn't need to know where the bodies are buried."

"You wouldn't," Beldon uttered, his blue eyes narrowed. "You poofs don't have it in you! The whole lot of you are against nature!"

"And yet," Severus replied smoothly. "Here we are and I would hate to fall back on bad habits."

The man paled and Severus could see the rage in his eyes. Severus let his eyes settle on him as he looked down his nose. He pushed against the man's barriers around his mind slightly.

"Just push me, Beldon." Severus hissed. "And you will see how much of a Death Eater I am."

The man reeled back.

"Bah!" Beldon barked and turned on his heels and stalked away.

Severus stood there watching him with dark eyes and a feeling of satisfaction. Blake came down the hall from the way Beldon had gone with an odd look on his face then stilled when he saw him.

"So, um." Blake stuttered and looked over his shoulder before turning back to him. "Anything I should know about?"

Severus gave him a dark grin, making the other man pause.

"Right," Blake said slowly. "I know that look and that's why I'm going to turn and walk the other way."

Blake turned on his heels and walked away with a wave over his shoulder. Severus just barked a laugh and headed towards his classroom.

xXx

"Blake!"

Harry started awake and looked up at Dracka kneeling before him, next to the bed. He glanced over at Severus but the man was still sleeping, curled up away from him. Dracka silently moved out of the room and Harry carefully wiggled out of the bed and dressed quietly.

"What is it?" Harry asked the vampire.

"The hellhounds found someone trying to get into the school." Dracka reported, quickly moving towards the door. "They have him contained."

Harry grabbed up his cane and followed the vampire out of the castle and across the grounds. Dracka led him into the forbidden forest as Harry pulled on his jacket, wide-awake. He could see the man on the ground on his knees with four hellhounds growling at him as they came to a small clearing. He looked up at Harry and Dracka with wide brown eyes and long dirty blonde hair.

"Help!" The man cried and one of the hounds lunged at him.

He yelped and crawled backwards on his bum and hands. Dracka moved forward and grabbed the man's arm and pulled him to his feet. He gave him a shove towards Harry. The man stumbled and fell to his knees in front of Harry.

"Please," The man sobbed as Dracka stood behind him.

Harry crouched down in front of the man and his wide brown eyes look at him. The man was a muggle with no magical core as he sobbed on his knees. He was dressed in simple dark jeans and a dark grey shirt with a long black jacket over the top.

"What is your name?" Harry questioned softly.

"Please," The man sobbed. "They are going to kill me!"

"Your name," Harry barked.

"Neal!" The man cried, looking at Harry in fear.

"Why are you here?" Harry questioned calmly.

"I don't know!" The man gasped in panic. "I just don't know! What are those things!"

"Who do you work for?" Harry questioned.

"Alan Selmac, I work in a café in London!"

"That's a long way from where you are now," Harry remarked, casually.

"I don't know how I got here!"

"Who do you work for?"

"I told you! Please," Neal cried as he moved forward on his knees. "I was working and then I was here and those things. Please!"

"See that man behind you?" Harry whispered.

Neal's eyes flickered over to Dracka then turned back to Harry and nodded his head quickly. His blonde hair falling around his face and his wide eyes were filled with fear.

"He is a vampire," Harry stated calmly. "And if you don't give me the information I want. He is going to kill you."

"No, no, no, please!" Neal cried and crawled towards him. "I don't know anything! Please!"

Harry's hand lashed out and grabbed his shirt and pulled him close until they were nose to nose.

"You will tell me," Harry hissed. "Who do you work for?"

The man shook in his hands and Harry could smell his sweat as the man looked up with wide brown eyes. Harry calmly locked his eyes with the man and drove into his memories and the man went limp, his eyes locked with Harry's.

He saw snippets of the man's life as he tried to sort through what he was seeing and called out the name Graham Simpson in the man's mind. An image of the man swum into view, the man was giving him money and a gun and he was tucking it away in his belt. Another man was holding his arm and shoving him towards the ruins of a castle. The man was pushing him and he was walking then there were red eyes around him in the dark.

Harry whispered the name Graham Simpson again and the image came up in the man's mind again. Harry froze the memory and looked around the bare room as Simpson stood in a fancy suit, holding out an envelope with money in it and a picture. Harry played the memory forward as he reached into the envelope and pulled out a photo of Ry.

Harry jolted and slipped out of the man's memory. Neal reached for his gun but Harry was quicker. He grabbed the gun and smashed it into the side of the man's head. The man fell to the side, sobbing on the ground and holding his head as blood dribbled over his fingers.

"Send your hellhounds to Ry now," Harry snapped at Dracka and the man's eyes widened.

The beasts beside them suddenly lunged forward towards the castle. Harry stood up and ejected the magazine and pulled back the slider. He placed the gun and magazine into his pocket.

"He's all yours," Harry ordered coldly. "Strip his pockets, I'll meet you in my rooms."

Dracka grinned, showing fangs and red eyes as Harry turned and walked away.

"Please!" The man yelled after him.

Harry ignored him and kept walking, only coldness in his eyes.

xXx

Ry started awake in his bed when he felt eyes on him. He looked up to see four hellhounds staring at him. He yelled out and scrambled across the bed and landed on the other side, in a tangle of blankets. One of the hellhounds placed its feet on the bed and looked down at him with its head cocked to the side.

"Are you alright, mate?" Ron asked, looking over at him.

"What are they doing?" Ry yelped as he untangled himself and stood.

"No idea," Ron replied as other Aurors woke up around them at the noise.

The beast just stood there, looking at him and he shivered.

"I sent them."

Ry looked up to see his father standing in the doorway. He cringed away from the cold look in his father's eyes.

"What is this about, Mr Sun?" Commander Filter asked as he stepped forward.

His father turned that cold look on the solid man and whispered something to him. The man nodded and his father turned back to him.

"Come with me, Ry." Blake ordered gently.

The cold look in his father's eyes had Ry moving forward without question. The hellhounds suddenly tilted their heads as one as if listening to something before dashing out of the room passing through the wall. Ry looked after them as his father turned and walked out of the room.

"Good luck, mate." Ron called after him as he fell into step with his father.

He didn't ask his father what this was about, he would tell him when he was ready. They moved down to Blake's rooms and his father held the door open for him and he went inside.

"Take a seat at the table," His father ordered, an edge to his voice. "I'll just wake Severus."

Ry sat in the seat nervously, he could hear voices from the bedroom before his father stepped back out and moved towards the table. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a gun and placed it on to the table with a magazine and a single bullet. Ry's eyes widened and he looked up at his father, but he couldn't read anything in his expression. That sent a chill down his spine. He didn't fear his father but he also knew what he was capable of.

"We are just waiting on Dracka," His father offered and clapped a hand to Ry's shoulder. "Then I will explain."

Ry nodded as Severus entered the room, the man's eyes locked on the gun on the table and he stopped. Ry and Severus locked eyes briefly and the man gave him a small smile, making him feel a little better.

"I'll make coffee," Snape suggested as he moved over to the kitchen. "Do you want coffee or something else, Ry?"

"Pumpkin juice please." Ry choked out, his eyes settling on the gun again.

Blake sat down next to him with a distant look in his eyes as Severus made the coffee. He moved over with three mugs and Ry's juice. He placed the drinks down before taking a seat next to Ry.

They looked up when Dracka came through the door with a big grin and something in his hands. He placed a white envelope, a wallet and a few other bits and pieces, mostly muggle coins next to the gun on the table. Blake picked up the wallet and looked through it before placing it back on to the table. He pushed the envelope towards Ry before picking up his coffee.

Ry reached forward with a shaking hand and picked it up. He looked inside to see a thick packet of muggle cash and a photo. He slipped the photo out to see himself grinning up at him, it looked like it had been cut out of a paper. He frowned in confusion.

"We stopped an attempt on your life," His father stated softly.

Ry's head shot up as he looked at his father with wide eyes and Blake gently laid a hand on his shoulder.

"We stopped him just over the wards of the castle," Blake explained, his eyes still cold and Ry could now understand why.

"Why would they be after me?" Ry uttered then looked at Snape when he snorted.

"You are Blake's son," Severus stated.

"At least it's not because I'm Harry Potter this time," Ry remarked with a crooked smile.

His father groaned and leaned back in his seat and rubbed his face. Ry gave him a grin and placed the envelope on the table and hesitated before picking up the gun.

"Do you know how to use that?" Blake asked.

"No," Ry replied.

"Then I think lessons are in order," Blake said blandly and this time Severus groaned as Dracka barked a laugh.

"Really?" Ry asked, looking up at his father.

Blake gave him a lopsided grin.

"Never know when it will come in handy," Blake replied with a wink. "Dracka will have a hellhound follow you for a while, just in case. I'll organize with your Commander for training."

"Okay Dad," Ry said softly and placed the gun back on the table.

"Interested Severus?" Blake asked, turning his eyes on the other man.

Severus gave a sharp nod.

"I'll see you tomorrow, Ry." Blake told him before turning to the vampire. "Dracka can you have a hellhound watch him."

"Not in the bathroom," Ry squeaked and Dracka leered over at him and he blushed.

"Not in the bathroom," Blake repeated with a smirk.

Ry gave him a grin which faded when he looked at the table and he shivered. His father laid a hand on his shoulder.

"Off you go."

xXx

Harry watched as his son left the room with a hellhound on his heels and he looked back down at the table and picked up the photo.

"Was everything taken care of Dracka?" Harry asked.

"Yes," Dracka replied with a leer.

The man that would have been his son's killer would never be found, just another missing person. Harry tapped the photo on the table as he looked at the gun.

"He must have had someone look at the wards of the castle," Harry commented into the silence. "He would have seen that we didn't close the loop hole, so he took a chance."

"We still haven't had any reports of him resurfacing and he hadn't been spotted at any of the safe houses from the information Wilhelm gave us," Dracka reported as he picked up the gun. "This looks new."

"He would have had trouble getting that here," Harry remarked. "I'll pass it on to Robbie and see if he can track it."

"What would he gain with having Potter killed?" Severus inquired with a frown.

Harry tapped the photo in thought.

"Maybe it would have been used to draw me out, to act without thinking, if Ry was killed. He handed the man the money and gun himself," Harry reported. "I looked at the man's memories but couldn't see anything about where it was."

"Is that odd?" Severus asked. "That he did that in person?"

Harry paused and picked up the wallet and looked at the man's id. His address was listed as from Luton just outside of London.

"Ah, yes." Harry agreed. "He may be here in England."

Severus and Dracka paled at his words.

xXx

Harry tapped his pen on his dining table looking at all the reports scattered across the tabletop. None of them told him what he wanted to know and he was frustrated. There was nothing to say that Simpson was here in the UK, just a hunch.

He was hoping to find something, anything at all that would confirm it, but every report still had Simpson in Germany. Harry was starting to doubt his theory as time went on. He leaned back in his chair and just looked at the reports. Trying to get his thoughts in order as he fiddled with the hidden pendent around his neck. This is where Severus found him two hours later.

"Have you been here all day?" Severus asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Ah, yeah." Harry replied. "The reports are being stubborn and not giving me what I want."

Severus snorted.

"You can't glare them into submission?" Severus asked silkily.

"Maybe you would have better luck," Harry offered and gave the man a grin. "Your glares work better with the students."

"Where is this wedding being held?" Severus questioned, instead.

"The Burrow," Harry replied. "I did offer to Bill that I could hire a hall for them but he wanted it at the Burrow. You do know that the Delcour family will be there?"

"Well yes," Severus stated, looking confused.

"Half the family are veelas," Harry reminded him calmly.

Severus paled.

"The veela bitch?" Severus asked.

"Her name is Bella and no," Harry replied with a smirk. "Different family, I just thought I would remind you."

"Is Dracka coming?" Severus asked.

"No," Harry remarked. "I thought it would be safer without him."

Severus grinned and nodded.

"Ry will be coming and Ron of course." Harry continued. "I think it will be a big event. I've asked Strike team three to support the Aurors."

"You don't think there will be an attack?" Severus asked with a frown.

Harry went silent as he remembered the wedding that he had attended in his time but that had been when Voldemort was still alive.

"Blake?"

Harry looked up at Severus.

"We'll be ready just in case," Harry answered carefully.

xXx

Harry leaned back in his chair at his table in his rooms. He was sick of dealing with people as he got everything into place. He ran a hand over his head as Dracka came in and dropped into the seat across from him. Harry glanced over and could see the same wariness in the vampire as he felt himself.

"Everything in place?" Harry asked.

"Yes, finally." Dracka replied. "I have my second taking command to leave us free for the wedding."

Harry nodded and tapped the pen on the table.

"Sergeant Miller has been informed and is leading the security." Harry stated calmly and flicked a file at Dracka. "The wedding is in the afternoon and the reception should be well on its way by nightfall. If he is going to do anything it will be later in the night."

"When many people will be too drunk to stand," Dracka agreed with a grin.

"Ron and Ry have been given the night and day off for the wedding," Harry said with a grin. "Plus, Hermione and a few of Ry's friends will be there as well."

Harry tapped his pen for a while as he thought through his plans. He ran them over in his head, to make sure he had covered everything he could. He did not want something to go wrong at the wedding, not only his friends would be there but his family as well.

"Bill and I have already placed the wards," Harry added. "They will hold against magic as well as any muggle device."

Tap, tap, tap.

"I've tied the wards to Bill," Harry continued. "He will be alerted if something happens."

Tap, tap, tap.

"I have everything in place," Harry stated again, his mind somewhere else. "I think I have covered everything."

Tap, tap, ta-.

"Blake!" Dracka snapped.

Harry startled and looked at the vampire, glaring at the pen with red eyes.

"Ah, sorry," Harry laughed and placed the pen on the table out of his reach.

"It will be fine," Dracka told him with a smile. "We have covered everything, just enjoy the wedding and don't drink too much."

Harry gave a laugh as he looked at the vampire in amusement.

xXx

Harry smiled at the woman in front of him and for the life of him couldn't remember her name. He was sure that she was a friend of a friend of Bill's but wasn't completely sure. She had introduced herself but that was some time ago as Harry sipped on his beer and looked around the gathering. He shifted uncomfortably in his formal robes and remembered Severus's laughter floating back to him as he smiled at the woman in front of him.

"…So, we have been working on cross breeding them," The woman was saying, her brown eyes bright as she spoke. "We have been getting some great results."

"That's great news," Harry muttered and took another sip of beer.

She was talking about some kind of flower or something along those lines. He had given up listening a long time ago. The wedding had gone off without a hitch and it was well into the night by now as the soft music sent more people to the bar or dance floor.

"We may even beat that snob Alice Hotson next year," The woman said and gave him a huge smile.

Harry gave her one back, she was a beautiful woman with long flowing black hair and dancing brown eyes in her early thirties. She was also so drunk that Harry was surprised the woman was still on her feet and able to string a sentence together.

"It sounds like you're doing very well in your work then," Harry added with a grin as he adjusted his collar, bloody robes.

The woman laughed and leaned close, her dress slightly slipping down her shoulder and exposing more of her breasts. Harry politely gave them a glance before focusing on the woman's face.

"I would be happy to show you," The woman purred, looking up at him.

"Thank you for your invitation," Harry replied. "But work at the school does keep me busy."

"Oh," The woman cried, standing up straighter. "Of course! You work at Hogwarts."

The woman beaned at him and started to talk about her sister's children. Harry nodded along as his eyes casually glanced around the room. Severus was on the other side of the room talking with a group of men and as he caught his eye. The man gave him a smirk.

' _Help me_ ,' Harry mouthed, but the man just smirked wider and turned to the man next to him.

' _Traitor_ ,' Harry thought as his eyes kept looking around.

Sergeant Miller and his team were spread out in the room and he met the man's eye briefly. The man gave him a nod as then looked over the rest of the room.

"How is it working with the older children?"

Harry turned back to the woman in front of him at the question.

"About the same as the younger ones," Harry replied and snagged another beer as the waitress went by. "I only teach advanced students."

"Oh," The woman said. "So, you're not a Professor?"

"God, no." Harry replied with a grin and a wink.

The woman grinned up at him at the wink, her brown eyes soft.

"Oh, the kids must love you," The woman cried as she stumbled slightly.

"That would be going a little far," Harry remarked with a laugh and guided the woman to a seat.

"Oh," The woman stuttered as she sat down and looked up at him. "But those green eyes of yours must win you some admires."

Harry laughed in amusement then froze as something brushed over him.

"Excuse me," Harry muttered as he placed his beer on the table. "It looks like Bill's trying to get my attention."

The woman looked over her shoulder and when she turned back with a frown, Harry was gone.

Harry slipped through the crowd as he felt that darkness touch on him again and got a faint image of a white flag. He caught Miller's eye and flicked his eye to Severus.

' _Hold him_ ,' Harry signed. ' _Simpson. Be ready_.'

The man nodded and moved towards Severus as Harry adjusted his robes. He slipped outside the very large tent and into the night. He slipped his phone out of his pocket and dialled Dracka number.

"He's here," Harry whispered into the phone when the man picked up. "Be ready."

He hung up the phone before the vampire could say anything and followed the dark signal into the wheat fields around the Burrow. He followed a small path as he slipped the ring that Severus had given him from his finger and into his pocket. He softly cut the connection to Ry's bracelet and Severus. He didn't want anything that Simpson could use against him.

He stopped as he reached the edge of the wards that Bill and himself had placed. The music behind him floating softly on the air. There was a small clearing in front of him and he could see a man on the other side in a smart suit waiting for him.

Harry took one step over the wards and activated them behind him, then stood there waiting. The man came closer but stopped well back. Harry met the man's cold brown eyes evenly.

"Mr Blake Sun," The man called. "Do you know me?"

"Yes," Harry answered.

The man's smile widened and he added, "Do you know me from before?"

"Yes," Harry repeated as he stood calmly.

The man laughed. "Then you know what I will become!"

"A corpse with a knife through his chest on a warehouse floor," Harry replied coldly.

The man paused as he could hear the truth in Harry's words.

"Well," Simpson remarked. "It looks like I am destined for better things this time, Mr Sun."

"No," Harry countered coldly. "I'm sure it will end the same way, just the location might be different."

The man laughed and brushed his dark magic over Harry and the Hallows flared up as Harry gritted his teeth.

"Such dark magic in you," Simpson said calmly. "How have you not come to our side of thinking?"

"I do not kill for pleasure, Simpson." Harry hissed.

He slowly worked his magic down into the earth at his feet as he spoke. Creating a blanket of dark magic then he very slowly and carefully wove thin strands of light magic through it. His hand shook slightly at the effort it took without holding a wand and he curled his hand into a fist to cover that up.

Simpson laughed and stepped forward.

"I've read some of your files, Mr Sun." Simpson purred. "I have also seen how blood thirsty you can be. Not to mention that fact that I have seen the memories of you covered in the blood of my giants."

"They do tend to bleed everywhere, don't they?" Harry drawled in agreement. "I suppose that's the problem with giants, due to their size, they have a lot of blood to bleed."

The man looked taken aback by Harry's words and Harry got the feeling that he wasn't living up to the man's expectations.

"You are not what I was expecting, Mr Sun." Simpson called, confirming Harry's thoughts.

"Were you expecting a child, Simpson?" Harry asked quietly. "I am not one."

The man laughed and took another step closer.

"No, no. I suppose you are not." Simpson agreed and looked him over. "Is it confusing having two sets of memories? To see yourself in your son?"

Harry cocked his head to the side.

"Now they are interesting questions," Harry remarked mildly. "Where would this theory be coming from?"

The man just grinned and the dark magic around him increased. Harry could feel the dark thoughts in the back of his mind pushing at him. Whispering his doubts and fears bringing them to the surface of his mind but he casually pushed them to the side. He had yet to face a Dark Lord that didn't use that trick.

"You hold the Deathly Hallows," Simpson stated instead and the night seemed to ring with the words.

Simpson then slipped a very familiar dark wand from his pocket and held it up for Harry to see with a grin. Harry took a step forward instinctively as Simpson held up his own wand.

"It seems that I have something of yours," Simpson commented as he held the wand at his side.

"Yes," Harry agreed as he looked up at the man, his eyes a little wider. "So how does that relate to a children's story?"

" _Avada Kedavra_ ," The man hissed.

The spell shot from the dark wand straight at Harry, who didn't even flinch or move. Halfway to Harry it just puffed into green mist that floated away on the breeze. Simpson's laughter ran out as Harry tensed.

"So, it's true!" Simpson exclaimed. "Immortal life!"

Harry didn't say anything as he continued to work on his spell and waited. He looked to the side as something started to move in the wheat fields.

"Well then, Mr Sun." Simpson called with a grin. "If I can't kill you…"

Two men dragged a third into the clearing. He was badly beaten and Harry could tell he had a broken leg as blood dripped onto the ground from a large gash on the side of his forehead. Dracka looked up at him with large dark eyes. Harry's eyes hardened, but he did not move from where he stood as he locked eyes with the vampire. They both knew what was coming.

"I believe you know each other?" Simpson mentioned with a smile and pointed the dark wand at the vampire. "I believe he is your second in command."

Harry snorted.

"I am a teacher," Harry scoffed. "Not a Commander."

Simpson laughed as dark magic spun around them. Dracka shivered and dropped his head as he was held between the two men.

"Come now, Mr Sun." Simpson purred, and Harry felt a shiver go down his own back at the remembered words from so long ago, even if the name was different. "We all know that is a lie. Now tell me about the Deathly Hallows?"

"They are a children's story," Harry answered silkily. "About three brothers."

One of the men holding Dracka smashed his fist into the vampire's stomach. Dracka grunted in pain and Harry gritted his teeth as his eyes hardened.

"Let's start again," Simpson said calmly. "I hold the elder wand, where are the other two pieces?"

Harry's eyes flashed but he kept a hold on his temper and tried to tuned out Dracka's painful breaths.

"Lost," Harry replied. "They are gone."

The man cocked his head to the side as he looked at him with cold brown eyes.

"You are telling the truth," Simpson stated as he stepped forward. "Then how are you still alive?"

"Good luck," Harry replied and pushed down on his memories as the other man's dark magic swirled around him.

"I do not believe that," Simpson snapped.

One of the men held Dracka up as the other punched into his stomach. Harry flinched slightly at the noise the vampire made.

"I do not believe that for a second!" The man hissed.

Harry's eyes flashed as he flared his magic. Simpson waved his hand and the man stopped hitting Dracka. The vampire hung limply, his harsh breathing loud in the clearing.

"There it is," Simpson cooed as Harry's eyes glowed. "Is your life worth more than your lover's?"

Fear spiked through Harry before he realised he was referring to Dracka.

"Could you live with yourself, knowing it was your own wand that ends his life?" Simpson asked, as he stepped closer to Dracka and brought the wand up. "Tell me how to hold the power of the Deathly Hallows!"

Harry bared his teeth at the man, his eyes burning. The magic in him swirled and pushed back against Simpson's dark magic but he didn't have as much dark magic as the other man. He knew that Simpson's magic could crush him. He wasn't sure that he could deal with being tortured by the other man again if this went the wrong way.

"No," Harry hissed.

"You will not tell me?" Simpson asked him casually. "You would let him die? By your own wand?"

"Blake," Dracka whispered hoarsely as he looked up at him with one of his eyes already swollen shut.

Harry curled his hands into fists and held his ground. His stomach churning at the plead in Dracka's voice.

"I will not tell you!" Harry replied, his words cracking out like a whip on the air.

"So be it," Simpson stated and smiled. " _Avada Kedavra_."

"No!" Harry yelled.

The green light consumed Dracka and the man went limp. The men holding him up, just let him drop to the ground in a heap. Harry couldn't look away as he fell to his knees, staring at his friend's limp body in horror as Simpson's laughter rolled over him. He didn't fight as the two men grabbed his arms and pulled him to his feet.

Simpson moved forward until he stood in front of him, Harry's dark wand in his fingers. The smile the man gave him, chilled Harry to the bone. Pulling up memories of a different time and life.

"How many more have to die, Mr Sun?" Simpson asked lightly. "Until I get what I want."

Harry looked up at him and smiled coldly.

Simpson took a step back, uncertain.

"The thing about people, Mr Simpson." Harry whispered. "Is that when you take something away from them, you don't make them weaker…it makes them stronger."

Simpson stumbled back and Harry sprung his trap. The magic that he had been slowly weaving, sprung from the ground and covered the other man, like a blanket. The magic pulled him down to the ground and he yelled out. Harry pulled away from the grip of the two men and called his sword into his hand. He rammed the sword into the man on the right before he spun and stabbed through the one on his left. Within seconds improving his odds.

He poured his magic into his spell, his light and dark mixing together over Simpson as the man screamed. He could feel Simpson's dark magic fighting back and he pushed more light magic into the spell trying to hold him down. He staggered forward as dark magic swirled around him, bitting at his mind and he tried to hold the magic in place.

Simpson screamed and fought against the magic in the net spell. Harry gasped and fell to one knee, as the pressure pushed against his spell. He realised he wasn't going to be able to hold it and he couldn't bring up a shield. He poured more magic into the net spell but it wasn't enough and with an explosion it shattered.

Harry was flung into the air and his back collided with the wards behind him painfully as his head rang and his vision blurred. He groaned and looked up to see his own dark wand pointed at him. Simpson looked a mess; his suit was torn and blood ran from cuts all over him.

His brown eyes were cold as they looked down at him and Harry, for just a second, felt like he was back in that room. That his back was on fire as the Hallows burned in his veins and he froze. His thought blanking out for just a moment.

"Nice trick," Simpson panted. "But not good enough! _Curcio_!"

Harry just smiled up at him as the spell failed and he called the elder wand back into his hand. Simpson stumbled back as the wand disappeared from his fingers. Harry stood and staggered forward, his wand held in his hand as he gave the man a cold smile.

"Shall we try that again?" Harry asked softly as he held the wand up, his eyes flashing.

Simpson's eyes darted around and Harry could see fear in him for the first time. The man had realised that he wasn't dealing with a normal man as Harry looked at him with glowing green eyes. The man quickly scrambled back and fumbled with something in his pocket then disappeared as he activated a portkey.

Harry slipped his wand into his pocket and stumbled over to Dracka, his head ringing. He fell to his knees beside him and slipped a knife out of his pocket. He cut a shallow cut on his wrist as he turned the man over. He held his wrist out in front of Dracka.

He hissed a breath when the vampire grabbed his wrist and bit down deeply. He stretched his legs out as he rested against Dracka's back as the man fed and that was how Severus found them.

"Blake!"

Harry looked up with tired eyes to see Severus with Miller's team at the edge of the wards. Harry waved his hand and dropped them. Severus ran straight at him then stumbled to a stop when he saw Dracka and what Harry was doing.

"Check the area," Harry ordered Miller and his team. "I don't think there is anyone around but check anyway."

The man nodded and barked his orders leaving the three men alone.

"Blake?" Severus asked softly.

Harry hissed as Dracka bit deeper.

"Oi," Harry snapped at him and Dracka eased up.

Harry could feel his head getting lighter from blood loss as he looked up at Severus.

"I'm going to pass out soon," Harry told him and Severus paled. "Use the portkey in my pocket to get us home, okay?"

Severus nodded as Harry's world started to tunnel in from both blood loss and working too much magic. Severus's face was the last thing he saw as the darkness closed in completely.


	53. Chapter 53

Dracka stopped drinking the moment Blake passed out and collapsed against him. He could still feel the demon in him raging but he couldn't keep drinking or he could kill the man. He felt Severus gently move Blake off him and Dracka curled his hand around the man's wrist to stop the bleeding. He didn't have enough power to heal it.

"Severus!" Dracka hissed and the man's dark eyes darted to him. "Bind his wrist!"

Dracka carefully moved his broken leg which was already starting to heal. He held Blake's wrist and looked down at the pale man. Fear stabbed through him and he placed a hand on his cold cheek. The thought that he'd taken too much blood spiked through him. He hadn't been in his right mind when he'd started feeding.

Severus moved in beside him and took Blake's wrist. He quickly splashed a potion across the bite mark as he pulled a bandage from his pocket.

"You came prepared?" Dracka asked in surprise.

"It's Blake," Severus hissed and Dracka could see the man's hands shaking.

He started at the sight, he had never seen the man's hands shake like that before.

"He had a plan," Dracka said softly.

"I would hope so," Severus snapped back, his eyes flashing. "He took his ring off, Dracka."

The vampire started at the words as they looked down at Blake's pale face.

"We have to get him back to the school." Dracka suggested. "We are too exposed here."

"All clear," Sergeant Miller reported and Severus and Dracka looked up.

The man held a gun loosely in his hand as he looked down at them looking pale, his eyes a little wide.

"Is he?" The man whispered.

"He'll be fine," Dracka told him and hoped he was right.

The man nodded sharply.

"I have my orders," Miller stated before he walked away.

The two men looked after him before turning back to Blake.

"Do you have any blood replenishing potions?" Dracka asked.

"Back at the school," Severus replied as he patted Blake's pockets down for the portkey.

He came up with a little gold snake with a note wrapped around it. Severus snorted and showed Dracka the note.

' _Passcode 'idiot'_.' Was written in Blake's neat script. ' _You can yell at me later_.'

Severus grabbed Blake's shoulder as Dracka grabbed his arm.

"Idiot," Severus whispered.

They landed with a jolt in Blake's rooms. Dracka hissed and Severus stumbled into one of the chairs behind him. It was a rough landing, but since it was through anti portkey wards it was expected it would be rough.

"Albus probably felt that," Severus muttered as he got to his feet and ran for his office, leaving Dracka and Blake on the floor.

Dracka looked down at the man and carefully loosened his hold on the dark wand and placed it on the floor next to him. He still felt cold as he placed a hand on his cheek and the man was so still and that coldness in his stomach returned. Blake's phone went off in his pocket and he pulled it out but didn't answer it. He just couldn't bring himself to deal with anything at the moment. He pushed his hair back then looked down at the blood on his hands.

He could feel Blake's blood in his stomach, but couldn't feel any magic in it and that had him scared all over. He looked up as Severus rushed back into the room with Albus on his heels. The Headmaster pulled up short at the sight of them as Severus laid out some potions.

"Help me sit him up," Severus whispered.

Dracka moved behind Blake and hissed as pain spiked through him as his leg was still mending itself. His eyes locked with Severus's and the man looked at him in concern.

"I'm fine," Dracka replied, feeling anything but.

"I doubt that," Severus whispered. "But I'll deal with you after."

Dracka shivered at the look in Severus's eyes and nodded. Dracka held Blake as Severus forced the potions into him.

"What happened?" Albus asked.

"Blake had a brilliant but risky plan." Dracka explained.

Severus's hand paused.

"He didn't say anything," Severus said softly.

"He couldn't," Dracka replied. "Both of us couldn't, it was part of the spell he worked. We needed to know one hundred per cent that word of our plan could not get out for it to work."

"What plan?" Albus asked as he took a seat at the table.

"We launched an attack against Simpson's forces," Dracka announced and flashed his fangs.

The other two men shivered and Dracka thought he must look a sight for such a reaction.

"As we speak," Dracka continued and moved Blake to a move comfortable position as his stomach started to ache. "Our forces are attacking every compound, safe house and ally of Simpson's."

Severus sat back on his heels as Albus just gaped at him.

"Blake made sure that Simpson knew he was going to be at Bill's wedding," Dracka explained. "And let slip that security would be light, just one team."

"He drew him out?" Severus questioned.

"Yes," Dracka agreed with a dark grin. "He had a theory that Simpson was here in England even if nothing else confirmed it."

Blake's phone rang again but Dracka ignored it as Severus raised an eyebrow.

"He worked out a plan to draw him out," Dracka continued. "Simpson had the elder wand and the chance of getting his hands on the other two parts of the Hallows which was a risk that Blake thought he would take. The damn man was right."

"He went out to meet him alone," Severus whispered.

"Yes," Dracka confirmed. "But he needed to distract him for as long as he could. To make it look like it wasn't that easy and to give everyone time."

"That's where you came in," Severus intoned, his eyes dark.

"Yes."

"You allowed yourself to be captured."

"Hey," Dracka yelped, then hissed in pain. "I took a fair amount of them down!"

Severus smirked at him but Dracka could see the concern in his eyes and it made him pause.

"The bastard had more men with him than we were expecting," Dracka admitted. "But it didn't matter in the end."

"You needed blood," Severus stated as he looked at him and Albus started.

"Yes," Dracka confirmed. "Simpson used the killing curse on me. We thought it could be a possibility."

Severus's eyes widened as Albus hissed a breath.

"With Blake's wand," Dracka went on quickly. "Hurt like a bugger."

"You should be dead," Severus uttered and grabbed his shoulder.

"Severus," Dracka whispered. "It was Blake's wand."

The words sunk into Severus's head as the phone went off again.

"Are you going to answer that?" Albus asked.

"Ah, no." Dracka replied. "My second is standing in for me and Blake has Sergeant Miller taking command. They are just panicking. Now, can you move him?"

Severus nodded and between him and Albus they got Blake up and moved him to the bedroom. Dracka slowly laid back on the floor, feeling his age and every bruise and cut. Severus returned and looked down at him before he crouched down and Dracka tensed.

"Come on," Severus muttered. "Let's get you up."

Dracka let Severus and Albus pull him to his feet. His once broken leg protesting and threatening to give out on him as he panted in pain. Blake's blood had helped heal the bone but it wasn't enough. The killing curse had taken a lot out of him but at least he was still alive. Severus moved him towards the bedroom, which surprised him.

"Severus," Dracka hissed.

"Shut it," Severus snapped back.

Dracka did, as the two men laid him down next to Blake.

"Good night, Boys." Albus offered as he patted Severus on the shoulder. "We'll talk more tomorrow."

"Night, Albus."

Severus pulled out a bowl of water and cloth after the Headmaster left. He started to wipe the blood and dirt off the vampire's face. Dracka's dark eyes watching him the whole time. Severus slipped out of his robes and sat next to him on the bed and reached for Blake's silver knife.

"Severus?" Dracka questioned, unsure what the man had in mind. "We didn't keep this from you because we didn't trust you. We needed your reaction to be authentic in case Simpson had people in place. The plan could only move forward if he took the bait."

Severus just held the knife without saying a word and Dracka started to grow concerned. Severus then leaned back on the headboard and made a small cut on his wrist. Dracka's eyes burned red at the smell of blood reached him and his demon snarled in his mind. He held himself back as much as he could but it was hard. Severus still hadn't looked at him.

"Severus?" Dracka whimpered.

"Shut up, vampire." Severus snapped and held his wrist out.

Dracka's eyes flashed and he grabbed the man's wrist. He bit down gently with more control than he had when he had fed off Blake. Blood and magic flooded his mouth and he moaned, his eyes closing as he relaxed back. His healing quickening with the added boost of Severus's magic. He gently released Severus's wrist after a few minutes. The other man pulled back and healed the wound before looking at him with unreadable dark eyes.

"Thank you," Dracka whispered, already feeling sleep pulling at him as he curled into Blake beside him.

Severus laid a hand on his shoulder as sleep pulled him down. Dracka felt better knowing that they had made their big move and hoping it was going to be enough. Severus sat there watching the two long into the night. He could have lost both men that night and the thought chilled him to the bone. In one night, he could have lost everything and he hadn't known the risk was there.

xXx

Harry woke feeling groggy and the feeling of an arm around his chest. He reached out but couldn't feel Severus and he panicked in his confusion. He stumbled to his feet and crashed into the wall. He grunted and pulled the door open.

"Blake!"

Harry's head shot up and Severus was there, looking pale and grabbing his arms. He leaned into the doorway as the world spun around him.

"Calm down," Severus whispered and Harry threw his arms around him. "Sh."

Harry melted into the man's arms. His mind spun and his legs felt like rubber as they threatened to collapse under him.

"Couldn't feel you," Harry whispered hoarsely in his ear.

Severus ran his hands over his back and hair as he walked him back towards the bed.

"You're not wearing the ring, Blake." Severus explained.

Harry's head pounded as he sat on the bed and looked up at Severus.

"Hey," Harry whispered.

Severus grinned at him.

"You need a shower," Severus drawled.

"When the world behaves and stops moving," Harry replied with a small grin.

Severus laughed and sat down next to him and pulled him into his arms. Harry pulled back and patted his pockets down.

"Looking for this?" Severus asked silkily, holding up the ring.

Harry grinned and took the ring from Severus's hand. He slipped it onto his finger and feeling the connection to the other man run over him.

"Why did you take it off?" Severus asked softly.

"Couldn't risk the connection," Harry replied. "Had to cut through Ry's connection as well. Ry!"

Severus pulled him back down when Harry went to stand.

"He's passed out on the lounge," Severus informed him in amusement. "His commander dropped him off a couple of hours ago. His message was; 'He's your son, you deal with him.'"

Harry snorted.

"I left a bucket next to him," Severus reported with a smirk. "Apparently, I'm his new best friend and I'm not bad for a Slytherin."

Harry snorted then laughed when Dracka snorted loudly in his sleep and turned over in the bed. He looked over at the vampire who was spread out over the bed.

"Where are we supposed to sleep now?" Harry asked.

"You know," Severus purred. "I do have my own rooms."

Harry snorted and got up. The world spun slightly and he grabbed the wall, Severus just leaned back and looked at him.

"Where would you be going?" Severus smirked.

"Someone said I needed a shower," Harry stated with a wink. "Want to help?"

Severus grinned and took his arm in his.

"About time you asked, Mr Sun."

xXx

Harry and Severus started awake when a door banged loudly.

"You left me alone with your hungover son! He threw up all over your bathroom floor, by the way!"

Harry groaned and pulled the blanket over his head as his headache kicking up a notch at Dracka's voice.

"Your phone is still ringing Blake! Shacklebolt is at your door and he is not alone! You have a crowd out there!"

Harry peered out from under the covers and looked up at Dracka.

"Did we win?" Harry asked softly.

"This time?" Dracka stated, glaring down at him. "Yes!"

"Then what are you complaining about?" Harry questioned.

Severus snorted from somewhere under the covers next to him.

Dracka deflated at those words and sat down on the bed next to him.

"There is still work to do," Dracka muttered as he held his head in his hand.

"What time is it?" Harry asked with a yawn.

"Just after eleven." Dracka replied. "Ministry has a meeting planned for twelve."

"We are not going," Harry announced and Dracka froze.

"We have been invited," Dracka pointed out. "Letter came to Albus just before from the Minster of Magic, requesting us to attend."

"We are not leaving Hogwarts," Harry insisted.

Severus wrapped an arm around his middle and flicked the cover back so he could see. Dracka's eyes darted to him before focusing back on Harry.

"Why?" Dracka asked.

"We stand at Hogwarts," Harry answered. "Simpson will be hurting and not just from what I did. He will be running and is unpredictable. I'm not going to give him another opening to attack us. We are safe behind the wards of Hogwarts. We stay here."

"You know they won't like that," Dracka mused.

"If they want to talk to us," Harry said calmly. "They can come here. Have the reports come in yet?"

"Some have," Dracka told him. "I've spoken to my second and everything went well in France. Miller and Shaklebolt are waiting for you as well,. Albus is keeping them entertained."

"I better save them from that fate," Harry groaned.

Severus huffed a laugh, kissed him on the neck. He then rolled away from him, taking the blanket with him and curled back up. Dracka grinned over at him and Harry groaned again as he dragged himself out of bed. He grabbed one of Severus's shirts and pulled it on. Dracka laughed at him when it came down to his mid thighs. Harry just grinned and pulled on some underwear. He walked out of the bedroom and towards the main door.

"You are going to walk out like that?" Dracka asked with a grin.

"Better than nothing," Harry said with a wink and walked out into the hallway.

He walked passed everyone crowded in the hallway as whispers and giggles sounded around him. Ignoring the adults and children he moved a few doors down and slipped through his door. With a wave of his hand, the air was cleared of the smell of vomit as he looked down at his son. He was sprawled out on his stomach, dead to the world.

"Poor kid," Dracka cooed but the smirk gave him away as he looked down at the sleeping boy.

Dracka picked up a large book from the table and held it up.

"Don't even think about it," Harry growled. "My head hurts enough."

Dracka carefully placed the book back on the table as Harry disappeared into his bedroom. Just as he closed the door, he heard a splash, a loud squeak and swearing. He smirked as he dressed quickly and picked up his pain tablets.

He walked out of the room to see Ry on all fours covered in water and a smirking Dracka holding a large jug, full of water. Harry took the jug out of the vampire's hand and took a swallow to take the pills while Ry groaned on the floor. The boy looked up at his father with large green eyes, his hair plastered to his head. He pushed it out of his eyes, Harry's eyes caught on the lightning bolt scar for a second.

He held out the pill bottle and the jug which the boy took as he looked up from the floor.

"You two are as bad as each other!" Ry snapped, his green eyes flashing.

"You threw up all over the bathroom floor," Dracka growled. "While I was in the shower!"

Harry snorted, as the painkillers kicked in.

"Two tablets, Ry." Harry ordered as he picked up his dark wand from the table and cleaned up the water. "Then back to bed, they will knock you out."

Dracka looked at him sharply but he ignored it.

"No fair," Ry whined. "You're not hungover! I saw you drinking too!"

Harry grinned at the boy as he grumbled and slipped back under the blanket on the lounge.

"Your Commander has given you to me," Harry said sweetly.

"Ah, crap." Ry groaned.

Harry just smiled at him darkly, the boy groaned louder and pulled the blanket over his head.

"Now that you have tormented your son," Dracka stated sweetly. "Are you ready to torment others?"

Ry snorted from under the covers as Harry grinned over at Dracka. He picked up the files from his table.

"Sure," Harry stated lightly. "They have already seen me in just a shirt. I can only face them with more dignity, fully dressed."

Giggling came from under the covers on the lounge and Dracka picked up the book again. Harry smirked and walked towards his door and opened it up. He stepped out to the sound of a loud bang behind him. He looked at the people in the hallway, both adults and students alike.

"So," Harry announced with a grin. "How can I help you today?"

xXx

Harry flicked through the report in front of him as he sipped on his coffee. They were seated around a large table in an unused classroom on the third floor. Albus had moved them up there from the hallway outside of Harry's room and away from the students. Sergeant Miller was giving his report at the moment, which Harry listened to with half an ear.

Dracka's second, Bradon, had arrived via portkey and was sitting next to the vampire. Kingsley was sitting next to Percy Weasley who was sitting in for the Minister of Magic while he had his own meeting. Conner Fritz was there for the German ministry as well as a woman called Alice Thomas standing in for the French ministry. Sirius and Remus had appeared at some point as well as the Auror commander a man called Ben Filter. Albus rounded out the group but other people were coming and going as they ran through the information.

"…So, our raids went without a hitch," Sergeant Miller finished up. "We hold six of Simpson's safe houses here and have taken twenty men into custody. We lost Simpson's trail though. We believe that he hopped the border and is in Germany."

Harry nodded, expecting as much.

"Were they well-armed?" Harry asked. "Muggle or magical?"

"Small catch of muggle weapons," Miller replied. "Mostly guns, I have Robbie tracking them down."

"Prisoners? Wizard or muggle?"

"Wizard and witches." Miller commented. "No dark or light creatures, that we have been able to work out. I'm sure that Dracka can tell us different when he feels up to coming to the Death Eater prison."

"We got vampires," Bradon said quietly from beside Dracka.

"Just vampires?" Harry asked, sipping his coffee.

"And a few veela," Bradon added. "And some wizards and witches with creature blood. We have turned the wizards and witches over to the French Ministry."

"We have veela too," Conner reported. "We had more of a problem with the compounds. We had to pull back from a couple. He had a lot more support than we were expecting even with the information from Mr Shin. We believe that Simpson put it in place after Wilhelm fled."

Harry held up the file and Conner nodded, they didn't have as much success in Germany as they did in France and the UK. However, since they launched the attack at the same time everywhere, while Harry had been distracting Simpson. His men couldn't be moved to re-enforce the forces that were failing. It did prove that Simpson had a second in command even if they weren't sure who it was at this stage.

"I'll have to call Bella," Harry muttered and Dracka tensed next to him. "She'll know where each veela that you have captured is from and whether they are in breach of the Council or Treaty."

He looked through the report for a little longer as the others spoke softly around him.

"Mr Weasley," Harry called and the red head looked up at him with large eyes. "How is the Minster this morning?"

"Um," Percy stumbled over his words. "Not impressed."

Harry smirked and gave the boy a wink. Percy blushed, Harry had taught him for his last year before he left Hogwarts.

"He has given you another request to meet at the Ministry," Percy announced and pushed an envelope across the table to him.

"If he wants to see me he can come here," Harry replied calmly as he pulled out the sheet of paper and looked it over. "Or call me."

Harry handed it back to Percy with a smile. Dracka placed a file in front of him as he spoke to his second and Harry flicked it open.

' _Bella? Are you out of your mind_!' Was written in Dracka's curling handwriting on a piece of paper in the file.

' _We all do what we have to, love_.' Harry wrote back and pushed it in front of the vampire who growled in reply.

"Commander," Harry said instead and the brown-haired man looked up. "How long do I have Ry for?"

The man glared at him.

"That long?" Harry asked with a smirk.

"That boy," Ben Filter growled. "Should not be allowed near alcohol."

Harry grinned, he knew that well.

"He's young," Harry replied mildly.

"Or a cauldron," The man added. "I'm still sending you the bill for that classroom!"

Dracka snorted next to Harry.

"Ah," Harry stuttered. "You can't just take it out of the Potter vault? He is an adult now."

"The day he acts like an adult, Sun! I'll take the money out of the Potter vault," Filter said glaring at Harry.

"That bad?" Harry asked mildly.

"We can't even use the classrooms on either side of it," Filter snapped.

Dracka laughed as Harry just stared at the man.

"Are you serious?" Harry asked.

"Yes," Filter growled.

"Ha!" Dracka laughed. "Like father, like son!"

"You do remember that I'm not his biological father, right?" Harry pointed out to the vampire.

Dracka flashed his fangs at him as the Commander laughed.

"Only distantly related to James Potter!" Harry remined him. "Don't even have the Potter name, by the way!"

The two men just laughed harder as the rest of the table took notice.

"Fine," Harry snapped. "I'll take over his training for six months."

"I'll write it off as training with the Department of Mysteries," Filter stated with a smile.

Harry glared at the man knowing when he'd been played. The man just looked at him mildly with a glint in his eyes. Harry wondered what the man had in mind for his son.

"I think that a break might be in order," Albus announced, standing. "Thank you for coming."

The meeting broke up shortly after that and Harry sat back in his seat as everyone filed out.

"We did good," Dracka remarked, when it was just them in the room.

"Yes," Harry agreed. "It felt a lot better to make a strike against him instead of just waiting for him to attack us."

"Your wand," Dracka mentioned then looked away.

Harry frowned at him and pulled both wands out and placed them on the table. He pushed them both towards Dracka.

"Pick it up," Harry whispered as he leaned back in his seat.

Dracka picked the wands up and his eyes widened. He placed the cherry wand back on the table as he looked at the elder wand.

"I knew he was going to use that wand," Harry stated "The temptation is just too strong but he isn't its master."

"How have I not felt this before from it?" Dracka asked softly.

Harry smirked and Dracka dropped the wand to the table as if he'd been bitten.

"You!" The vampire yelped.

"Me," Harry agreed with a grin. "It may be temperamental and have bitten me a few times but I am still its master."

"So, he wouldn't have been able to complete any spell?" Dracka asked.

"Oh, no." Harry replied. "It would have been a pain in the ass to stop every spell. I just blocked the ones that counted."

Dracka paled as the words sunk in.

"So, he could have killed me?" Dracka whispered.

"Now, now Dracka." Harry admonished as he got to his feet and grabbed his cane. "Then who would torment my son and entertain me?"

"You have Severus for that," Dracka drawled dryly.

"Yeah, but he won't let me beat him up," Harry pointed out with a smirk as he moved out of the room.

"Ha! I just let you win last time, Sun!"

xXx

Severus eyes rested on Ry and Ginny Weasley sitting close together at the Gryffindor table as he ran a hand over his chin. Weasley said something and the boy laughed, his green eyes focused completely on the girl. He wondered if Blake felt this disjointed when he saw people he knew from before he came here or things happening the same way as in his time. Knowing what was going to happen but unsure it would turn out the same or if his actions would change the outcome.

"You know that creeps him out," Blake stated as he took a seat next to him at the table.

"I don't think he will notice at the moment," Severus replied mildly.

Blake looked over at his son and an odd look came into his eyes.

"Ah, I think you may be right," Blake muttered as he reached for the coffee on the table. "At least I didn't get his partner in crime as well for six months. One of them is bad enough, I already had Mr Weasley at my door before asking if he could do his training with Ry."

Severus shivered at the thought.

"How did he get into the Auror program without potions?" Severus asked.

"I think Arthur pulled a couple of strings," Blake replied as he filled his plate.

"So, you had nothing to do with it?"

"Me?" Blake squeaked and looked over at him. "Nope, I wouldn't even let him into my classes."

Severus snorted.

"Then again," Blake mused. "It was debatable with Ry as well but at least there was Hermione to keep an eye on him."

Severus laughed as Dracka landed in the seat on the other side of him.

"Have fun with your vampire buddy?" Blake asked mildly.

"I believed that the classroom on the second floor is free, Blake." Dracka offered.

"Why?" Blake asked sweetly. "Is Bradon waiting up there for me?"

Severus leaned back in his chair with a smirk as Dracka and Blake snipped at each other, with him in the middle. He caught Minerva's amused eyes and winked at her, making her turn away with a blush. It may not be over but at least some things never changed.

xXx

"Left foot back! No, your left foot! Dracka stop teasing the boy," Harry yelled. "Oh, for fuck sake. Dracka!"

The vampire sat on the boy looking up at Harry with a big grin as students laughed around them. Harry shook his head and couldn't understand why Ry wasn't picking this up. He had picked it up quickly at a younger age than Ry was now and his teachers had told him he had a natural talent for combat but Ry didn't seem to have that.

"Let him up, Dracka." Harry snapped as he walked over to them and held his hand out to Ry.

Dracka smirked as Harry pulled his son to his feet. Harry passed his cane to the grinning vampire and got into stance.

"Balance is everything," Harry stated calmly as the boy spread his feet. "Keep your hands loose, now bring them up in front of you."

Harry threw a right hook and the boy brought up his arm up and deflected the blow with a grin.

"It's like a dance," Harry instructed as he turned lightly on his feet. "Every move has a counter move. The key is looking for a weakness."

"Are you going to fight or lecture Blake?" Dracka asked from behind him.

Harry grinned and moved. Ry swung at him and he ducked and got within his reach and grabbed the boy's wrist. With one move, he used his own momentum to flip him onto his back holding his arm. He twisted it slightly as he looked down at his son.

"Oi!" Ry yelped and Harry let him go.

"Dracka come here," Harry ordered instead.

Ry got to his feet and stood back as Dracka stepped forward with a grin and passed Harry's cane to the boy. Harry fell into a loose stance as Dracka followed suit. Harry swung a fist and Dracka blocked and swung his left fist towards his stomach and Harry danced to the side as the vampire stumbled.

"Now my weak point is my right leg," Harry called out, they were starting to get a crowd. "Which Dracka is fully aware of."

The vampire lunged forward and kicked out at his side. Harry tried to grab the other man's leg but wasn't quick enough as he turned slightly and Dracka grabbed his belt bringing him down. Harry blocked the fist to his head and brought his knee up into Dracka's stomach. The man growled and rolled to the side as Harry got his feet under him.

Dracka lunged at him again and Harry danced to the side. His leg slowing him down slightly as he kept his left side towards the vampire. Dracka grinned and tried to tackle him to the ground but Harry grabbed him and spun. He let him go and he went skittering across the ground.

"You work to your weaknesses," Harry called out. "And turn them into an advantage. Don't let them see where your weakness is."

Dracka kicked out at him again and Harry stepped back but came down on his right leg hard and winced. Dracka kicked again to his left and Harry was forced back onto his right again. This time Dracka came in close and jabbed towards his left side then pulled up short as Harry went to block and his right fist caught his right side. Harry stepped back but his right leg weakened under him.

Dracka pushed him back as Harry's right leg gave out under him. Harry turned with the fall and twisted the man's weight throwing him to the side as he landed. He kicked out with his left forcing Dracka back. He tapped a hand to the ground and Dracka paused.

Dracka got to his feet and held a hand out to him. He pulled himself to his feet and stood calmly as his leg protested and looked at the children and some teachers watching. He eased himself to stand evenly on his feet as he looked over the crowd that had gathered.

"It is something you have to work at and it takes time," Harry said to Ry. "In a fight you never show your weakness or they will be used against you, much like Dracka did just then. Okay you lot, off you go."

Ry stepped forward and handed over his cane and Harry took it. Taking some weight off his bad leg.

"Dracka help him with the right stance," Harry ordered and limped painfully over to the stone steps.

He sat on the steps and stretched his leg out as he watched Dracka work with the boy. He cursed that bloody snake again as his thigh throbbed in pain. Severus took a seat next to him and passed him over a bottle of water.

"Thanks," Harry said as he took a bottle and swallowed down some painkillers.

"Can you teach me too," Severus requested.

"What?" Harry asked in surprise and looked over at the man.

"I want to learn as well," Severus said as he watched Ry and Dracka.

"If you want to learn, sure." Harry replied evenly. "I'll add you to my student list."

Severus smirked then barked a laugh when Dracka pushed Ry and he fell to the ground with a yelp.

"Hey don't laugh," Harry purred. "That might be you soon."

Severus groaned.

"I might have to get Dracka to start your training," Harry informed him. "I get reminded that I'm not as young as I once was."

"Is your leg giving you trouble?" Severus asked. "It's been good lately?"

"Yeah," Harry replied and leaned back on the step behind him. "What you did helped a lot Severus, it's just a bad day today."

"We could try that again," Severus offered. "We have been working on that new potion with good results."

Harry fiddled with the head of his cane without answering as he watched Ry. They both knew that it would lay him out for a while. Harry wasn't sure that he could take the risk with the way the situation was at the moment.

"I don't know why he isn't picking this up," Harry said instead.

"He is taller and bulker than you," Severus pointed out.

Harry frowned as he thought that through.

"Move with the push!" Harry yelled at the boy. "Relax!"

Dracka knocked the boy over again and Harry groaned.

xXx

"Mr Sun!"

Harry looked up in the middle of a class at the call as a young Gryffindor boy ran into his classroom.

"It's Callum!"

"Stay here," Harry barked to the class as he grabbed up his cane.

His leg still protesting from his bout yesterday as he hurried after the boy. He could hear the noise before he walked around the corner to see Michael Beldon advancing on the small form of Callum and rage flooded into him. He pulled a dark barrier up between the two, without thinking, as he moved forward. The man paused and swung towards Harry and grinned as he fired off a spell towards him.

Harry dodge to the side as he pulled up a barrier behind him to protect any children.

"Beldon!" Harry yelled. "There are children here!"

"Are you going to hid behind them, Sun!" Beldon spat as he pulled his sword. "I can feel your dark magic protecting the pounce!"

Harry pulled to a stop before the man, his eyes wide.

"What the hell!" Harry snapped as the man fired another spell towards him.

Harry dodged again but had to move his shield as the kids around him scrambled to the sides of the busy corridor.

"You are going to hurt someone!" Harry yelled.

"Only you Dark Wizard!" Beldon yelled and lunged towards him with the sword.

Harry could only skip back as he tried to bring up a shield around them as Beldon swung the sword and fired a spell at the same time. Harry summoned his sword and blocked the man but Beldon out-weighed him and smashed him back across the hallway. Harry stumbled back and quickly brought up the sword in a two-hand grip as the man smashed his sword down above him.

Harry could hear yelling around him as he went down to one knee, trying to hold the shield at the same time. He rolled to the side as the man's sword crashed down nicking his side and he scrambled across the floor.

"What has gotten into you?" Harry yelled as the man fired a spell and it smashed into the shield behind him, making some of the kids squeak.

"You have, you pounce!" Beldon yelled, as he fired another spell and Harry ducked to the side, coming up beside a wall as the man advanced. "You and your dark magic! How can they not see what you are!"

Harry looked at him with wide eyes and quickly ducked as the man swung the sword again but didn't see the fist. It slammed into his stomach and the man brought the hilt of his sword down on the back of his head. Harry groaned as he hit the floor hard, his shield flickering. He rolled to the side and stumbled to his feet. He stood unarmed, his sword across the hallway.

Harry staggered as the man fired another spell and could feel blood slowly rolling down the back of his neck as his vision swum slightly from the blow. He held his empty hands to the side as the man advanced on him.

"Stand Down!"

Harry and Beldon looked over as Sergeant Miller moved towards them with Albus at his back. Harry stood up straighter as Beldon turned to the man, keeping Harry in his sights.

"I said," Miller repeated coldly. "Stand down!"

Beldon casually holstered his wand and sword as Harry dropped the shield. He quickly looked around the hall to make sure all the children were okay before limping towards the very pale Callum Genger. He kneeled down in front of the small boy.

"Are you okay?" Harry asked quietly.

The boy nodded his head, his eyes wide. The child looked so young as he looked at him, his face pale.

"This is a school, Beldon!" Miller barked.

Harry placed a hand on the shaking boy's shoulder as he watched. He stayed in his kneeling position, feeling sick in the stomach as his head pounded.

"This is not a battle ground, soldier!"

Belton pulled himself up into an 'attention' stance as Miller yelled at him.

"You could have killed someone! What were you thinking!" Miller barked.

"The Dark Wizard has been tainting children!" Beldon replied blandly.

"That's not true!" Callum yelled and Harry held his shoulder tighter.

"See what he has done!" Beldon cried. "Turning children to his perverted and dark ways!"

"Silence!" Miller hissed. "Go back to your room and stay there! Now!"

The man glanced around the hallway full of children. His eyes locked onto Harry's with pure hatred before he turned on his heels. He marched away with children jumping out of his way.

Harry got to his feet and stumbled slightly before one of the children passed him his cane.

"Thank you," Harry said softly.

Miller marched towards him and Harry placed his hand on Callum's shoulder. The man's eyes flicked down to Callum before meeting Harry's.

"You idiot!" Miller snapped.

"Hey!" Callum yelled. "It wasn't his fault!"

"Sh, Callum." Harry said softly.

Miller's eyes flicked down to Callum again before focusing on Harry.

"I told you," Miller hissed.

Harry nodded, ignoring the pain in the back of his head.

"You're bleeding," Miller stated blandly.

"I'm aware of that," Harry replied.

Miller nodded and stormed away, Harry knew he'd be back.

"Mr Sun?" Callum uttered in a small voice.

Harry caught the Headmaster's eyes.

"Go with the Headmaster, Callum." Harry requested and pushed the boy towards the Headmaster.

"Come on, Mr Genger," Albus offered with a smile. "Let's go up to my office for some tea."

Callum's eyes flicked between Harry and Albus before moving towards the Headmaster. Harry moved back towards his classroom, then stumbled slightly when the hallway decided to tilt on him.

"I'll get Professor Snape," One of his seventh-year students stated and dashed down the hall.

Severus appeared quickly and swept towards him. Harry paused and looked at him.

"Thank you, Mr Sanderson," Harry offered to the seventh year. "Please tell my class that that's it for today's lesson."

"Okay, sir."

Harry stepped forward but the hallway tilted and Severus cursed as he got under Harry's left arm.

"I can't leave you alone for one minute!" Severus hissed.

Harry didn't say anything in return and Severus's arm tightened around his shoulders. They made it back to his rooms quickly and Severus moved him towards the lounge.

"Dinning chair," Harry requested. "Head."

Severus moved him towards the chair and Harry sat down on it backwards and placed his arms on the back of it. He laid his forehead down as he fought back the sickness in his stomach. Severus cursed when he saw the wound and Harry could hear him running water as his head pounded and his side throbbed.

"What the fuck happened out there!"

Harry flinched at Dracka's voice and felt his stomach roll. He heard the vampire moving towards him before he heard cursing. Dracka crouched down in front of him and peered up at him with red eyes.

"I wouldn't stay there," Harry warned and the man jumped back.

"I felt the dark magic two floors up," Dracka told him.

Harry closed his eyes as Severus worked on the cut on the back of his head. A soft knock sounded at the door.

"Come in," Harry called.

"Um, I have your sword, Mr sun."

Harry looked over to see the boy that had run to get him, standing uncertain with the sword held in his small hands.

"Thank you," Harry said. "Please leave it there."

"Okay, sir." The boy squeaked and dash out of the door.

Harry stared at the sword on the floor before resting his forehead on the chair again. Severus placed a bucket down on the ground beside him, just in case.

"I'll have to get Poppy down here to close this." Severus told him. "What happened?"

"I was an idiot," Harry explained. "I acted before thinking."

"I mean, what did you do this time?" Severus amended as he cleaned the cut on his side.

Harry snorted as another knock sounded at his door and Miller came in. Harry looked up at him with one eye.

"Could I speak to Blake alone, please?" Miller asked.

Harry patted Severus's knee and the man sighed.

"I'll go up and get Poppy," Severus said and grabbed Dracka's arm and pulled the vampire out of the room.

Miller looked down at him once the door was closed. He came around and looked at the back of his head before stepping in front of him again.

"I'll change team five out for another team," Miller commented. "Beldon's behaviour was unacceptable. We can't have that happening in a hallway of a school. Dylan won't be happy."

"Thanks," Harry offered and lifted his head.

Miller sighed as he looked at Harry.

"Not everyone thinks the same as Beldon." Miller mentioned.

"I'm glad to hear it," Harry replied as he leaned on the back of the chair. "But some do."

"You may be a Dark Wizard, Blake." Miller stated, without insult. "But you are also a Light Wizard and a good man."

"You say Dark Wizard like it's a curse word." Harry whispered. "People are all hung up about Dark and Light magic and don't understand it's all the same. The sooner people understand that the better."

Miller smiled at him.

"A wizard or witch is capable of murder whether they have dark or light magic, Bob." Harry told him as he looked up at him. "They are also capable of great things as well."

"Yes," Miller agreed. "I've seen that. Good night, Blake."

"Hey Bob," Harry called after the man. "You might want to move Beldon before Dracka finds out what happened."

"Ah, yes." Miller stammered, looking pale. "That might be a good idea. I'm sure that Dracka wouldn't hold back."

Harry sighed as he looked at the closed door, feeling blood slowly running down the back of his neck again. His head pounded and he silently cursed a closed-minded man. Here they were fighting against a Dark Lord and he was caught up on who you love and the power you held. Harry just closed his eyes as he felt the years he'd lived sitting on his shoulders.

xXx

Dracka looked out at the students as he sat down to dinner, his eyes briefly catching on Ry and the Weasley girl and he smirked. One of his hellhounds had caught the pair in one of the unused classrooms a couple of nights back. He had been very amused to see that memory and the shock on their faces when the beast appeared. Ry had not been impressed but he hadn't heard anything from Blake so the boy mustn't have told his father what had happened.

"Staring again, Dracka?"

Dracka turned to Severus next to him and smirked.

"What did you do?" Severus groaned.

"Nothing," Dracka replied as he looked out on the hall.

"I know that look, vampire." Severus hissed and Dracka grinned at him.

"One of my hellhounds found Ry and someone else in a comprising situation," Dracka leered. "He was not pleased to find out he wasn't alone."

Severus stilled and an odd look came into his eyes until he barked a laugh, making McGonagall look over at them with a frown.

"Does Blake know?" Severus asked, once he caught his breath.

"Not unless the boy said something," Dracka leered. "I have a nice memory up here though."

Dracka tapped his head and smirked at the other man, making him laugh harder.

"What are you two up to?" Minerva snapped. "Blake isn't even here for that kind of noise!"

Severus snorted as Dracka smiled at the woman.

"Nothing, my dear." Dracka muttered. "Nothing at all to worry about."

Just then Ry looked up at them and caught Dracka's eye and the vampire leered at him. The boy blushed bright red and ducked his head. Severus snorted as Minerva frowned over at the two of them.

"Dracka," The vampire said, answering his phone.

"Hey," Blake's voice came through the phone but it sounded strained and all the amusement faded from Dracka. "Can you come down to my rooms after lunch?"

"Sure," Dracka replied and caught Severus's eyes. "I don't have a class after."

Severus cocked his head to the side in question.

"Thanks," Blake replied before hanging up.

"Do you have class after lunch?" Dracka asked Severus.

"Yes," The man ansered. "Was that Blake?"

"Yes," Dracka replied with a frown. "He wants to meet after lunch."

Severus frowned, not liking the sound of that but there was nothing they could do as they focused back on their lunch. Dracka walked down to the dungeons with Severus and gave him a nod as he slipped through Blake's door to see the man seated at the table with files spread out across the surface. He'd been quiet lately.

"Dracka," Blake greeted with a smile. "Have a seat."

"Hey, if this is about Ry and the hellhound I had nothing to do with it," Dracka said in his defence. "The beast just happened to walk in at the wrong moment."

Blake's hand stilled on the table as he held his pen, he looked up at him in confusion.

"This isn't about the boy?" Dracka asked.

"This isn't about the boy," Blake repeated and something in the man's eyes had the demon in him taking notice.

Dracka took a seat at the table.

"I need you to grant Bella safe passage to identify the veela we have in custody," Blake said softly.

The demon in Dracka surged forward and he was glad that Blake had told him to sit down. Blake looked at him calmly but Dracka knew the man well and could pick out the tension in his shoulders.

"You want me to what!" Dracka yelled.

"I need to know where these veela are from," Blake expanded calmly. "Bella will be able to tell me. I have already contacted her and she is happy to go as long as she has safe passage."

Dracka felt faint as the demon in him raged as he looked at Blake. The man's eyes were closed off but Dracka knew him and could see passed that. This was hurting him even if he was trying hard to hold it back.

"We haven't been able to get any information out of them," Blake continued as he tapped his pen. "Bella will be able to get them to talk."

"By doing the same that she did to you!" Dracka snapped, the demon too close to the surface for him to hold his tongue.

Blake stilled and his eyes closed off completely until Dracka wasn't looking at his friend anymore but a Commander.

"We need that information, Dracka." Blake stated coldly. "We need to know if these veela are just rouge or if their whole clan has been compromised. It is odd that such light creatures are following a Dark Lord."

"Is there another option?" Dracka asked, a red haze around his vision.

"That I go," Blake uttered.

Dracka paled and the demon fell back at those words.

"Those are the two options," Blake laid out calmly. "You allow Bella safe passage or I have to go over there."

Blake sat forward in his seat and stared Dracka in the eye.

"And my way would not be pleasant for them…or me," Blake whispered.

Dracka shivered at the soft words and nodded his head.

"Fine," Dracka snapped. "I will grant her safe passage."

"Thank you," Blake whispered.

"But I don't like this!" Dracka snapped.

"Neither do I," Blake admitted and Dracka's eyes snapped to him in surprise. "We have to be very careful with this Dracka. There can be no breach or the Treaty between the Council and the veelas could break."

Dracka frowned.

"You brought the veela to the treaty," Dracka said softly.

"I did," Blake replied, eyes and body language still closed off. "I had an agreement with Bella. When you approached me with the Treaty I broached it with them and they agreed to the terms."

Dracka paled as thoughts ran through his mind, stirring up his demon.

"Whatever you may be thinking, Dracka." Blake said slowly. "Probably isn't right."

Dracka looked over to the other man and he gave him a small grin. Just like that, he was looking at his friend again and it made his demon feel better. Dracka leered at him and Blake barked a laugh.

"Bloody vampires," Blake cursed. "Always thinking the same damn thing."

Dracka grinned and stood from his seat and stalked towards the other man. Blake frowned as Dracka stopped beside him.

"What?" Blake asked.

Dracka grabbed the man's hands and pulled him to his feet as Blake looked up at him in amusement. He stood a good head shorter than Dracka but the vampire could feel the power in the man's body. He brushed his magic up against him and Blake shivered. He looked up at Dracka with pale green eyes and didn't flinch when Dracka's demon came forward in his mind. He could feel the dark magic under the man's skin as they stood so close together.

He placed his hands on the man's shoulders, his thumb slightly on his neck feeling his pulse under the skin. Blake looked up at him with a slight frown but didn't step back.

"You know that we will protect you," Dracka stated.

"What do I need protection from?" Blake asked with a crooked smile.

"Yourself mostly," Dracka drawled.

Blake barked a laugh, his green eyes dancing. It calmed the demon in Dracka.

"If she threatens you," Dracka whispered. "I'm not sure I will be able to hold the demon back Blake and I'm sure that Severus feels the same way."

Blake looked away from him, showing him his throat. Dracka calmly cupped his cheek and turned his head back, forcing him to look him in the eye.

"Please," Dracka begged and the other man's eyes widened. "Don't put us in that kind of situation. If it's a choice between our duty and you, because I speak for both myself and Severus when I say that, you would come first."

Blake's eyes were wide as they looked up at him and Dracka felt satisfied that he'd rendered the man speechless. He released him and stepped back as Blake ran a hand over his head.

"I'll try my best," Blake muttered after a couple of minutes.

The two men settled at the table again and Dracka picked up a file.

"How do you keep all of these straight in your head?" Dracka asked.

Blake barked a laugh and the tension in the room broke.

"Many years of practise," Blake replied with a smile. "And rereading…Now, what was that about Ry and a hellhound?"


	54. Chapter 54

Harry started and groaned as his phone went off on the bedside table. He wiggled slightly in Severus's arms until he could snag the phone. He cursed when he dropped it onto the floor and the cord got caught up. He hung over the side of the bed to grab it and quickly answered it.

"Blake," Harry whispered, trying not to wake Severus as he slipped out of bed and out of the room.

"Mr Sun," An American voice came down the phone and Harry frowned. "My name is Tom Holden, I work in the United States Ministry of Magic in the Border Department."

"How are you Mr Holden?" Harry greeted as he glanced at the clock it was only one in the morning. "How can I help you?"

"I was ordered to call you," Tom told him, not sounding happy about it. "Graham Simpson tried to cross the Border earlier tonight."

"He was rebounded?"

"Of course," The man scoffed. "We took his blood before he was exiled. There is no way that he can cross."

"Did he just try to cross the Border anywhere?" Harry asked. "Or was there anything special about where he tried to cross?"

"Well," Tom mused. "Strange you should say that."

"Why?" Harry asked as he sat at the table.

"Well, where he tried to cross, there is a lay line." Holden replied. "How did you know?"

"Just a hunch," Harry answered. "Could you send me the report, please?"

"Well," Holden hesitated. "You know that would be against policy."

Harry tilted his head back in frustration.

"Do I have to come over there to get the report?" Harry asked quietly. "They said last time that they didn't want to see me again."

Tom snorted.

"I heard the story," Tom replied. "I'll see what I can do."

"Thank you, Mr Holden."

"Good night, Mr Sun."

Harry looked at the phone in thought before a grin curved up his face. Simpson was running scared. Harry had him making bigger risks than he would have normally made before. To try and get back into a country, that he'd be exiled by with blood wards in place, was a very big risk. He may be a Dark Lord but he was learning that having a large amount of dark power wasn't everything.

Harry picked up the dark cube that he'd been using as a paperweight and looked at it with a smirk. Understanding what good planning and simple things could make in a war. He placed the cube back onto the files and glanced at the clock again. It made him feel better that his plans were falling into place as they tightened the noose around Simpson's neck.

He just had to keep the man running so that he couldn't gather support around him until he had nowhere else to run to and no allies to turn to. Then they would move in and that's when it would get dangerous as they cornered him. Harry would have to have everything in place to take the man down and be ready to move quickly.

He couldn't take him down directly since the man held more power than he did. A full out magic attack would fail even with Harry's light magic behind him. He did not have the power a Dark Lord had at his fingertips. He smirked as he remembered another time when he was young and believed that he could take on anyone and had failed against a Dark Lord, badly. He was not that now, he had learned his lesson.

He liked to think he could learn from his mistakes but every now and again. Something would happen and he would be reminded of his stupidity or someone would remind him.

"What are you doing out here?"

Harry looked up at Severus standing naked in the doorway, staring at him. His eyes roamed over the man, taking in the sight before he stood from the table. He palmed his phone and moved towards Severus.

"I got a phone call," Harry replied, holding up the phone as he moved closer. "I didn't want to wake you."

Severus wrapped his arms around him and tiled his head up for a kiss.

"At least it wasn't the vampire this time," Severus purred in his ear and Harry shivered.

"Come on," Harry said, pushing him back. "I have a class in the morning."

Severus laughed and pulled him back to the bed.

xXx

Harry sat on the floor of an unused classroom on the second floor of the castle with things scattered before him and a chalk circle around him. He had one of his notebooks and photos on the ground in front of him. His two wands were to his right and a silver knife and his sword to the left.

He had made sure that he had informed Albus that he might be working with his dark magic earlier in the day. When he'd asked for the man's memory of when Simpson had tried to kill Severus. He wanted to look at the spell that had been used for the trap. He hadn't sensed the spell and he was sure it had been dormant before the explosive device had set it off. That's why Severus had been able to use magic but not Harry which had given him an idea.

Harry lay out on his stomach and conjured a pillow to rest on as he looked at his notebook and photos around him.

"Well," Severus drawled from the doorway. "Interesting sight."

Harry looked up at him with a grin as the man stepped into the room and closed the door behind him.

"I need your memory of the night Simpson blew up your room," Harry requested casually as he lay there.

Severus paused and crossed his arms.

"Can I ask why?" Severus asked softly.

"I want to look at the spell that was used," Harry replied with a frown. "I have Albus's memory but he was outside the room. I've already looked at my memory but it's a bit vague. I think your memory might be better."

Severus sighed and grabbed one of the chairs in the room. He placed the chair down just outside the chalk circle and took a seat.

"What are you hoping to find?" Severus questioned.

"I want to know how strong that spell was," Harry explained as he sat up. "I was more focused on getting to you than breaking through the spell."

Severus looked at him with dark eyes.

"How would you like to view the memory?" Severus drawled.

"Ah," Harry replied, leaning back on his hands. "Whatever way you are comfortable with."

"Very well," Severus answered and Harry could tell when Severus lowered the barriers in his mind and his eyes widened in surprise.

"Are you sure?" Harry asked, sitting up straighter.

Severus snorted and smiled at him. Harry grinned back as he got to his feet and grabbed another chair and placed it before Severus and sat down. He placed his hands on Severus's knees.

"This might feel strange," Harry warned. "It's not the same as legilimency."

"Hurry up, Sun." Severus snapped in amusement.

Harry grinned and took the man's hands in his. He relaxed his shoulders before looking into Severus's eyes and the man brought the memory forward for him.

 _He was walking down the hallway towards his rooms with thoughts of the fact he hadn't used them in a while since he spent more time in Blake's rooms than his own. Harry gently pushed Severus's thoughts aside as he focused on the hallway. He came to his door and pushed it open and glanced around the room before stepping through the door, leaving it open behind him._

 _He walked towards the bedroom first and had a look around for a while before moving towards his office door. He pushed the door open, heard a soft click and instinctively pulled up a shielding charm, pulling on his dark magic without thinking._

Harry froze the memory and slowly wound it back and brought it into sharp focus.

 _He opened the door, click._

 _Stop._

 _Harry looked closely at the memory as it stood frozen and he cocked his head to the side._

 _He very slowly moved it forward, then stopped it just before Severus pulled up the shield. He glanced at the spell and the magic that went into it in interest before playing the memory forward in slow motion._

 _Click, shield, bang, fire, stop._

 _Harry frowned and tried to look into the office but the shield blocked a lot of his view. He closed his eyes and tried to reach out with his magic and feel the spell. He could just feel something but he was working on Severus's sense of magic and not his own. He frowned in frustration. Then a thought occurred to him._

"I'm going to make a connection with you," _Harry whispered, not breaking out of the memory._ "It might show me more."

 _He felt Severus's agreement around him as he stood in the man's memory. He gently held the memory as he reached out to the connection in the ring and the memory flared around him. He almost lost the whole lot but he gritted his teeth and refocused. Letting the magic settle around them before focusing back on the memory._

 _The memory was clearer as he looked into it. His own vision doubling over Severus's images of the memory, making his head swim a little before it came back into focus. He held Severus's hands tighter as Severus's amazement rolled over him and he pushed the man's feeling to the side again._

He replayed the memory from the start.

 _He stepped towards the door, magic swirling around his sight. He pushed the mists to the side so that he could see what was happening better. He reached out to the door and pushed it open, click, shield, stop. He held the memory there, the dark magic swirling in front of him, with the rainbow colour of wizard magic swirling through the dark power of the shield and squinted his eyes. The spell turned transparent as he looked through the magic and into the room in front of him._

'What's that on your desk?' _Harry asked Severus in his mind._

'It's not mine,' _Severus replied his voice coming from all around him._

 _Harry focused in on the small box on the desk and eased back to see the magic in the spell. It was a type of dampening spell but it was tied to the box. Harry played the memory very slowly forward. The explosion started at the box, then the spell kicked in. He stopped the memory again and looked closer, yes! He could work that spell out as he looked closer at the anchor spell with interest before pulling back completely._

He blinked his eyes as the soft light in the room returned and softly dropped the connection with Severus. The man before him just stared at him with his mouth open in surprise and Harry gave him a grin.

"Ah, aren't you two cute together."

They turned to see Dracka leaning up against the wall and Harry turned his grin on him.

"How the hell did you do that!" Severus gasped as he looked at Harry with wide eyes. "That wasn't legilimency."

"Ah, no." Harry replied. "I don't know legilimency."

"What!" Dracka yelped. "But I have seen you use it!"

"Nope," Harry replied, releasing Severus's hands and sitting back in his seat as he rubbed his temple. "Could never master it or Occlumency."

"What was that then?" Severus demanded as Dracka grabbed another chair and joined them.

"People are similar to wards," Harry intoned in his teaching voice, making the other two share a look. "Memories are like layers piled on top of each other with connections linking events and people together, much like wards. When you look into them you can work your way through the layers, so it helps knowing what you are looking for, so you can pick that ward up easier. Then to break them down you work through each one cutting the ones you need or bending them in a different way. Similar wards seem to rest together like common memories."

"Yes," Severus drawled. "That's not legilimency."

"Nope," Harry said with a grin. "When I started to learn wards, I realised that a person's mind could be the same after someone explained legilimency. It became one of my pet projects, since Legilimency just wouldn't work for me. In a way, I believe that the Hallows played it's part in my skills and memory. Cursed with a long life and the ability to remember it."

Dracka snorted as Severus smiled at him.

"That only goes so far," Severus remarked and Harry gave him a grin.

"You try remembering events from a hundred years ago or further," Harry muttered and looked at Dracka. "Hey, Dracka? You're younger than I am, do you remember when you were a fledgling?"

The vampire just flashed his fangs at him in answer.

"Plus, it helps when you can see the magic around you," Harry remarked. "Took me a long time and many migraines until I could control that. It was a good thing that time wasn't that important then."

"I can understand that," Severus uttered and rubbed his head.

"Did I give you a headache?" Harry asked in concern.

"Just a little bit of one," Severus replied.

"Oh, sorry." Harry offered. "I didn't mean too."

"Did you get what you needed?" Severus asked.

"I think so," Harry said, sitting back in his seat. "I'll have to try the spell and rework it for what I have in mind."

Both men froze and two sets of dark eyes looked at him.

"Ah," Severus said slowly. "I better warn the Headmaster."

"Oi!"

Dracka just barked a laugh.

xXx

Ben Cooper looked around the Great Hall of Hogwarts in amazement as dark and light mists swirled around, with the odd flash of rainbows getting through. He just stood in the doorway amazed again at the sight. The mists slowly sunk into the walls and floors of the castle as more rainbow colours took over. He looked around at the students and had to focus to push the magic to the side. He could see magic everywhere he looked and it was very distracting and a bit overwhelming.

"A bit to take in?" Blake's amused voice came from beside him.

Ben turned his head to look at the man, the only real solid person in the room. He could still see the man's magic but it was more a slight coating over his skin in an odd mix of colours. He could easily have dismissed him in a crowd for being muggle if he wasn't paying attention.

"Yes," Ben answered.

Blake grinned, his green eyes dancing, as he clapped a hand to his shoulder.

"Don't worry, Ben." Blake said kindly. "It will get easier."

"So," Ben announced as he rocked forward onto his toes. "What's this project you need help with?"

Blake laughed and pushed him towards the rest of the Hall.

"Let's have dinner first," Blake suggested in amusement.

He led them up towards table at the head of the room and Ben followed. They walked along the side of the room and Ben looked around at the students at the tables and the magic in the room. He still had problems pushing down the images that the magic threw up but at least he was getting better with it. He paused looking at a couple of students and Blake stood next to him.

He flicked his head to the side as a dog shape mist appeared in the room with blazing red eyes and he gasped.

"It's a hellhound," Blake explained from beside him. "One of Dracka's beasts."

"The vampire?" Ben asked.

"Yes."

The beast turned its head in their direction and Ben shivered. He focused his mind on its online and it formed a shape of a dog as he pulled back on his magic slightly. The hellhound turned away as it moved around the room and Blake gently pushed him towards the Head Table.

He looked up at the men and women at the table. He focused on the Headmaster, a bright light in the room, and he pushed down on his sight even more. The man came into focus, giving him a smile as they moved closer. He looked at the vampire next, the dark magic surrounding the man like a long coat and the man grinned at him showing fangs.

Ben shivered before looking at Severus Snape and noticed something he hadn't before and turned to Blake with wide eyes.

"Um," Blake stammered and rubbed his head. "It's not what you think…well yes but no."

"But," Ben replied. "He has and you have."

"Not what you think," Blake repeated and patted his shoulder. "But close."

Dracka laughed and turned to Severus and nudged the man.

"He speaks Blake language!" Dracka barked.

"Oi!" Dracka yelped as Blake whacked the back of his head and took a seat next to Severus.

"Take a seat, Ben." Blake offered as he pushed the seat out next to him and Albus.

Ben grinned and looked at the woman on the other side of Dumbledore.

"Oh," Ben exclaimed with wide eyes. "You're a cat!"

"I'm a what?" Minerva squeaked as Dracka laughed.

"I believe," Blake said in amusement. "That Ben was supposed to say, are you an Animagus."

Ben blushed and ducked his head.

"Ben, this is Professor Minerva McGonagall." Blake introduced. "Minerva this is Ben Cooper, he's here to help me on a project. The Ministry of Magic kindly donated his time here."

"Hmm," Minerva hummed and Ben gave her a small grin.

"Sorry," He muttered. "Nice to meet you."

"And you Mr Cooper," Minerva replied primly. "Always entertaining meeting friends of Blake's."

Severus snorted as Dracka sniggered.

"Um," Ben replied, unsure how to take that as he looked around him.

xXx

Harry sighed as Ben was distracted by something again and the spell they were working on fell apart. The boy just didn't have the control that the older version that Harry had known did as he watched the boy seeing something that Harry couldn't. It didn't help that a hellhound would walk passed outside the room or poke its head through the door and the boy would be distracted once again.

"Oops," Ben exclaimed. "Sorry."

"Too much magic?" Harry asked.

They were in his classroom working in the bronze circle. Even with the fact Harry didn't keep anything overly magical in here and they were in the circle. The boy was still getting distracted.

"Um, yeah." Ben replied with a grin.

"Do we have to go outside the wards?" Harry asked, leaning back on his hands as he sat on the floor of his classroom.

"Maybe," Ben muttered as he looked at something that Harry couldn't see. "Can you see it?"

"Not at the moment," Harry replied. "I wasn't born with the sight like you."

"But you can see it?" Ben insisted, his eyes focusing on Harry.

"If I focus, yes." Harry replied. "Don't worry Ben, you'll learn how to control it better over time."

"How do you know?" Ben asked with frown.

Harry gave him a wink in answer.

"Come on," Harry announced as he pulled himself to his feet with the help of his cane and held out his hand. "I'll just speak to Severus and we'll go work outside the wards."

Ben grinned and took his hand and allowed him to pull him to his feet as he looked around. Harry sighed as the man focused on something again and stared off in that direction. It was going to be a long day.

xXx

Harry flopped down on his bed with a groan. His head was pounding. Ben had lost his grip on the spell they had been working on and Harry had had to grab a hold of it quickly and ground it. Causing a loud crack that could be heard up at the castle and made a hellhound bound towards them with its head cocked to the side. Its red eyes wide as it looked at him.

They were getting closer but Harry was finding it frustrating. He placed his hands on the back of his aching head as he lay on his stomach and closed his eyes. He woke sometime later to hands on his shoulders and working on the muscles. He opened his eyes and turned his head to look up at Severus.

"You slept through dinner," The man reported softly.

Harry just closed his eyes again as Severus slid his hands down his sides and under his shirt before pushing it up. Harry lifted up slightly to slip the shirt over his head. Severus slicked up his hands and worked on the tight muscles in his neck and Harry just enjoyed the feeling as he relaxed.

"You're very good at this," Harry mumble into the pillow.

Severus chuckled and kept working at the tight muscles before slipping lower. Harry moved his hips up so he could unbuckle his belt and slip his pants off. Severus worked down his body working the muscles in his legs. Harry hissed when he started working on the tight muscles of his right thigh.

"I can still feel the scar tissue here," Severus remarked. "The skin feels smooth but the muscle isn't."

"Yeah," Harry replied and flinched when Severus hit a sore spot.

"You know we felt the ground shake with what you did," Severus told him in amusement.

Harry groaned.

"Wasn't me," Harry grumbled. "The boy lost his focus on the spell and I had to ground it. A hangover has nothing on grabbing someone else's spell work and grounding it."

Severus rumbled a laugh that ran a tingle down Harry's spine as he relaxed.

"Are you having any luck with it?" Severus asked as he saddled his waist to work on his back.

"Yes," Harry commented. "But it's slow and frustrating. Ben just doesn't have enough control yet."

Severus's hands paused on his back and Harry opened his eyes and looked over his shoulder at him.

"What?" Harry asked.

"What does he see when he looks at us?" Severus inquired, making Harry frown.

"What do you mean?" Harry asked.

"He gives me a strange look then looks at you then me again," Severus pointed out and Harry snorted.

"He's seeing the connection between us," Harry explained and laid his head back down on his arms. "He thought it was a binding."

Severus's hand stilled again on his back.

"He can see that?"

"He can see all the magic," Harry said. "He was born that way. He just doesn't have as much control over it as he should."

"Like you can?"

"Similar," Harry replied. "But I wasn't born with the talent. I developed it over time until a teacher pushed me straight into the deep end of the pool."

Severus worked on his back a little longer in silence. Harry rolled over and looked up at Severus.

"Your turn?" Harry asked and reached for the man's robes.

Severus smiled and slipped out of his robes and shirt then stepped off the bed to slip out of his shoes and pants. Harry moved over as Severus laid down on his stomach and Harry grabbed some lube. He saddled Severus waist and started to work on Severus's shoulders.

"I'm not great at this," Harry remarked. "Just a warning."

Severus huffed a laugh and grabbed a pillow to place under his head. Harry worked down Severus's back, loving the feeling of the man's soft skin under his fingers as he relaxed under him. Harry leaned forward as he worked on Severus's shoulder and kissed his neck before taking the man's ear lobe into his mouth.

"That's not giving a massage," Severus purred.

"Isn't it?" Harry whispered.

He felt a shiver run down Severus's back as he kissed his neck. He ran a hand down his side before grabbing his bum with his other hand braced near Severus's head. Harry pulled back and smirked before placing the back of one finger nail at the base of Severus's neck. He ran his nail down Severus's spine making the man shiver.

He massaged his back for a while before following the trail his hands had made with kisses, licks and the odd bite that had Severus hissing.

"You don't like that?" Harry asked.

"Just odd," Severus replied.

Harry chuckled and gently ran his nails down the man's back. He watched as goose bumps came up on his skin as light marks appeared. He kissed down the marks and slipped his hand under the man's hips and palmed his hard cock in his hand. Severus turned slightly and Harry moved to the side and suddenly he found himself on his back with Severus kissing him.

Severus grabbed his wrists and held them above his head as he bit down on his neck. Harry gasped, his cock rock hard between them and tilted his head to the side. Severus moved one hand down his side as the other held his hands above his head. Severus grabbed his cock and bit down harder this time as he gave him a pull and Harry came with a gasp.

"Fuck, sorry." Harry panted.

Severus pulled back and smirked down at him with amusement. Harry tried to move his hands but Severus held them where they were and shifted between his legs. Harry moved his legs to either side of Severus as he settled there and looked up at him with bright green eyes. Severus grabbed up the lube with his eyes locked on Harry's as he slicked up his cock and gently eased one finger into him. His dark eyes watched him and Harry gave him a smile as he wiggled slightly as Severus widened him.

"Bloody tall people," Harry gasped.

Severus huffed a laugh as he worked on him. Harry rested his head back as his cock twitched in interest as he clenched his hands together. Severus still holding his wrists in one hand.

"Ready?" Severus whispered in his ear and Harry shivered.

He opened his eyes and looked up at the man and nodded. Severus pushed forward and Harry bit his lip as their magic took notice and lazily moved around them. Severus licked up his neck and Harry relaxed as he brought his legs up and wrapped them around the taller man's waist.

Harry tugged on the hand holding his wrists but Severus held them there as he slowly rocked his hips. Harry panted as the man hit his prostate and his cock twitched lazily between them as pleasure rolled down his back. Severus growled softly and moved a little quicker and Harry moved his hips up to meet him. Harry could feel Severus's magic settling on his skin as the man lost control over his magic. Harry gently cast it to the side as his legs tightened around the younger man's waist.

Severus dark eyes locked with his as he lost complete control. He panted as he pushed forward and came with a soft grunt, his eyes locked on his. Harry groaned as the magic washed over him and he closed his eyes as he pushed it to the side.

Severus swore and quickly released his wrists.

"Blake?" Severus gasped.

Harry looked up at him with amusement and carefully unhooked his legs and winced at the slight pain. Severus swore again with his eyes locked on to Harry's wrists. Harry glanced over to see red marks from Severus's hand on them. He grabbed the man's head and pulled him down for a kiss. Severus was tense under his hands but relaxed into the kiss quickly.

Harry released him and looked up into Severus's dark eyes. He pushed the man and Severus squeaked as he landed next to him and Harry barked a laugh. Severus's eyes locked onto his wrists again.

"Sorry," Severus uttered and gently touched his wrist.

"You're young, Severus." Harry said with a small smile and feeling satisfied. "And still have to learn how to push your magic away during sex."

He brushed Severus's hair back and gently cupped his face. Tangling his legs with his but could still feel the tension in the man's body. He frowned and looked back up at him.

"What's wrong?" Harry asked softly with a frown.

"I hurt you," Severus stated, much to Harry's confusion.

"I'm fine."

"Your wrists."

Harry looked at the redness around his wrists, which was already starting to fade.

"They are fine," Harry said, frowning.

Severus looked away, making Harry frown deepen. He ran his hands through the man's hair and turned his face back.

"Is this more than just about the sex?" Harry questioned.

"You were bound by your wrists," Severus remarked and Harry understood what was bothering Severus.

"That was a very long time ago, Severus," Harry pointed out. "I may still have the scars but I made peace with that."

"So that doesn't…" Severus trailed off and Harry grinned at him.

"Not at all Severus," Harry smirked. "Though your control over your magic during sex needs a lot of work."

Severus grinned at him, his dark eyes glinting.

"Does that mean more practise?"

xXx

Severus woke early the next morning with Blake curled along his back and his legs tangled with his. He was snoring softly with an arm flung out over him. Severus gently pulled the covers back and looked at the man's wrist. He could still see the slight mark there and he ran his finger over it, feeling the slight scar under the mark he'd made.

He hadn't realised how much he'd lost control until he saw those marks and he had felt both sick and satisfied at the same time. He had marked the man as his. His eyes roamed to his own left forearm where the Dark Mark had once branded him and ran a finger over the smooth skin. Nothing remained of the mark now after Blake had cut through the connection.

He turned his attention back to Blake's wrist and the scaring on his arms. They started close to his elbow crisscrossing up and over his shoulders. Severus turned slightly to look at the man while he slept. He was snoring slightly and was in a lot deeper sleep then normal as Severus looked down at him. He ran his hand over the scaring on his shoulders.

The whip marks were only on his back and not his chest. He ran a hand over the small scars he could see. The only reason that the ones on his back existed at all was the fact they had healed before healing spells could be used. He ran his fingers along the faint lines that that veela bitch had left. They were slowly fading since the healing balm hadn't worked on them and he was sure in time they would disappear completely. The fact they were still there, still brought up rage in him.

"Hey," Blake croaked, getting Severus's attention.

"Hey," Severus replied.

"That tickles you know," Blake whispered.

Severus ran his hand over the spot again and Blake shivered, making Severus smirk.

"Stop that," Blake snapped without heat.

Severus chucked.

"If you want a history of the scars," Blake said softly. "It could take a while and probably a few spells to bring the memories up."

Severus smirked.

"Your memory failing, old man?" Severus whispered.

Blake huffed a laugh and whacked his shoulder.

"Watch it you," Blake smirked.

xXx

Harry stepped out of the stone room next to Albus's office with interest. He looked around the office since the man wasn't there yet. His eyes skinned over the portraits of the past Headmasters and the knick-knacks on the man's shelves and desk. He picked up a small gold marble and rolled it in his fingertips before placing it back on the desk.

Fawkes the phoenix eyed him off from his perch and Harry gave the animal a nod before collapsing into one of the armchairs and pulling a file from his pocket as he waited. The end of the school year was coming closer as Harry spent more time training Ry than working with students as his seventh and fifth year students studied for their exams.

"Blake," Albus greeted as he moved into the room. "How are you?"

Harry shrunk the file he'd been reading and placed it back away in his pocket as the Headmaster took a seat in the armchair across from him.

"I'm well, Albus." Harry replied. "Busy, but well. What can I do for you?"

"Mr Genger," Albus stated and Harry frowned. "He has been using his dark magic."

"What!" Harry yelped in shock. "He's a third year!"

"Yes, he is." Albus agreed.

"Are you sure?" Harry asked as he sat forward in his seat. "He is way too young to be using that magic."

"According to my connection to the wards," Albus answered with a smile. "And I should be used to the feeling of someone using dark magic by now."

Harry smirked, not the least bit apologetic.

"Maybe he became more aware of it after Simpson pulled on the core of dark magic," Harry mused. "Most people don't become aware of dark or light power until their mid-twenties to thirties or not at all."

"Could you talk to him?"

"Sure," Harry agreed. "He has powerful dark magic Albus. He is stronger than I am at his age, now."

Albus paled at those words.

"Is he a danger?" Albus asked faintly.

"He is only, what fourteen?" Harry asked. "And untrained."

Harry sat back in his seat as he thought it through.

"He could be very dangerous," Harry summarized. "His upbringing wouldn't help either."

"Would he need to be removed from Hogwarts?" Albus questioned.

"God, no." Harry replied with a grin. "I'll talk to him and start his training now."

Albus winced and Harry gave him a grin.

"I'll kick the vampire out of his classroom," Harry stated with a smirk. "I don't want to work outside the wards at this time but that's an option. I'll bring Severus along, it's about time I started to teaching him as well."

"So, he does have dark magic?" Albus muttered to himself.

Harry smirked at the other man, he wouldn't be used to students working with that kind of magic. Callum may even be the first one that Albus would have had to deal with.

"Were you in doubt?" Harry asked.

"I don't see magic like you, Blake." Albus pointed out, while Harry gave him a grin. "And I don't want to."

"What about the rest of the students?" Albus inquired. "Will they start throwing around dark and light magic?"

"I doubt it," Harry answered. "But it is possible for the stronger students. You won't be able to pick up the light magic, the founders only put that ward on dark power, and I have adjusted it a bit since I've been here. I wonder why they did that?"

Albus coughed and looked away from the other wizard.

"I am aware of what dark magic can do, Albus," Harry said smoothly. "I have done some of it myself. I also know what people with light power are capable of."

Albus looked back at Harry with unreadable eyes. Harry gave the man a grin and pulled himself to his feet.

"Well," Harry announced. "I should be off, I'll strengthen that ward around Dracka's classroom tonight after dinner."

"I'll be ready for it," Albus drawled and Harry gave him an amused smile.

Harry moved towards the stone room with even more things on his plate than when he arrived at the man's office.

xXx

Dracka's head shot up when he felt dark magic and he grinned as the demon took notice. Blake must be doing something and he felt sorry for the headache that the Headmaster would have. He got to his feet and stepped out of his office then frowned when he felt the dark magic coming from his classroom. He moved one door down and pushed it open to see Blake standing in the middle of his empty classroom.

"Could you feel that?" Blake asked.

"Where are all the tables?" Dracka said at the same time, looking around.

"I moved them to my classroom," Blake replied and Dracka could feel the dark magic strongly in the other man. "So, could you feel that?"

"Yes," Dracka replied as he carefully moved into the room and shut the door. "What are you doing?"

Blake felt like a real Dark Wizard as he stood there, no hint of his light magic. It reminded him of when he first met the man and the chaos of that night.

"About normal?" Blake asked.

"If you mean a Dark Wizard," Dracka drawled with a leer as he moved closer, his demon closer to the surface then normal. "Then yes."

"Perfect," Blake exclaimed. "Where were you?"

Dracka moved forward and took a sniff of the man and Blake gave his arm a whack.

"I'll pull it back again," Blake warned.

"No," Dracka snapped and flashed his fangs.

Blake barked a laugh as the dark magic pushed against him and Dracka resisted the temptation to shut his eyes, he could almost taste it on the air. With Blake's own scent mixed with the dark magic he could almost hear his demon purring in his mind.

"I've kicked up the wards on your classroom," Blake explained as he leaned back on his cane, amusement in his eyes. "Albus informed me that one of my students has been pulling on his dark magic."

"What!" Dracka reeled back. "A seventh year?"

"Third year," Blake replied. "Mr Callum Genger. I'm going to steal your classroom to start his dark magic classes. If he agrees."

"Why don't you just ward your classroom," Dracka whined.

Blake stepped forward and let his dark magic touch on him and Dracka shivered.

"Because." Blake said slowly. "Warding your classroom and rooms was hard enough. It was easier to boost them, then to start over with my classroom."

Dracka cocked his head to the side and Blake gave him a grin before stepping back.

"Blake," Dracka said softly and the other man's green eyes settled on him.

Dracka stepped forward, closing the gap between them, so that the shorter man had to tilt his head back. Dracka could see the tension in his body and the wary look in his eyes.

"What?" Blake questioned

"Let go of it," Dracka whispered.

"I have," Blake replied.

"All of it," Dracka counted.

"I have," Blake repeated with a grin. "You think I have more? I'm only holding back the light magic. Unless you want me to let that go."

Dracka brought his hand up and cupped the man's cheek and felt the dark magic wash over him. He felt the demon in him prowling in his mind but held it back.

"You thought I had more?" Blake whispered, his eyes dark.

"Yes," Dracka stated as his hand ran down the man's neck and settled with his thumb on his jugular vein, feeling the blood pulsing underneath his skin. "With the amount you throw around."

Blake grinned and gave him a wink as he stepped back. Dracka could feel the demon growling at the move as his hand dropped away from the man. He had to hold onto it tightly to stop himself from doing something he would regret.

"I have knowledge and time on my side," Blake explained. "Severus should be up soon. I'll have to call the Headmaster to see if he can pick up on the dark magic."

Blake went to turn away but Dracka grabbed his arm to stop him and Blake locked eyes with him.

"What?" Blake asked with a frown. "Do you want me to pull it back?"

"No," Dracka answered. "That night, it felt darker."

Blake flinched back at the words but Dracka didn't release him.

"It rolled along the ground," Dracka said softly. "I could taste it on the air."

Blake looked up at him with wide eyes.

"The way your magic feels now," Dracka remarked. "It isn't as dark."

Blake looked at him and Dracka could see the pain that his words had brought up but he'd had to say them.

"Move back," Blake ordered and Dracka frowned.

"What?" Dracka stuttered, looking confused.

"I said," Blake repeated in amusement. "Move back."

Dracka stepped back a few steps but Blake waved him further back. Severus slipped into the room in interest.

"Where are all the tables?" Severus asked as he looked between the two men.

"If you attack me vampire…" Blake threatened instead of answering and Severus tensed.

"Should I come back later?" Severus asked calmly. "With a first aid kit, maybe?"

Blake smirked over at him and both men tensed at the look.

"Oh, no." Blake stated and Dracka shivered at the look in the other man's eyes.

Dracka looked at Severus to see the other man wasn't sure either.

"Let's put these wards to the test," Blake suggested and took a few steps back.

Dracka frowned in confusion when Blake closed his eyes and he could hear the man's heartbeat slowing.

"What's going on?" Severus whispered to him.

"I think we are about to get a lesson," Dracka whispered back.

"He feels like a wizard?" Severus hissed.

"That's dark magic, Severus."

Severus turned back to Blake with interest. Dracka had to remind himself that Severus was only just learning about this new part of himself and that he was a lot younger than him. His knowledge of both potions and Dark Arts were a different kettle of fish to dark magic and it's use.

"Will the Headmaster yell at him?" Severus questioned with a smirk.

"Not if the new wards work," Blake added with a smile, without opening his eyes. "He knows what I'm doing."

Dracka felt it the moment that Blake reached out with his magic and it felt different than normal. He then realised that the man was only working with dark magic as it brushed over him. The demon pushed further forward in interest and he could taste it now.

"So, there are two ways to work with dark magic," Blake explained, his eyes still closed. "You could throw it around like a hammer and hope for the best, most Dark Lords take that approach or you can weave it into spells to add in potent power."

Dracka could now feel something beneath his feet and he looked down in interest.

"When I use it in warding, I use different strands twisted together to make a whole." Blake told them and opened his eyes, Dracka shivered at the slight glow. "Like threads in a blanket. If one breaks it can ruin the whole thing. Unravel around you, so you have to make sure that they stick together. That way each strand will help the others when they are under stain."

Dracka flicked his head to the side when he felt something touch his shoulder. The feeling of dark magic increased as something brushed his other shoulder and he growled. His demon felt frustrated and knew the other man was using his dark magic. He looked back at Blake but the man just stood there calmly.

The magic started to settle on his shoulders and Dracka held the demon back as it started to rage. He could feel the pull towards Blake now and it put him on edge.

"This is why Dark Lords can be so dangerous," Blake remarked. "If they work with the dark magic and build on the skills that the added power gives them, they can turn allies against each other."

Dracka fell to one knee as the power pushed on him and he growled louder, feeling it roll over him. He could taste it on the air with the scent of Blake mixed in with it until he panted slightly as he looked up at those green eyes.

"But to understand dark magic you need to understand your wizard power," Blake said softly. "That is what you are feeling."

Dracka's eyes widened and Blake gave him a smirk, which went straight through him. He heard Severus gasp beside him, he couldn't look at the wizard with the demon ruling his thoughts.

"The same way that dark power can boost a spell," Blake said in amusement and the magic disappeared completely from the room. "Wizard power can also boost dark power if you work with it correctly."

Severus stalked across the room, grabbed the other man and pulled him close. Dracka looked down at the stones in front of him as the demon pushed on his thoughts. The fear from that night that his brother was killed in his mind. He started when Blake's magic brushed down his back and he looked up to see the man holding out his hand.

He gave him a smile and let Blake pulled him to his feet. He was surprised when the man pulled him close in a hug and he wrapped his arms around him. Feeling the strength in the man as he held him and his scent around him. Severus laid a hand on his back and he looked at him but the other man's eyes were unreadable.

Blake pushed him back and looked him over with his pale green eyes and Dracka shivered slightly under the man's gaze.

"You should never use it against someone that is a friend or lover," Blake stated with conviction. "Unless you want to make a point."

Blake gave him a grin and the man he knew was back and he smiled back as Severus's dark eyes settled on him. He felt the demon stepping back slightly and was surprised by that. The demon seemed to recognise the connection that the other two men held. Dracka wasn't going to come between that.

xXx

"So," Harry announced as he looked away from Dracka. "First lesson."

Severus sighed as he looked down at him.

"Are you teaching us now?" Severus drawled.

Harry barked a laugh.

"I've been teaching you two for years." Harry said with a smirk.

"Severus maybe," Dracka pointed out with a leer but it didn't reach his eyes.

Harry looked the man over and was concerned that he'd pushed too far.

"Oh, no." Harry cried with a grin. "Anyway, I have to call the Headmaster to see if he felt any of that."

Harry stepped back from the other two men as he pulled his phone and dialled the Headmaster.

"Yes, Blake?" Albus answered and Harry could hear the amusement in the man's voice.

"Did you feel anything after I did the warding?" Harry asked.

"Nothing after you did the warding," Albus confirmed.

"Perfect," Harry replied.

"I hope this means less headaches, Blake."

Harry gave a laugh.

"I would have to ward the whole school for that, Albus."

Albus just groaned and hung up.

"So," Harry announced, turning to the other two men and paused as he looked at them.

"Yes?" Severus drawled.

"Sorry," Harry stated and ran a hand over his head. "The ward works, so Dracka I may have to kick you out while I work with Severus and Mr Genger-"

"Blake," Severus snapped and Harry stopped.

"What?"

"You seem to have forgotten the part where you explain why I am here?" Severus drawled with a glare.

Dracka coughed a laugh.

"Dark magic lessons," Harry announced with a grin. "Are you game?"

Severus flinched back and Harry looked at him in surprise while Dracka sniggered.

"Why would you be giving me dark magic lessons?" Severus asked slowly.

Harry ran a hand over his head and gave him a grin.

"The Headmaster informed me that Callum Genger has been using dark magic," Harry informed him. "So, I will have to start lessons with him to get that under control."

"And you thought that you would teach me as well," Severus hissed and Harry stepped back from the look in the man's eyes, unsure.

"Well," Harry started to say but the look in Severus's eyes stopped him. "No problems, I'll just teach Mr Genger then."

Harry looked away.

"I'll just call back the tables and chairs," Harry told them as he moved back. "Now that the warding is done."

Blake?" Severus called.

"All good," Harry answered as he glanced back at the two. "Just move to the side and I'll cast the spell."

Dracka and Severus shared a look and Harry just waited.

"Dracka could always teach you, I suppose." Harry stated, looking at Severus then turning away as he started to call back the chairs and tables. "You will have to learn eventually, Severus. It's better that you learn control now then to call on it and lose control of the magic. Losing control of your dark magic is not something you want to do. Light magic has a lot more of give to it, so losing control of that isn't as much of a problem-"

"Blake!"

Harry started at looked over at the two men.

"What?"

"You are rambling," Severus pointed out in amusement.

"Sorry." Harry said as he called back the last table and looked around. "Dracka, I'm sure you can get the students to sort this mess out. I've got to go to talk to Mr Genger about these lessons."

Harry gave the men a grin and went to step out of the room when Severus grabbed his arm. Harry paused and looked at the man in question. His eyes were dark as they looked at him. There was something in the man's eyes that he hadn't seen before and Harry frowned.

"Why do you want to teach me dark magic?" Severus asked quietly.

"Not teach you dark magic," Harry replied. "Teach you how to control it. How to draw on it safely, if you need to and to understand the difference between it and your wizard magic."

Severus's eyes were unreadable as they looked at him and Harry gently pulled away.

"Just think about it, we have time. It doesn't have to be now." Harry explained and slipped out of the room, leaving the two men behind.

xXx

Severus looked over a Dracka but the vampire was no help.

"What just happened?" Severus asked the other man and he just snorted.

"I think Blake just showed his age," Dracka replied with a grin.

"Do you think that it was common place for people to use dark and light magic from the time he is from?" Severus asked.

"Very likely," Dracka replied with a grin. "He sure does. If it wasn't for my own nature I wouldn't be able to pick up when he's using dark magic."

Severus started at that.

"Light magic?" Severus questioned. "Can you tell when he uses that? The school wards wouldn't be able to pick up on it."

"I don't think he uses it much," Dracka remarked, looking at the mess of his classroom. "The Headmaster would be able to tell you."

The two men feel into silence for a couple of minutes.

"Severus," Dracka uttered and Severus looked over at him in question.

"You do know there is a difference between dark arts and dark magic," Dracka told him.

"Well yes," Severus drawled.

"As Blake would say," Dracka said with a smirk. "It's all magic in the end."

Severus smirked.

"Why do you think he really wants to teach me?" Severus questioned and Dracka looked away. "You know why?"

"Trying to work out Blake's mind?" Dracka laughed. "Good luck."

xXx

Harry's eyes were drawn to Callum as the boy sat with his best friend. The two boys were close and Harry hadn't seen him talk to anyone else and he frowned. He looked over to Ry at the Gryffindor table as he laughed and fit in easily with Ginny and her friends. His training was going well, if slow. He was due to spend a week at the Auror school next week. His eyes were drawn back to Callum as Dracka took a seat next to him.

"You're thinking, that can't end well." Dracka stated and Minerva snorted into her tea.

"No, no it can't." Harry agreed softly and leaned back in his chair.

"Mr Genger?" Minerva questioned, following where Harry was looking.

"What's he like in your classes?" Harry asked, turning to the woman next to him.

"Average really," Minerva replied. "But it's a show, he intentionally puts in false information into his assignments to get a lower grade. He's smart but he doesn't want to show it."

"How's he been going after everything with his father?" Harry asked. "Has he spoken to you?"

"I've offered," Minerva replied. "But he hasn't taken it up. He keeps to himself and only spends time with William Shelly. Has he spoken with you?"

"Yes," Harry answered as he remembered the boy's memories and the similarity to his own upbringing. "Yes, he has."

"Blake?" Dracka questioned.

Harry turned to the vampire and they shared a look as Minerva frowned over at them then paled.

"You," Minerva gasped and Harry looked over to her. "You're not thinking of…"

"Yes?" Harry purred in question.

"I'm sorry," Minerva stuttered and Harry quirked a smile that didn't reach his eyes. "What are you planning with Mr Genger?"

Harry looked back at the boy, the words of the crow in his ears.

"I'll let you know…when I work it out."

xXx

Callum Genger nervously knocked on Blake's door, unsure about why the man wanted to see him. He tried so hard not to stand out but Blake saw through that and knew more about him than anyone else and that made him even more nervous.

"Come in."

Callum pushed open the office door and moved inside but stopped when he noticed Blake leaning back on his desk and not in his seat as the man gave him a smile.

"Come on," Blake announced as he moved towards the door Callum still had open and he frowned. "Walkie time."

Callum's temper flared until he noticed the hellhound and realised that Blake was talking to it and not him. Callum fell into step behind Blake and watched as the hellhound bounded out in front of them. Blake looked over his shoulder and his pale green eyes locked with him.

"Going to walk with me?" Blake asked with a challenge in his eyes and voice. "You can act as a barrier between me and that beast."

Callum quirked a smile and fell into step with his teacher. Blake was unlike many adults he'd had contact with in his life and he relaxed slightly as they walked along. He always felt tense around men but Blake was different in a way that he couldn't put his finger on. Like there was a pull between them. Something that he didn't understand.

They moved out of the school and Blake steered them towards the front gates.

"Oi!" Blake yelled at the hellhound as it went running after a rabbit. "You have a job to do!"

Callum giggled and Blake gave him a grin before yelping as the beast went to nip him and Blake skipped to the side. He flicked his cane out at it and it jumped back.

"Bloody beasts," Blake cursed and Callum snorted.

"They don't like you," Callum observed, he'd noticed the way the animal took every opportunity to torment Blake and interrupt his classes.

"No, they don't." Blake agreed as he pulled his wand and focused on the beast. "I'll lock you in that form!"

The beast snarled at him before settling down beside them.

"Why?" Callum asked.

"No idea," Blake replied. "I must have made a bad impression on them and on that basis, they decided to hold a grudge."

"Where are we going?" Callum asked after a few minutes as they reached the front gates of the castle.

Blake turned to him and gave him a wink and a grin that on anyone else would have put him on edge. On Blake it just made him slightly nervous.

"Secret Dark Wizard business," Blake announced with a wide grin as he stepped over the wards.

Callum just looked at him with wide eyes as the man stood on the other side of the wards and the hellhound sniffed around. Blake held out his hand to Callum and he frowned.

"Shall we?" Blake asked with a challenging smirk.

"I'm not a Dark Wizard," Callum stuttered and Blake lifted an eyebrow.

"Yes, you are." Blake stated mildly as he let his hand drop and Callum didn't know what to say. "And so am I, it's nothing to be ashamed of. No matter what the idiots in the Ministry think."

Callum looked around the silent night. Besides him, it was only Blake and the hellhound.

Caw!

Callum started and looked up at the small crow in the tree to his right in surprise. They weren't alone after all.

Caw!

Callum turned back to Blake, standing there silently as he leaned on his cane and he felt like he stood on a crossroad. That two pathways had opened up in front of him. He could turn and walk back to the castle and he knew that Blake would accept that or he could take one step forward over the wards. Take what Blake was offering, which he wasn't even sure what that was.

Caw!

Callum slipped the silver snake out of his pocket. He'd turned it back into that shape with the help of the man before him. A man that had helped him and had looked at his memories without contempt or judgement. Had seen what he'd been through and had only offered him help and had asked nothing in return. He looked up into Blake's green eyes as the man waited for him, without saying a word. He had to ask.

"What my father did," Callum uttered. "That happened to you as well?"

"Not to the degree that your father did," Blake replied with no expression on his face. "I did not have a happy childhood."

Callum nodded, he'd had his suspicions. Not that it changed his opinion but Blake was being open and honest with him.

Caw!

They both looked up at the crow and the bird flapped its wings before taking to the air. It had made its point.

"Interfering beasts," Blake whispered under his breath but Callum heard him and quirked a smile.

Callum took a step forward as he made his choice. What that meant he wasn't sure yet as Blake looked him over. He had placed his trust in Blake before and he felt comfortable in doing it once again.

"Secret Dark Wizard business," Callum offered with a slight smile and Blake barked a laugh.

"That it is," Blake agreed.


	55. Chapter 55

Harry sighed as Ben settled the last link into place and Harry smoothed it over. They had finally finished the device with the dampening spell built in. He just hoped that it would be strong enough for what he had in mind. He didn't want it to fail and yet he didn't want to test it and have to do the whole thing over again. They had tested each spell and component as they worked but not as a whole.

There was only so much of Ben Cooper he could deal with and that was days ago.

"Well," Ben announced with a big smile. "That was fun."

Harry snorted in amusement.

"My headaches say different," Harry muttered.

"I said I was sorry!" Ben yelped and Harry clapped a hand to his shoulder.

"No harm done," Harry said with a smile.

Harry picked up the small black cube, similar to the one he'd taken from the German Prisoner of War camp so long ago. They had based the spell of that one and the one from Severus's memory. It would contain and strengthen the spell they had cast into it, narrowing its range down to a small area which should boost its power.

"Well," Ben announced and got his feet. "I'm off."

Harry started.

"You're going now?" Harry asked.

"Sure," Ben replied. "Works done. See ya, Blake."

Ben gave him a grin before walking out the door. Harry was left sitting alone in the bronze circle of his classroom before snorting. Some things never changed as he held up the cube and looked it over as a glint came into his eyes. Now they just had to wait

xXx

"Hey, Dad."

Harry looked up from his dining table as Ry came through the door with a big grin. Severus looked over from his place in his armchair, where he'd been reading his book.

"So, I've been pardoned from the Auror program," Ry announced as he moved towards the table.

"What did you do, Potter?" Severus drawled as Harry just looked at him.

"The question should be, why are you smiling?" Harry amended and Ry's grin got bigger. "Now I can understand why you get nervous when I smile like that."

Ry barked a laugh, just as Albert came through the door with a big grin. Harry got a sinking feeling.

"He's mine now," Albert cried and clapped a hand to Ry's shoulder and the boy staggered slightly.

Harry paled and felt a slight chill as he looked at the two.

"Explain," Severus said smoothly, his tone deadly.

"You have taken him as your apprentice," Harry whispered.

 _"Ja!"_ Albert answered.

"I got tested yesterday," Ry said proudly as he looked at him. "They said that I could do very well with healing magic."

"Kingsley called me, of course." Albert cried with a grin.

Harry didn't know what to think, the differences between them couldn't be clearer than in that moment. He was stuck speechless and he was sure he had a dumbfounded look in his face.

"Dad?" Ry asked softly, when he didn't say anything.

"Sorry," Harry cried and jumped to his feet and took his son in a hug. "Just shocked me there for a second."

Albert barked a laugh and clapped a hand to his shoulder.

"Well worth it then!" Albert said loudly. "We should have done this earlier, Ry!"

"You do realise that you have to deal with Albert," Harry whispered in Ry's ear.

Ry barked a laugh and pushed him back.

"I am an adult," Ry told him with a smirk.

Harry looked him over and quirked a smile.

"I suppose you are," Harry conceded. "Should I start calling you Harry now?"

Harry pulled back with a laugh as Ry lashed out with his fist towards his shoulder. Severus snorted from his place as Albert smiled widely, like the cat that got the cream.

"My little Harry," Harry laughed. "All grown up!"

"Dad!"

xXx

Harry looked up when Dracka crashed through his door out of breath.

"We have to move now," Dracka said quickly. "Call in your teams."

Dracka went to run back out.

"Stop!" Harry ordered sharply and the vampire stopped. "Come here."

"We don't have time!" Dracka snapped.

"Get over here!" Harry snapped back.

Dracka moved over and Harry picked up a small cloth bag. He then reached up and touched on the pendant that he'd been wearing and it appeared as he cut through the charm hiding it.

"What's that?" Dracka asked in interest.

"Turn around," Harry ordered.

Dracka did as he was ordered and Harry untied the cord. He slipped the pendent into the bag and tapped his wand to it and it shrunk to fit perfectly before he placed it around Dracka's neck. The vampire shivered slightly as Harry tied it into place and tapped his wand to it. The knot disappeared just leaving a circle of leather cord with the small silver pendant in the tight cloth bag. It sat against Dracka's skin, the cloth giving him protection as the pendant sat low on his neck and couldn't slip over his head.

Dracka turned back around and touched his fingers to the cloth and Harry knew he was feeling the light magic that he'd been feeding into it.

"I'll need one week a year to recharge it," Harry told him. "Now go."

"Blake, what-" Dracka went to say.

"You know what it is," Harry snapped. "Now, go. I have people to call."

Dracka nodded sharply as Harry pulled his phone and Dracka dashed out of the door. Simpson had resurfaced, this was the chance they had been waiting for. They need to work and fast.

xXx

Harry looked around the room, packed with people and was reminded of before Voldemort fell as his eyes roamed over everyone.

"We have him contained here," Dracka reported as he pointed out the place on the map, not far from London. "He has a force with him but we have managed to hold in the warehouse across the road and have wards in place, thanks to the goblins and Gringotts."

"Why is he still here?" Minister Rufus Scrimgeour growled.

"We closed the borders to him," Conner replied and the French minister nodded. "Blake was able to give us a sample of his magic from his wand as soon as he left German we closed the Border."

"And made him our problem," Scrimgeour rumbled.

"He was always going to come back here," Harry spoke up and Scrimgeour glared over to him. "We were cutting off his options and closing the net around him. Isolating him to one country."

"Since he is after you," Scrimgeour growled and a few people tensed.

"Correct," Harry replied blandly. "I have something he wants but that is not why we are here."

"We are here," Dracka snapped. "To take him down while we can. I have the Council in place and we are holding. We need to move and quickly."

"We need to plan," Miller countered as he stood and Harry could see this going downhill quickly.

"Enough," Harry hissed as he got to his own feet and placed the black cube that Ben and him had been working on. "We have plans. We have not been sitting idle. Those plans are already coming together."

Miller looked him over before picking up the cube in interest.

"What do you have in mind, Blake?" Dylan questioned, silencing the whispers around them.

"We need to hold at the warehouse and move in on hotel that he's held up in," Harry laid out as Dracka and Miller took a seat and the man passed over the cube. "This is the key. I need Miller and his team while Dracka and everyone else distracts, what support he still holds, and hold the gap in the wards."

"We have his numbers," Dracka added. "This is our best chance but we have to move quickly."

"As you have said, vampire." Dylan growled and Dracka flashed his fangs at the man. "Talk fast, we don't want any mistakes because we acted without considering everything."

Dracka gave him a leer before turning to the board next to him and quickly ran through their plans. Harry sat back in his seat and Severus laid his hand on his knee. Harry turned to him and gave him a small smile; the man looked a little pale but there was hardness in his eyes. They were ready, more time would have been better but they were ready. It was time to end this.

xXx

Severus looked down at the gun in his hand and carefully loaded it. Three months ago, he wouldn't have known what he was doing, now was a different story. He still didn't like the things but at least he could handle the muggle weapon.

"Good thing that aiming a wand is similar to aiming a gun," Blake remarked as he got dressed. "Makes it easier when you have duelling talent for those skills to come through in handling a gun."

"So not natural talent?" Severus drawled and Blake gave him a grin.

"That too," Blake added. "Miller was very impressed."

Severus placed the gun down and clipped his belt around his waist before placing the gun into the holster and adjusting it until it sat right. It felt a little odd but as he placed his wand into the holster before the gun.

"Did you want a vest?" Blake asked and held the flak vest up. "It might limit your movements since you aren't used to it? Or I have a dragon hide one here somewhere."

"It's fine Blake," Severus replied evenly. "I'm sure that Dracka will make sure that I'm kept wrapped in bubble wrap."

Blake barked a laugh and moved over to him. Severus opened his arms and the man fell into him. Severus could feel the hardness of the flak vest under his shirt and his sword hilt. Blake was dressed for battle and it worried him. He Held the other man close before stepping back and looking him over. He stood evenly on his feet after taking a few potions to help him and with the glint in his green eyes made him look even younger than normal.

Blake gave him a grin before taking another step back and adjusting his belt. He had his sword and knife on one side and his gun and wands on the other. He patted his pockets down and grabbed up a bag that was sitting on the floor before turning back to Severus.

"Ready?" Blake asked with a challenge in his voice.

"Do you think that Simpson will wait if I'm not?" Severus drawled with sarcasm in his voice.

"Let's go ask him," Blake replied with a lopsided grin.

xXx

Harry could feel Simpson's dark magic the second that the portkey spat them out and Severus grabbed his shoulder as he stumbled. He gave him a nod and looked at the dozen or so goblins with Bill and a few other curse breakers. They held the wards around the warehouse and hotel. Their light power battling against Simpson's dark magic. The combined light magic of the goblins keeping him contained. Simpson would have no other option but to fight his way out.

"You better hurry up, Sun." Goldsmith snapped at him as he moved away from the other goblins. "He's strong for a Dark Lord and he's been pushing against us. We'll only be able to hold it for a few more hours."

"Thank you," Harry offered and the goblin looked him over with a sneer.

"You owe us," Goldsmith said gruffly and Harry nodded.

"I'll settle the bill later," Harry commented. "When the Veela arrive, I'll have them back you up."

Goldsmith gave him a sharp nod before walking back to his men.

They moved with the group through the gap in the wards and Harry could feel the dark magic intensify as they moved into the warehouse. They held this area and Dracka and his men would hold it while Harry and his team moved on Simpson. The Ministry were on back up and were holding the area outside the wards to stop them from being blindsided.

"We'll hold here," Dracka announced and clapped a hand to his shoulder. "Good luck."

Harry gave him a nod then found himself in Severus's arms. He started since the man didn't like public displays as he held him tight.

"Try not to die," Severus whispered in his ear.

Harry held him tighter before stepping back and looking him over. He gave him a sharp nod before turning to Dracka.

"Keep him safe," Harry ordered and Severus gave him a glare.

Dracka pulled him into a hug before holding him at arm's length. Harry's eyes were drawn to the pendant around his neck.

"I only just gave you that," Harry remarked with a smirk. "Don't make me have to take it off you."

Dracka gave him a leer.

"I'll keep him safe," Dracka said and released him. "Come on, Severus."

"I am not a dog," Severus hissed but followed after the vampire.

Harry gave them a grin before turning to Miller.

"Let's gear up," Harry ordered as his eyes harden and he set his mind on what was to come.

xXx

Harry looked over the map of the hotel with Miller by his side. Dracka would be working with the Council on holding the area while Harry, Miller and the Department moved on the hotel. They had the area secure but with a Dark Lord that could change very quickly.

"The veela are holding the hotel," Miller reported. "They have thrown up a light magic ring around it which is being backed by the goblins. Its just a bugger with the sunlight that we can't use vampires to storm the place. He does have vampires with him inside the building."

Harry looked the map over. They would be working up the floors, one by one and he was expecting the vampires in be in the first floor.

"Blake!"

Harry turned to see the Weasley twins grinning at him and Miller groaned at the box in their hands.

"Wait until you see what we have for you," Fred cried.

"Those vampires won't know what's coming," George added.

"Just don't tell Mum that we are here."

"Even if Bill is helping the goblins."

"He gets away with calling it work!"

Harry gave them a wide grin as he took the box from Fred.

"Is this coming out of the Department budget?" Miler asked.

"Nah," Harry replied and he pulled out a few glass balls and carefully placed them into his pocket. "Out of the Sun vaults this time."

"Never ending gold in there," George added. "Though I hear the Potter vaults are just as impressive."

"You didn't nick anything while you were there?" Harry asked as he looked at the twins and they gave him an innocent grin and he groaned. "Good thing I keep the better stuff in a different vault. Run this box over to Dracka and explain what is in here."

"Yes, sir!" The twins shouted and hurried off.

"They are going on the watch list," Miller muttered and Harry laughed. "Right next to your name."

"Ha!" Harry cried and clapped a hand to Miller's shoulder. "Let's go."

xXx

Dracka tensed and could feel the demon coming forward in his mind as he picked up the scent of a veela. The sight of the blonde woman in a sky-blue dress had him growling lowly in his throat. Severus started next to him and looked over. A touch of dark magic brushed against him and Dracka turned to Severus sharply. He shivered at the look in Severus's eyes and grabbed his arm.

"The veela bitch," Severus hissed.

"Pull it back, Severus." Dracka snapped. "Or you will do something you will regret. The dark magic around here is already pushing on people. Don't add yours to the mix."

Severus was tense under his hand and Dracka could understand. He turned back to the veelas just as Bella looked over and smiled. Dracka could feel Severus's dark magic increase at that look before Bella moved away with five other veela. Dracka tightened his hold on Severus as the man stepped forward.

"Severus!" Dracka snapped.

Severus started and his dark eyes locked on Dracka.

"We need them to hold Simpson," Dracka repeated what they already knew. "We need to hold here."

Severus nodded sharply and he felt the man's magic settled as Severus took a deep breath. Dracka didn't release him until the feeling of the man's dark magic disappeared. Simpson's magic was still on the air and it was making everyone on edge which was what Simpson was hoping for. He was hoping his dark magic would turns allies against each other.

"Hey, Mr Dracka!"

Dracka groaned at the voice and looked over to see the Weasley twins grinning at them.

xXx

Harry looked over at Bella and the veela holding the light magic around the hotel. Miller was beside him as the feeling of Simpson's dark magic sat on his shoulders and teased at his doubts. Seeing Bella wasn't helping and he had to take a deep breath to centre himself.

"Right there?" Miller asked with his team behind him.

"Yes," Harry replied and pulled out one of Dracka's message stones.

They moved over to the veelas and Bella gave him a smile that had his stomach twisting.

"Blake," Bella greeted. "How are you, my love?"

"Can you hold the circle?" Harry asked roughly.

"Of course," Bella purred and stepped forward.

Harry snarled and flicked out with his dark magic and Bella stepped back sharply. A few veela looked over but didn't move when they saw him. A smile curved up the vaala's face and she gave him a nod of respect.

"Then hold it," Harry snapped, his eyes flashing. "Miller, his team and I will be moving on Simpson. Dracka is holding the gap in the wards. Anyone trying to flee from the hotel, take them down."

Bella smiled and flared out her leathery wings and Miller stepped back sharply as the woman morphed in front of them. Showing the beast under her skin and Harry flared his dark magic again in a protection around his team as Bella showed her power.

Bella's face twisted up in a grin that sent a shiver down Harry's back. She turned to the rest of the veela and light magic whipped up in a storm around the building. Harry let his dark magic settle around Miller and his team as they moved into place.

"Robbie," Harry ordered.

The young man moved forward with his favourite toy and knelt down

"Let me get into place before you fire," Harry ordered. "Miller, get ready."

Harry looked down at the message stone in his hand.

 _'Veela in place and they have whipped up a storm,_ ' Harry thought and it came up on the stone. _'We are in place, do you have back up ready?'_

 _'Yes_ ,' Came back from Dracka. _'Giants have been sighted and heading towards us.'_

 _'Confirm,'_ Harry sent back. _'Breaching in five. Be ready for a loud bang. Bella is under orders to take down anyone exiting the building.'_

 _'Except you and your team I hope.'_

 _'Yes,'_ Harry confirmed. _'Good luck.'_

 _'Stay safe, Blake.'_

Harry slipped the stone back into his pocket and took in the sight of the hotel. It was a solid building, four floors high and Harry knew that Simpson had already cleared out all the muggles and it was only people loyal to him there. The building had a clearway on one side and an alley on the other. There were veela on both sides of the building keeping them contained by their storm of magic.

They had built up a wall across the street to give them cover and Harry moved to the side of it and into place. They would still have to expose themselves to get to the front of the building with the empty street before them. Harry had to make sure that they weren't sitting ducks when they did.

Harry pulled out a ball and threw it towards the building with a slight boost of magic. It clattered off the building and Harry pulled out another ball and threw it. It hit the other side of the doorway and Harry focused as he pulled both his wands. He connected to the two balls and opened up a tunnel towards the front doors through the storm of light magic.

"Bella curve the magic up," Harry called and he felt the light magic shift.

He tied the spell down into the earth as the light magic kept everything contained. Harry could see people moving in the building and knew it would just be a matter of time until they launched their attack. Harry tapped his wand to one of the glass balls from the Weasley twins and linked up with it.

"Robbie," Harry called. "Open our way up."

Robbie grinned like an idiot before a whine filled the air and Harry held the spell. The rocket launcher blew the door apart and Harry slipped out from cover and threw the glass ball before slipping back behind cover. The ball clicked as it sailed through the now open area that had once been a door.

Suddenly a roar of a giant split the air but Harry couldn't focus on anything else but the glass ball as it rolled into the building and Harry activated it. Sunlight flashed from inside the building and he heard screams split the air.

"Robbie," Harry called and he let loose again.

The ground shook as the shell hit and Harry was sure that wasn't the only reason as a roar sounded out. He had to focus completely on what he was doing but it didn't stop his gut from clenching in concern for his friends and lover.

"Bella hold," Harry called.

"Go," Bella called back with a snarl. "We'll hold as long as we can before falling back."

Harry nodded and threw the next ball towards the building as he rushed forward with Miller and his team behind him.

xXx

Dracka snarled as he swung his sword into the vampire before him and pushed forward as the roar of a giant rang out. Simpson's men had worked out that they held the only way out of the wards and they were under fire. He held his wand in one hand as he pushed forward and drove man into the sunlight. The man yelled and grabbed his arm and with a tug they both went down. Sunlight falling over him.

"Dracka!" Severus yelled.

Dracka brought his elbow up into the screaming vampire's face. The man's skin was already blackening from the light and Dracka jumped back to his feet and drove his sword into the vampire's throat. The scream cut off and Dracka quickly finished the kill before looking over to Severus.

The wizard stood in shock as he looked at him and Dracka gave him a leer.

Suddenly a gunshot rang out and Severus grunted and fell to one knee. Dracka jumped towards him and he brought up his wand and pulled up a shield as his eyes darted around. He quickly fell to his knees and grabbed Severus's shoulder.

"Severus," Dracka hissed then hissed again as the wizard grabbed his arm and quickly placed the flat of his silver blade to his arm. "Oi!"

Dracka pulled his arm back as the smell of burnt flesh touched their noses and the vampire pulled back.

"Just checking," Severus gasped as he grabbed his side and a different smell touched him.

"Come on, up." Dracka ordered as another shot hit his shield. "Fall back!"

The men around them fell back to the warehouse as Dracka helped Severus to his feet. Everyone paused as dark magic rolled over them and Dracka growled as the demon came forward in his mind and with the smell of blood on the air. He couldn't hold himself back from leaning close to Severus and sniffing his neck and the wizard tensed.

"Rolf!" Severus snapped sharply and Dracka pulled back quickly.

"Sorry," Dracka muttered.

They made it through the door just as an explosion ripped through the street. Dracka pushed Severus to the ground as the windows exploded in a shower of glass and steel. Dracka hissed as a steel bar smashed into his back and Severus groaned in pain under him.

Their ears were ringing as Dracka rolled to the side and looked over at the mess of the front of the building. He cursed before jumping to his feet.

"Form up!" Dracka yelled. "Get shields in place. Move!"

Dracka knelt down beside Severus as Kingsley started yelling and getting everyone moving and into place. They had called in the Aurors once Simpson's forces focused on them.

Severus groaned as he rolled over and Dracka looked at him in concern as he pushed the demon to the side. He could see the blood on his shirt and he carefully pushed the fabric up. Severus suddenly chuckled and Dracka looked up and locked eyes with him.

"Damn," Severus muttered. "Blake was right, should have taken the bloody vest."

Dracka gave him a grin and helped him sit up.

"It's annoying isn't it?" Dracka questioned and the two men shared a look.

xXx

Harry crouched down next to Sarah in the hallway with his gun in his hand and the bulletproof vest heavy on his chest. He waited for the signal from Miller further ahead of them in the hallway. Miller gave the signal and Sarah and Harry moved forward quickly and Miller moved to the next hallway corner. He glanced around the corner quickly and held up two fingers and pointed left and right.

Harry moved up to the man while Sarah stayed where she was. Harry dropped to the floor next to Miler as the man stood up a gun his own hand. Miller held his hand down beside him with three, two, one fingers down. Then a fist and Harry moved out and shot the one on the left as Miller took the one out on the right. Miller gave the signal and Sarah moved forward to hold. Miller hurried forward and Harry waited where he was.

A man ran around the corner and Harry shot him down as Miller hugged the wall and came up to the corner. He signalled Harry forward and he ran silently towards Miller. The man crouched down and glanced around the corner quickly before gunshots sounded and shot up the wall before them.

Miller signalled four men. Two up and two down. Harry nodded. He pulled a pin on a canister and threw it down the corridor. Shouting and shooting sounded then a bright light lit up the hallway. Harry ducked out and took down two men while they held their heads and miller took the other two.

There was a door a head of them and Harry signalled Miller back and gave him the hold signal. The man nodded and slipped back around the corner leaving Harry alone in the hallway. He moved to the door and crouched down. He could feel the dark magic on the other side of the door and just hoped the man was alone. Going off his luck so far, he wouldn't put money on it.

He reached up and twisted the door handle but didn't push it open. He crouched as low as he could and pushed the door open. Gunfire sounded and he held his hands over his head as pieces of plaster and wood rained down on him. He waited for a paused before slipping to the side and taking out two men before pulling back. He threw up a shield over himself as dark magic rolled down the hallway.

He had to get close to the man for his plan to work. He crouched down with his hands over his head as his shield held as the magic pushed at him. The magic eased off and Harry quickly twisted and took out two more men before pulling back again. His shield cracked under the pressure this time as the magic blasted down the hallway. He couldn't keep this up.

There were three more men and Simpson in the room. Harry pulled another canister out of his vest and pulled the pin and waited. When the magic lessened enough he threw the canister into the room and quickly followed as smoke poured from the small device.

Harry kept close to the ground and fired where he thought the men were until the gun ran dry and he slipped another clip into it as he moved. He kept the wall at his back as he slipped a mask over his face. A man appeared in front of him and he quickly stood. The man turned towards him and lashed out moving faster than a human would. Harry grunted as the man's fist hit his left side and he turned with the hit and pulled a knife in his left and swiped at the man's face forcing him back.

The smoke making it hard for the man to see as Harry pushed forward and tackled him quickly to the ground. He plunged the knife between his ribs but the man just grinned and smashed his fist into Harry's head as his eyes burned red. Harry silently cursed and rolled, with so much dark magic around he hadn't picked up the magic of a vampire. He quickly pulled the device with the damping spell from his pocket and pressed the button and dropped it.

He had about ten minutes until the spell would activate. He moved to the left and suddenly the smoke was gone as Simpson cast a spell. Harry quickly shot down one of the men before dropping behind a lounge in the room and gunfire sounded in the room. Harry crawled and quickly rolled behind the next lounge making his way around the room as Simpson just stood there. An arrogant smile on his face.

Harry glanced around the lounge he was behind. The vampire stood to Simpson's left with Harry's knife in his hand with a cloth around the hilt.

"Stop," Simpson ordered and the other man stopped shooting. "You can't kill him anyway. Can they, Mr Sun?"

Harry just tried to calm his breathing as he laid on his stomach behind the lounge. Everyone else should be in place by now, ready for Harry to make his move.

"Come now, Mr Sun." Simpson called and Harry felt a shiver run down his back. "We are all friends here."

"You have a strange concept of friendship," Harry called and moved quickly but no gunshots fired.

Suddenly dark magic smashed into him crushing him to the floor and he groaned. He felt the pressure not only on his body but his mind. He tried to push up on the magic as the breath left his lungs.

He was picked up and thrown towards the wall and his back collided painfully. He grunted before his eyes widened and he brought up a shield quickly as the lounge followed him. He dropped to the ground in pain as Simpson released the spell and tried to crawl forward but the vampire grabbed him by the back of the shirt and hulled him off the ground.

He tried to twist to the side but the man just calmly smashed a knee into his side. Harry gasped as the breath was forced from his lungs and the vest took some on the hit. The vampire threw him at Simpson's feet and Harry scrambled to his feet until the vampire punched him in the ribs and Harry dropped again.

He gasped in pain and could feel at least one broken rib as he tried to breath. He struggled to his knees, his head swimming and looked up at Simpson.

"You have fight in you," Simpson remarked calmly, then smashed a fist into the side of Harry's head.

Harry went down, his head ringing and the vampire pulled him back up into a kneeling position. Harry could feel blood running down the side of his face as he looked up at Simpson and felt the dark magic in the back of his mind and then it was gone.

Simpson paled and looked around.

"Now!" Harry yelled and ripped himself from the Vampire's grip.

Harry quickly covered his head as he lay on the floor as gunshots sounded in the room. He grunted as a bullet grazed him in the left arm before silence rained again and he peered up to see Miler and his team in the doorway. Harry quickly pulled a small gun from his pants and struggled to his knees.

Simpson was still standing but he was wide eyed and Harry could only faintly feel dark magic from the man. The spell had worked but couldn't damper the magic completely as Harry had hoped it would. Harry could only just feel his own magic as he stumbled to his feet and held the gun out, his hand shaking slightly.

"Are you going to shoot me!" Simpson yelled. "I can still crush you!"

Dark magic crashed down on Harry, forcing him to his knees and he quickly grabbed the gun in two hands and fired. The silver bullet hit the man straight in the forehead and he just looked at Harry in shock until he fell limply to the ground. The dark magic disappeared from Harry's shoulders.

Harry quickly scrambled forward and used his own blood to draw a circle around Simpson. Miller stepped forward and smashed the magic damping device with the butt of his gun. Magic flooded back to Harry and he quickly activated the protection circle.

Dark mist flew out of Simpson's body and smashed into the barrier.

"Back!" Harry ordered.

Sweat and blood mixed on Harry's brow as he held the spell and he quickly pulled his wand. He placed the tip of his wand to the circle.

" _Fugam vertere_!" Harry cast quickly and the dark magic screamed.

The barrier held for a few seconds before it shattered under the strain. Harry was picked up and thrown across the room again with everyone else. He smashed into the wall and slid down in a heap, unable to move as he just panted. His eyes slipped closed.

He felt someone crouch down next to him and grab his shoulder.

"Blake!"

Someone was shaking his shoulder and Harry groaned, his body just pain as the Hallows burned.

"Up, soldier!"

Harry couldn't move, he could hear gunshots in the distance but it meant nothing to him. His head swum and his body burned.

"Get him out!"

He felt hands on him then the floor was moving and pain flared through him. He groaned as his arms were pulled up and he was slung between two people.

He hung limply, his magic spent as the Hallows raged, taking over completely.

"Hold! Blake, are you with us!"

Harry just tried to breath as fingers rested on his throat.

"He's alive. We need to move."

He could hear gunfire getting closer or he was moving closer to the noise, he wasn't sure. He groaned as the people holding him dropped him to the ground. He could hear fighting.

"Blake! Hold on!"

Harry tried to turn his head but didn't have the energy. He closed his eyes.

"Blake!"

He started, someone was yelling and shaking him.

He could faintly feel the Hallows in his veins as a warm heat. He looked up into Miller's pale face and could hear gunfire. He had no idea where he was.

"There's fighting ahead." Miller reported quickly. "Our forces are being flanked. We can't get back across the street to the warehouse."

Harry tried to roll to his feet but only managed to get his hands and knees under him, his back burning. He looked up. They were behind a wall and he could hear fighting on the other side. They were outside the hotel.

"How many?" Harry gasped.

"About a dozen." Miller replied. "Can you do anything?"

Harry dived into his core and could feel light magic at his fingertips but his dark magic was low.

"Give me cover," Harry muttered and put his back to the wall, his vision swimming.

Miller looked down at him, unsure.

"Are you up to it?" Miller asked.

"No," Harry replied. "But I have to. Severus and Dracka are out there."

Miller nodded and Harry carefully pulled himself into position. His body protesting every step of the way with his legs feeling numb in contrast to his back burning. He crawled along the wall until he came to the end and peeked around the corner quickly. They were behind Simpson's men and they were firing on Severus, Dracka and their forces that were across the street. Rage flowed through Harry, giving him strength he didn't have before.

He pulled in his light magic and felt the hair rise on his arms. The Hallows pushed away from the light and pain flooded in, making Harry panted at the effort. He looked over to Miller and he looked back in concern. Harry nodded his head and Miller started firing his gun drawing the attention of the people in front of him. Harry rolled and released the light magic at his fingertips.

The magic smashed into the force before him. Men and women screamed as the magic rolled over them. Harry lost control of it and felt himself hit the ground as the sound of fighting slipped away from him.

"Blake!"

Hands were on him, shaking him.

"Blake! Come on! Blake!"

Hands were grabbing him, pulling at him but he couldn't see anything or feel anything. His world was tunnelling down as people yelled around him. He just hoped it was enough.

xXx

Severus ducked down holding his side, his eyes wide as he looked over at Dracka. The light magic still swirling around outside and it was out of control.

"That has to be Blake," Severus hissed.

"It's out of control, Severus!" Dracka gasped. "He wouldn't lose control like that!"

Severus paled as he held position, guns and wands ready just in case. The light magic started to fade then he heard a shout and his blood froze. He looked over to Dracka.

They quickly looked over the lip of the shot-out windows and looked at the damage to the street around them. It was like a storm had rolled through and thrown everything out of the way, not caring if it was people or not.

"Holy shit," Dracka swore as he looked around.

"Light magic can do that?" Severus whispered then his eyes locked on something and he paled. "That's Miller."

Dracka looked over and saw the man crouched over something on the ground. Dracka quickly shot through the window as he ran, keeping his magic ready as he held his wand in his right hand. Miller looked up in alarm then relaxed when he saw Dracka.

Blake was curled up on his side, very pale and his eyes were just slits. He was completely limp as blood from a gash on his head, slowly made its way down his forehead. Dracka quickly checked his pulse and could feel one but his cold skin concerned him.

"Cover us," Dracka hissed at Miller as Severus fell to his knees next to him and reached a hand out.

"Blake!" Severus cried and shook the man's shoulder.

The man was just limp and Dracka tried to reach out for the man's magic but even that was faint.

"He must have used everything he had," Dracka hissed. "Blake, can you hear us?"

"Is he out?" Miller asked. "He was like that when we were bringing him down. The spell he cast over Simpson shattered throwing us back, he was the closest."

"I don't think he is out," Dracka replied. "Blake!"

Blake groaned softly as Dracka shook him again.

"We have to move," Miller ordered.

"Yes," Dracka agreed.

Miller moved back and between Dracka and Miller they got Blake up. The man hung limply between them as Severus held his side. They made it across the street to the rest of their forces.

"Retreat," Miller ordered and a runner ran off quickly.

Everyone would fall back to beyond the wards to apparate or portkey out.

"Severus, how's your side?" Dracka asked to the pale man.

"I'm fine," Severus said quickly, his eyes locked on Blake's form.

"Here," Miller offered and passed him a gun.

Severus flicked the safety off and Miller gave him a nod. They moved through the house following the others. They heard a roar outside of a giant and the ground shook. Blake moved slightly in their hold at the noise.

"Blake?" Dracka asked quietly but the man had gone limp again.

Suddenly someone ran around the corner, gun up and Severus shot him down. Dracka flinched at the loud noise and they kept going. Blake slowing them down slightly as they moved. They made it out onto the street and quickly dashed for the wards. A gunshot had them dropping and Severus quickly fired towards where the shot had come from. Dracka and Miller moved forward as Severus covered them.

"Severus, hurry up," Dracka hissed.

Severus quickly shot off three rounds before running towards them. He crashed into them and Dracka quickly activated the portkey as he grabbed Severus's arm.

They all went sprawling as they landed on the grounds of Hogwarts. Miller quickly jumped to his feet looking around as Severus crawled towards Blake. Dracka untangled himself from the other man and rolled him onto his back.

His eyes were closed and Dracka pressed his fingers to the man's throat. His pulse was there but it was faint and so was the magic as it pulsed under his skin. Dracka turned to Severus and pushed the man's shirt to the side and looked at the gunshot wound in his side. Blood had soaked into the top of his pants.

"It's through and through," Dracka commented.

"Is that good?" Severus asked looking pale as a nurse moved towards them.

"Means they don't have to go digging around in there," Dracka answered.

Miller snorted as he kneeled down next to them and held a hand to Blake's throat. A nurse moved in and moved to Severus first and ran a wand over him before focusing on the wound. Miller paled, if the nurse was going to Severus first, then it was because she thought Blake wouldn't make it.

He looked up at the vampire and Dracka flashed his fangs at him. He paled even more as the nurse worked on Severus, why were they not getting the nurse to focus on Blake?

"He'll be fine," Dracka offered softly.

Miller just looked up at him with large eyes.

"It doesn't look good," Miller replied softly.

"He'll be fine," Dracka reassured and reached out and grabbed the man's shoulder in an iron grip. "Welcome to the club."

Miller just stared at him until Blake groaned.

"Holy crap," The nurse swore, looking over.

"Keep working on Severus," Dracka snapped, his eyes shining red.

"What are you doing!" Miller snapped as he looked down at Blake.

Slitted green eyes looked up at him and he shivered.

"We have to help him!" Miller cried and tried to pull away from the vampire.

"Just relax, Miller." Dracka snapped.

The nurse finished with Severus and rushed over to Blake and ran her wand down his body.

"This is more than I can deal with," She said quietly.

"Just do what you can," Dracka replied as Severus knelt next to him and picked up Blake's hand in his.

"But-"

"Do it," Dracka growled, the nurse flinched back from Dracka's red eyes.

She quickly nodded and set to work healing what she could. Blake's slitted eyes watching her work. Dracka released Miller and the man sat back and just stared at them

"You might want to see to your men," Dracka suggested. "Blake will want to see you once he is up."

The nurse looked up with wide eyes but went back to her work when Dracka flashed his fangs at her. Miller looked between them all, looking pale before nodding and hurrying away. They still had work to do but at least Simpson was out of the picture.

"I think you scared him," Severus commented softly.

Dracka just grinned at him while they waited. Severus sat down and downed a couple of potions before taking Blake's hand again. Neither man knowing if they had won or not as they looked at Blake's still body.

xXx

Harry woke to pain zapping down his back and a ringing in his ears. He curled up on his side to try and ease the throbbing. He could feel a hand on his shoulder.

"Blake?"

"Yea'," Harry slurred.

"Are you in pain?"

"Just a bit."

He drifted after that, whether there was an answer or not he wasn't sure. He came back to a hand curled around his and soft music playing somewhere. He was still curled up on his side and his back was stiff but not as sore. He tried to uncurl but pain exploded in his back and he instinctively tightened his hold on the hand in his.

"Dad?"

Harry started at the soft voice before he was floating away again. When he became aware he could hear soft voices around him.

"…Should have…"

"…Too long…"

"We still don't…"

"…Wake up…"

"…Blake…"

Harry jolted slightly at his name and pain shot down his back and he groaned. The voices stopped then he felt a hand on his shoulder.

"Blake?"

Harry blinked open eyes to see Severus peering at him in concern.

"Hey," Severus greeted softly.

Harry closed his eyes again.

"Blake!"

He opened his eyes to see Dracka looking at him this time, holding his hand.

"You with us?" Dracka asked and gave him a small smile. "You've been in and out for a while. Even Albert's yelling couldn't wake you."

Harry tightened his hold on Dracka's hand, only just faintly feeling the Hallows in his blood. He tried to uncurl again but the pain stopped him and he shut his eyes and Dracka tightened his hold on his hand.

"Just relax," Dracka encouraged. "You hit your back very hard from reports. We rounded up the rest of Simpson's supporters. We have his body as well."

"Send to States," Harry whispered.

"You want us to send his body to America?" Dracka asked in surprise.

"Yes," Harry agreed. "Told them…"

He trailed off as the darkness started to gather again.

"We need to know if your spell worked…Blake!" Dracka said quickly.

Darkness closed over Harry and he could faintly hear Dracka calling his name.

Harry woke slowly this time, his back throbbing. He was still curled up on his side with Ry asleep in the chair next to him. The boy was sprawled out with a book next to him and Harry was sure that he couldn't be comfortable.

"Ry," Harry whispered and the boy started.

Ry looked around until focusing on him and fell to his knees next to bed and rested a hand on his shoulder.

"Dad?" Ry asked softly.

"Hey," Harry whispered.

"Oh god, you're okay." Ry cried.

"Aren't I always?" Harry asked softly.

Ry snorted a laugh but it didn't reach his eyes.

"I should get Snape," Ry said quietly. "But we need to know if the spell worked?"

Harry frowned.

"Which spell?" Harry whispered.

"The one you were going to use on Simpson, Dad." Ry explained quickly.

Harry tried to think back, he remembered shooting him and casting the protection spell then darkness and pain. A hand on his shoulder made him look up at Ry, the boy looked concerned.

"Do you remember?" Ry questioned. "I should get Snape."

Harry tried to focus on the boy but his mind was drifting again.

"Blake?"

Harry blinked his eyes open to see Severus kneeling next to the bed with his hand resting on his shoulder. Ry stood behind him.

"Hey," Harry greeted.

Severus rubbed his shoulder softly and Harry relaxed back. He shifted slightly, his back aching but feeling a lot better.

"You hit your head and back hard," Severus explained and Harry got the feeling that it wasn't the first time he'd been told that. "You have been in and out for a while now."

Harry nodded slightly, He could feel the pain in his head and back. He slowly uncurled and straightened his legs with a wince.

"Just relax, Blake." Severus offered. "Can you look at me?"

Harry looked up at him at the words and he felt Severus gently brush against his mind. He frowned but lowered his shields, trusting Severus. He sat back in his mind as Severus gently touched his memories. Harry stepped further back giving Severus access to what he wanted to know. What was so important that he would ask for permission to enter his mind?

Severus brushed against him lightly and Harry floated slightly before darkness crept in again, sending him down.

xXx

Severus sighed as Blake passed out once again, it concerned him the lack of fight in him. The man just calmly stepped to the side, leaving his mind open but Severus could feel the trust he had in him as he pulled up the memory they needed. He could have looked at anything in his mind but he just focused on the one they needed an answer to.

"I think the spell worked," Severus reported as he looked down at his lover.

He ran a gentle hand over his head.

"Why is he still passing out?" Ry asked.

"I don't know," Severus replied. "The head wound was bad and his back is a mess but he should have been more aware than he is."

"It's been over a week, Snape." Ry pointed out. "He hasn't even been given sleeping potions."

Severus ran a hand over his head but didn't voice his concerns.

"Severus?" Ry questioned.

"His magic reserves are very low," Severus answered. "His light magic isn't even showing up. He lost control of it, Ry."

"He never loses control of his magic," Ry uttered in shock. "I've never seen him lose control."

"He did," Severus stated.

"Can we do anything?" Ry asked. "I could make a connection with him like we did after Voldemort was killed."

Severus sighed tiredly as he rubbed his face.

"I'm not sure he would be able to grab it," Severus mused. "You don't hold any of his magic."

"But we are the same person."

"I'm not sure you are anymore."

"What do you mean?" Ry asked with a frown. "We were born the same person."

"Magic has a way of changing," Severus remarked, quoting Blake. "Of making a life for itself."

"That sounds like dad," Ry stated with a smile.

"Yes, yes it does." Severus agreed. "We'll give him more time and if he doesn't improve, we'll try to form a connection."

Ry placed a hand on Severus's shoulder in comfort before moving back to the chair and picking up his book. Severus just sat on the floor and held Blake's hand in his. His concern a cold ball in his stomach. The Hallows didn't heal the snake bite and Severus wondered what else it wouldn't heal.

xXx

"Has he improved?" Dracka asked as he sat in the chair next to Severus at the table in Blake's rooms.

"Not as much as I wish he would," Severus answered. "As far as I could tell from his memory, the spell worked on Simpson but he got caught in the backlash."

"He let you look at his memory?" Dracka asked in surprise.

"He just stepped to the side," Severus whispered, looking down into his coffee. "He just left his mind open to me."

"He's going to be okay, Severus." Dracka said with conviction.

"There was no fight in him Dracka," Severus uttered as he held his head.

Dracka rubbed his shoulder in comfort and they stayed there for a while.

"He's awake again," Ry announced from the doorway.

Severus and Dracka moved into the room. Blake was still curled up on his side as dull green eyes looked up at them. Severus kneeled down in front of him.

"Did you find what you were looking for?" Blake whispered, his voice rough.

"I think so," Severus replied and laid a hand on his shoulder. "Is there anything we can do?"

Blake frowned and Severus could see the confusion in his eyes. His expressions more open than normal.

"Do?" Blake asked.

"To help you," Severus explained. "Can we make a connection to help boost your magic?"

"No," Blake replied, frowning even more. "Why would you need to do that?"

Dracka snorted and Blake looked up at him, they could see he was starting to fade again. He just didn't have the energy to stay awake for long.

"Your magic reserves are very low," Severus told him quickly. "You lost control of your magic."

"Yes," Blake replied, still frowning. "I know."

Severus sighed in relief and ran a hand over his face.

"Not good with light magic," Blake whispered. "It slips easily. Didn't matter."

"You had us scared," Severus uttered.

"Why?" Blake asked, his eyes already starting to close.

Dracka snorted again and Blake's eyes flicked up to him before slipping closed. Severus sat back on his heels. At least they got more sense out of him this time.

"Well," Ry announced from his chair. "That answers my question."

Dracka wacked the boy's shoulder.

"What!" Ry squeaked. "It does!"

Dracka growled at the boy as he just grinned up at him and pushed his hair out of his eyes.

"I think I liked it better when you feared me," Dracka stated with his nose up in the air.

"There was a time I feared you?" Ry replied with a smirk. "You must have been mistaken!"

"I think it's time for your sparing lesson," Dracka growled and grabbed the boy's shoulder and hauled him out of the chair.

"Hey!" Ry squeaked as Dracka pushed him out of the room and Severus smirked as he watched them.

He turned back to Blake and ran a hand through the man's hair, the coldness in his stomach easing slightly.

xXx

Harry slowly eased his body out as the Hallows burned slightly in his veins. He could feel Severus near him but curled up away from him. Harry carefully rolled onto his back and felt a dull ache and he bit his lip. He rolled towards Severus and curled up along his back. He felt better once the man's magic touched his skin and he relaxed with his arm around him.

He reached out and softly touched on the connection to Severus as he took in the smell of him. He tangled his legs with his and rested his forehead on the man's back. The man's soft breathing, pulling him back into sleep as his magic softly brushed against him.

He woke when Severus jolted slightly in his arms and he tightened his grip.

"Blake?"

"Hmm," Harry replied and Severus's body relaxed. "Not the vampire."

Severus huffed a laugh.

"Thank god," Severus replied. "Feeling better?"

"Yes," Harry replied.

He rolled onto his back so Severus could move and hissed at the slight pain. Severus looked down at him with concern in his eyes.

"Hey," Harry whispered.

"Hey," Severus whispered back as he cupped his face.

"Hate to break the moment," Harry whispered. "But I need to pee."

"There's a spell for that," Severus smirked.

"Not when I'm awake there isn't," Harry retorted.

Severus huffed a laugh and helped him to the side of the bed. Harry sat panting for a second while Severus pulled on some pants.

"You got hit?" Harry asked softly, looking at the healing wound.

"Ah, yes." Severus replied as he moved back to Harry with some pants.

Harry didn't say anymore as Severus helped his with his pants. They had to tighten his belt as much as it would go, so they didn't fall back down. He panted slightly from pain as Severus gently slipped his arm under his and pulled him to his feet. Harry cursed and his vision greyed slightly as he swayed.

"Still with me?" Severus asked in concern.

"Reluctantly," Harry gasped and got his feet under him.

Severus snorted and just waited. Harry got his feet under him as the pain in his back lessened off.

"What the fuck did I do?" Harry whispered.

Severus snorted as he opened the bedroom door and they made their way out. No one was in the room as they headed to the bathroom. Harry flicked his pants open as Severus lowered him onto the toilet and turned his back.

"They got you a good one," Harry remarked as he looked at the bruising on the man's light skin and the red mark from the gunshot wound.

"You should see your back," Severus countered as he turned back.

"That bad?" Harry asked. "How did we fair?"

"Not as bad as we thought we would," Severus replied. "Dracka's vampires caught most of it. We got penned down, as you know. Miller and Kingsley rounded up everyone after. Once Simpson's forces knew the man was dead, they scattered and we moved in. Dracka has all the files."

"I remember Miller being there," Harry muttered with a frown.

"Ah, yes." Severus stuttered as he helped him up and towards the shower. "I think between Dracka, you and myself we may have scared the shit out of him."

Severus conjured a chair in the shower and turned the water on. He stepped out of his pants and helped Harry with his.

"Will I have to give him the talk?" Harry asked as he let the water run over his back easing the very tight muscles as he sat on the seat in the shower.

"Sex talk or Hallows talk?" Severus asked with a smirk.

Harry snorted as Severus worked up the soap on his back and he relaxed with his hands on the back of the chair.

"Hey!" Severus snapped. "Don't fall asleep!"

"Not going anywhere," Harry replied.

Harry relaxed even more as Severus worked his fingers into his hair.

"Did you find what you were looking for in my memories?" Harry questioned and Severus's hands stilled.

"Yes," Severus confirmed. "We think so. We weren't sure if your spell had worked."

"Yeah," Harry replied. "It worked but I didn't have enough magic to hold it from the backlash."

Severus went quiet behind him and Harry glanced over his shoulder.

"What?" Harry inquired with a frown.

"You just let me into your mind."

"Yes, you asked."

"Then stepped back."

"Yes," Harry answered. "I didn't know what you were after. Thought it would just be easier for you to find it."

"You left your mind open," Severus insisted as he crouched down in front of him.

"I have no secrets from you Severus," Harry stated. "There are a lot of memories I'm not proud of in there but I trust you."

Severus grabbed his hand and kissed his fingers. The ring on Harry's finger shining in the light as he locked eyes with him.

"Come on," Severus offered. "Before you wrinkle up and look the age you are."

"Ha, ha."

xXx

Harry woke groggy and stiff the next morning. He'd taken a sleeping and pain potion after the shower and had quickly passed out. He felt Severus ran a hand down his side and he shivered. His back was just a dull throb and he was sure that he must have fractured or broken it when he hit the wall but the Hallows were slowly working on mending it. Causing fire to race down his back every now and again.

He was kind of surprised that he hadn't died, then again with his magic reserves so low he hadn't wanted to test the theory. He wiggled back slightly and Severus tightened his hold on him until he hissed and he loosen his hold.

"Sorry," Severus whispered, his breath ghosting over his skin and Harry shivered again. "How do you feel?"

"Almost well enough to face the vampire," Harry muttered.

Severus snorted and added, "He has already barged in here twice since you took the potions."

"I'm sure I can come up with an anti-vampire ward."

"If that will involve Ben Cooper," Severus muttered with a groan. "We'll keep Dracka."

Harry snorted as loud voices started up in the main room. Harry could hear his son's voice as well as Dracka's but not the words. Severus groaned and buried his head in Harry's shoulder. Harry wiggled painfully to the side of the bed before pulling himself up. Severus watched him with dark eyes.

"And where are you going?" Severus purred as Harry pulled a pair of pants on.

Harry threw a grin over his shoulder at the man and used the bedside table to get to his feet. His back flared but he pushed it to the side as he limped to the door using the wall for support and opened the door.

Dracka and Ry stood toe to toe. The Vampire glaring at the boy with bright red eyes as Ry stared back, his own eyes shining green. Harry took in the sight and wondered if that's what his eyes looked like as he leaned into the doorframe.

"Can I help you gentlemen?" Harry purred as Severus snorted behind him.

Dracka and Ry started and their heads whipped around.

"Dad!" Ry cried and went to run forward but Dracka grabbed his arm.

Ry lashed out but Dracka just pushed him to the side.

"Enough!" Harry growled.

Both men froze.

"Dracka, I expect better of someone of your age," Harry admonished softly and Ry snorted. "Harry, I expect more of someone of your age."

Severus chuckled behind him as he wrapped his arms around his middle and looked out at the two men.

"Sorry, Dad." Ry offered.

"Yeah, sorry Dad." Dracka added with a leer.

"Gee," Harry muttered with a smirk. "It's bad times when I have to be the adult."

Severus snorted.

Harry moved towards the table and Severus gave him a hand before moving off to make coffee. Harry picked up the first file from the large pile and placed it in front of him as Dracka and Ry took a seat at the table. Dracka placed his phone on the table within his reach.

"Miller wants to talk to you, once you are able." Dracka reported. "And many other people. The Minister of Magic even made the trip here a couple of days ago. He was not impressed when we told him that you were sleeping."

Harry sat back on the seat without opening the file and winced slightly at the pressure of the seat on his back. The move didn't go unnoticed by everyone in the room.

"Are you okay, Dad?" Ry asked in concern.

"Been better," Harry replied. "Has your training continued while I was out?"

Ry glared over at Dracka, whom flashed his fangs at the boy.

"Did you send Simpson's body to America?" Harry asked Dracka and Ry paled.

"Yes," Dracka replied. "They said 'thank you but don't come over personally to see them'."

Severus snorted as he ordered up food from the house elves.

"What did you do, Dad?" Ry asked.

"I was just my charming self," Harry muttered darkly and wasn't offended when the others laughed.

They settled around the table as food arrived and Harry looked around at his family at the table and felt content. He had come from a very dark place when he stepped through that time rip with his mind in tatters and yet now he sat surrounded by his family. Severus picked up his hand and gave it a squeeze and Harry gave him a small smile as he let go of his old memories of his own time and focused on the now.

He grinned as Ry snorted into his juice as Dracka leered at the boy and Severus barked a laugh and he was happy. He may feel like shit and was sure his back was going to give him trouble for a while but he had his family around him.

xXx

Miller looked Blake over as the man slowly eased himself down into the chair at the table. He hung his cane off the side and picked up the coffee that Severus had placed there before leaving.

"Severus has informed me that I have to give you the talk," Blake stated.

Miller snorted into his coffee then started coughing. His eyes teared up and when he could see again, Blake was smirking at him with a familiar smirk on his face. Miller relaxed at that look, it had been a rough few weeks after Simpson was killed.

"I'm sure you already know about sex," Blake continued and Miller snorted.

"I don't want to know about your kind of sex," Miller splattered and Blake quirked an eyebrow.

"I thought as much," Blake replied mildly. "Severus was referring to the other talk. We have spoken before of the curse I hold. You already know that I used to be Harry Potter and don't come from this time line."

"Yes," Miller confirmed. "I'm guessing this is the reason why Severus and Dracka were not concerned with you dying or getting you medical attention quickly?"

"Oh, they were concerned." Blake stated and Miller could see the honesty there.

"So how does this talk start then?" Miller questioned as he leaned back in his seat and his eyes focused on the other man.

"Well," Blake said with a grin. "There were once three brothers that wanted to hide from death…"

The End.

A/N: Well, that's it for this story. Thank you so much for those that had stuck with this long story and have left reviews, comments or kudos. This story copped a lot of abuse in the first few chapters for the fact that it wasn't going the way that people wanted it to go. I didn't much care, this was the story I wanted to write and the characters that were whispering in my mind were telling me where to go.

There is a spin off story from this one. Set in the same world that I have spun but set twenty years after the end of this story. It is a little different and does revolve around your favourites. :-) M/M/M, my friends. ;-)

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Rescued (working title)

When Harry Potter wakes up in the middle of the night knowing his father is in trouble. He didn't expect to find Severus shot and his father missing. They soon work out that this is more than a simple abduction and there could be more on the line than they first thought. Snarry HP/SS slash m/m/m.


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